Although summer has officially come to an end, I couldn't help being drawn to this tasty-sounding recipe (and I love anything that involves using the broiler). Quick and simple with easy-to-find ingredients, this Mexican-inspired dish is delicious, hearty, and also quite versatile.



The simple seasoning combination of cumin, salt, and pepper are all you need to perfectly flavor the dish. The veggies are all naturally sweet, which is a great complement to the saltiness of the Gardein and the tangy tomatillo-based salsa.



Melted cheese adds a creamy, salty flavor to the mixture, but I'd say it's definitely optional. The mixture itself is so flavorful that the cheese kind of gets lost. (This was also my first time trying the Daiya Pepperjack flavor, which oddly enough tastes very similar to blue cheese. I'd suggest if you are going to keep the cheese, go with the cheddar version.)



The juicy, super flavorful mixture is so amazing, you'll want to incorporate it in tons of other ways. Fill a non-broiled tortilla for a quick soft taco, or even fill a hard shell taco to add some nice crunch. Serve the mixture with rice and black beans, or even over a bed of quinoa. You could even come up with your own variation of nachos. Or, try eating it alone for a high-protein, low-carb meal.



Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas
(adapted from , August 2006)

1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons canola oil 10-12 ounces vegan chicken (such as ) 1 cup chopped red onion 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 1 cup chopped zucchini 1/2 cup green salsa 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas Cooking spray 1 cup (4 ounces) vegan shredded cheese (such as )

Preheat broiler. Combine cumin, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over chicken and stir to evenly coat. Add onion, corn, and zucchini to pan; sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in salsa and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. For each tostada, spray one tortilla with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon 1/4 of the chicken mixture on each tortilla, leaving about a one-inch border. Sprinkle each tostada with 1/4 cup cheese. Broil an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle each tostada with about remaining cilantro. Serve immediately. Serves 4.