Shrimp Tostado

Do you like food, and are you on a budget?

I am, and so are Zac & Alyssa the documentary film-maker couple I shopped with at Whole Foods this past week.

My goal was to help them reduce their expenditure on groceries. I was successful.

Z & A saved 1/3 on their grocery bill following my tips and my recommendation that they not buy packets of gluten-free pancake mix ($15) and a box of gluten-free granola ($7).

Instead of buying these high-priced products, I proposed that due to Zac's gluten-sensitivity, they make their own gluten-free pancakes and breakfast quinoa.

Gluten sensitivity, which is less extreme than Celiac Disease, is becoming increasingly recognized as a debilitating health condition that can easily be managed by being hyper aware of the foods one consumes.

Fortunately for individuals like Zac, many stores now stock gluten-free (gfree) products, though, if you need to be gfree, vigilant reading of labels is still important.

I took a gfree tour through Whole Foods recently, it was conducted by Boulder dietitian, Lisa Lanzano and it was highly informative.

Liza made an excellent point when we walked into the produce area of WFs, she said that individuals on a gfree diet should consume mostly fresh produce since it's completely free of gluten!

This is a tip I recommend to shoppers on a budget too, since fresh vegetables and fruits will save you dollars over a cart full of boxed, frozen and ready-made meals.

If your diet needs to be gfree, I'd highly recommend taking the tour through your local WFs, and if they don't have a tour available, ask customer service to create one.

With gluten-sensitivity in mind, the meal idea I'm proposing today is just that, free of gluten. And it makes use of the frozen, Whole Catch shrimp Z & A bought at WFs.

Shrimp Tostado
I used sprouted corn tortillas for the base of the tostado because it's gfree and it bakes well, holding it's shape and staying quite chewy rather than deteriorating into a crispy cinder.
1) Line a baking tray with several tortillas.
2) To the tortillas add a layer of black beans cooked in cumin.
3) Add a spoon of salsa (if you have some on hand) or several slices of fresh tomato.
4) Top with unfrozen shrimp. You can toss shrimp onto the tortilla as is, or saute them in a little butter and garlic and lime or lemon juice.
5) Bake tostados in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 mins, or until the tortilla is slightly crisp around the edge.

To Serve: Decorate with sliced avocado, sliced tomato and a wedge of lemon or lime, and dot the top with freshly chopped cilantro.

Next week, I'll be posting blogs about my shopping trip to WFs with executive fitness coach, Bonni Doherty. Bonni is interested to learn first hand about my tips and tricks for shopping on a budget at WFs so she can pass that information along to the clients she counsels on health, fitness and nutrition.