As American as...Cupcakes?

Y'all ate up my last batch of cupcakes so I decided to share some more!  I made these for some friends yesterday just before watching certain film starring Will Smith and some aliens.  No, not Men in Black...that other one.  What's it called?  Oh yes, Independence Day! 

The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays.  Playing by the pool, fireflies, watermelon...it just feels like summertime.  This recipe truly captures the pure, innocent joy of summertime.  It's fun and simple.  Also, it happens to be reduced fat/reduced sugar!  Be sure to bookmark this one for your barbecue next year...it's a big hit!

Liberty Cakes
Source: Inspired by fellow Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, Omnomicon

Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix
12 oz Sprite Zero (sorry...I live in Atlanta)
LOTS of gel food coloring
8 oz Fat Free whipped topping

Directions:

Preheat oven according to cake mix package directions.  Line cupcake pan.

Mix together white cake mix and Sprite Zero according to package directions.

Looks like cappuccino froth!

Pour one third of the batter into a small bowl.  Pour another one third into another small bowl.  Add blue food coloring to one bowl and red food coloring to the other.  I like to add three drops, stir, and repeat until I find the desired color.

The prettiest dirty dishes ever

Place one heaping tablespoon of blue batter into each cupcake liner.  Then place one heaping tablespoon of uncolored batter directly on top of the blue, as though forming concentric circles.  Then top each cupcake liner with one heaping tablespoon of red batter.  Repeat until you're out of liners (I made 2 dozen with this much batter).  Don't worry if your cupcakes look a little lower than usual...this stuff rises a lot!

Bake according to box directions.  Let cool completely.  Once cool, top with whipped topping and a blueberry.  Serve with sparklers and patriotism.

Veggies del Verano

Verano is Spanish for "summer."  With the first day of summer quickly approaching (which is silly because it's felt like summer for about a month here in the South), I thought it would be fun to present a dish featuring seasonal vegetables.  I love seasonal food.  Whether it's watermelon in the summertime or cranberries at Christmas, some foods just help you stay in the moment.

I found this recipe on Cooking Light, one of my favorite sources for healthy recipes.  It combines seasonal ingredients with healthy preparation.  Plus, it's got a lot of Latin flavor!  I made a few adjustments and it was delicious!  I apologize for my iPhone pictures...my camera is temporarily temperamental.

Chicken and Summer Veggie Tostadas with Black Beans
Source: inspired by Cooking Light

Now that's what I call summer veggies!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 chicken breasts, sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped red onion (1 medium onion)
1 cup fresh corn kernels (2 ears)
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 limes
1/2 cup salsa verde
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
4 wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese
1 can Goya black bean soup

Directions:

Preheat broiler.  Combine first 4 ingredients.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.

Sprinkle spices evenly over chicken and add chicken to pan, sautéing until almost fully cooked (3-5 minutes).

Cut the limes into quarters.  Add veggies to the pan.  Squeeze the limes over the veggies and chicken, then add the lime quarters to the pan.  This step is important because the lime juice heats, allowing the other ingredients to simmer in its juices.

 So colorful!

Continue to sauté until done.  Stir in salsa and cilantro.  Heat can of black beans until warm.

Arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over each.  Broil no more than one minute.  I would watch this and remove immediately after the cheese is melted.  Here's what happens if you over-broil:

I shall turn you into tortilla chips.

Spoon chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.  Top with black beans.

Yum!

And there you have it: tostadas, with a healthy and seasonal twist!  What's your favorite healthy Latin dish?