CEiMB - Black Bean Mexican Style Pizza or Post Surgery Ground Beef Unspicy Pizza

I hope you all notice the one lone black bean on the plate above because when I look at this photo, that is all I see. Of course I didn't see it when I was snapping the shot. You had to know that right? But now that I am looking at it closely, I think it adds interest and creativity, don't you? Who else thought to have a straggler bean all by itself on the edge of the plate? That is major, huge, outstanding creative photography. I'm just sayin.

Since the yankee isn't supposed to eat spicey foods this week, I was very hesitant to make this. However, my sweet blogging friend Joanna of Apple Crumbles, the host of this week's recipe, offered a few suggestions for me as to how to change things up and de-spice the original recipe. Be sure to check out her blogsite to see how it is supposed to be made. Joanna is a creative cook and very adept at changing recipes to meet vegetarian needs so I always like to check out her blog.

First, I cooked some very lean ground beef and then added 2 T. of V-8 juice. I used whole wheat tortillas. The bean dip you mix up to use as the base is very tasty. I left out the jalapeno and the onions (used onion flakes) this time, but I suggest you leave that in. Then you mix in a food processor to make a smooth dip.
So together we layered tortilla, bean dip, hamburger, then tortilla, thinly sliced tomato, mexican grated cheese, and topped with cilantro and cabbage. It really is quick to prepare and we loved it. A little on the bland side, but when you have just lost an organ, albeit a small one, bland is always a good thing. You cook for ten minutes and voila. . .dinner!!!

Ingredients
4 corn tortillas, or whole-wheat tortillas (6-inches in diameter)
1/2 cup Black Bean Dip, recipe follows
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the tortillas onto a baking sheet and spread 2 tablespoons of black bean dip on top of each tortilla. Top with tomato and cabbage and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pizzas from the oven and sprinkle some cilantro on each one. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into wedges.
Black Bean Dip:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a skillet over a medium heat. Add onions and saute until they soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and jalapeno and cook for 1 minute more.
Put the beans into a food processor. Add the onion mixture and the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth.
Yield: 1 cup