Baked Tostones

Tostones ask you to cook the plantain twice: softened once in the oven, then smashed flat with the bottom of a glass before it goes back in for a second bake. The first time you press one down, the rough, uneven edge looks like a mistake. It is not a mistake. That imperfect edge is what turns crisp in the second bake, and letting a recipe look a little rough on its way to right is its own small practice on this protocol.

Green plantain sits lower in natural sugar than the ripe yellow kind, and the resistant starch it holds passes through digestion mostly undigested, arriving further down the gut where it becomes fuel for microbes tied to steadier, calmer immune signaling.

2 rounds in the oven and 1 smash step. Not complicated, just a little more patient than most snacks ask for, and that patience is exactly the kind this whole season of eating keeps teaching you.

Ingredients

• 2 green plantains
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (first coat)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (second coat)
• Pink salt to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel the green plantains: cut off both ends, score the skin lengthwise with a knife, and peel back the skin in sections. Cut each plantain into rounds roughly 1 inch thick.

Toss the rounds with the first 2 tablespoons of olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until the pieces have softened and begun to look a little dry on top.

Remove from the oven. Working with one piece at a time, use the flat bottom of a glass, a small plate, or a tostonera to press each round down to roughly half its original thickness. They will look rough and imperfect around the edges, which is correct.

Brush or toss the smashed pieces with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, ensuring the new cut surfaces are coated. Return to the baking sheet and bake for another 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are crisp and golden brown.

Season with pink salt immediately while hot. Serve as a side or a snack, with any AIP-compliant dipping sauce you like.

Air fryer option: After smashing, cook in a single layer at 400 F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping once midway, until golden and crisp.

*Adapted from That Girl Cooks Healthy*