Save Mexican food from the prison of cheat meal status! Make smarter choices with your ingredients and you can bring Mexican dishes into your everyday diet. Here are four recipes to show you how it's done.
Healthy eaters usually put Mexican food in a corner and don't let it out unless it's a treat or cheat meal. But, guess what? It doesn't have to be that way. With a few healthy adjustments, you can have the proverbial cake (or, uh, taco) and eat it, too!
Throw a little fiesta a su casa and make a Mexican meal. These four recipes will help get you started. By cooking at home, you get all the south-of-the-border flavor you want without the extra fat, carbs, and calories you get from eating at a restaurant.
1. Smoky Snapper with Avocado Verde Sauce:
I made this recipe on a whim, and now it tops some of my all-time favorite dinner recipes. Serve this when you need some healthy fats and protein, want to impress your dinner guests, or need to add a spicy Mexican kick to your regular dinner fare.
Ingredients:
2, 4-6 oz snapper fillets
1 tsp each: smoke paprika, cumin, chili powder
1/2 large avocado
1/4 cup canned enchilada verde sauce
1 lime
1/2 tomato chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
Directions:
Set broiler to high.
Sprinkle both sides of fish with paprika, cumin, and chili powder.
Broil each side for 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
In a food processor, blend avocado, verde sauce, and half of lime juice.
In a small bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and the rest of the lime juice.
Top cooked snapper with avocado sauce and tomato relish.
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe yields 2 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 212
Total Fat9 g
Total Carb 10 g
Protein 25 g
2. Guacamole Lite:
The standard homemade guacamole is not unhealthy by any means. It provides a healthy dose of unsaturated fats, vitamin C, and vitamin E. However, it packs hefty a calorie punch. Because this version is a little lighter, you don't have to be limited to a measly portion size. One avocado can go a long way! Serve as a dip with whole-grain homemade pita chips, as a meal topper, or with cucumber and sliced bell pepper for a sodium-free option.
Ingredients:
1 large avocado
1/2 cucumber peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small tomato seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
In a medium bowl, add all ingredients.
Mix together until all ingredients are well-combined.
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe yields 4 servings
Amount per serving:
Calories 91
Total Fat7.4 g
Total Carb 6.5 g
Protein 1.2 g
3. Steak Tacos:
With just a few adjustments, you can have some delicious and satisfying steak tacos without the side dish of guilt! Skip the sour cream, lighten the cheese load, and swap out your regular flour tortillas for Food for Life's sprouted corn tortillas. Que delicioso!
Ingredients:
1/2 lb flank steak
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tbsp each: garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper
4 Food for Life Ezekial corn tortillas
4 tbsp guacamole lite (see above recipe)
4 tsp cotija cheese
Directions:
Marinate the steak with lime juice, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Grill steak to desired temperature.
Let steak rest for 3 minutes and slice thinly against the grain.
Assemble tacos with thinly sliced steak, 1 tbsp guacamole, and 1 tsp cotija cheese.
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe yields 2 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 380
Total Fat 18.5 g
Total Carb 29.5 g
Protein 28 g
4. Shredded Chicken Enchiladas:
Usually, I leave enchiladas off the menu. They're smothered in cheese and full of grease—not what I would choose as a healthy option. However, I know that many people love enchiladas, so I took my crack at a healthier version. After this successful experiment, I came out an enchilada believer!
Ingredients:
For Chicken Mixture:
2 chicken breasts boiled and shredded
8 oz plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1 lime, juiced
1 small can green chilis sliced
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
For Enchilada Sauce:
1 16 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp cumin and chili powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Splash of balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp Stevia in the raw
Salt and pepper to taste
6 Food for Life tortillas
1/4 cup fat-free Mexican blend shredded cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pan, heat olive oil for one minute on medium heat.
Add garlic, onion, and spices and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, Stevia, vinegar, and cilantro.
Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
In a mixing bowl mix together cooked and shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, lime juice, green chills, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Spray 9x9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish.
Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas, roll each one, and place in dish seam-side down.
Pour remaining sauce over the top of rolled tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, and then garnish with cilantro.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size (1 enchilada)
Recipe yields 6
Amount per serving:
Calories 175
Total Fat 3 g
Total Carb 21 g
Protein 19 g
Healthy eaters usually put Mexican food in a corner and don't let it out unless it's a treat or cheat meal. But, guess what? It doesn't have to be that way. With a few healthy adjustments, you can have the proverbial cake (or, uh, taco) and eat it, too!
Throw a little fiesta a su casa and make a Mexican meal. These four recipes will help get you started. By cooking at home, you get all the south-of-the-border flavor you want without the extra fat, carbs, and calories you get from eating at a restaurant.
1. Smoky Snapper with Avocado Verde Sauce:
I made this recipe on a whim, and now it tops some of my all-time favorite dinner recipes. Serve this when you need some healthy fats and protein, want to impress your dinner guests, or need to add a spicy Mexican kick to your regular dinner fare.
Ingredients:
2, 4-6 oz snapper fillets
1 tsp each: smoke paprika, cumin, chili powder
1/2 large avocado
1/4 cup canned enchilada verde sauce
1 lime
1/2 tomato chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
Directions:
Set broiler to high.
Sprinkle both sides of fish with paprika, cumin, and chili powder.
Broil each side for 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
In a food processor, blend avocado, verde sauce, and half of lime juice.
In a small bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and the rest of the lime juice.
Top cooked snapper with avocado sauce and tomato relish.
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe yields 2 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 212
Total Fat9 g
Total Carb 10 g
Protein 25 g
2. Guacamole Lite:
The standard homemade guacamole is not unhealthy by any means. It provides a healthy dose of unsaturated fats, vitamin C, and vitamin E. However, it packs hefty a calorie punch. Because this version is a little lighter, you don't have to be limited to a measly portion size. One avocado can go a long way! Serve as a dip with whole-grain homemade pita chips, as a meal topper, or with cucumber and sliced bell pepper for a sodium-free option.
Ingredients:
1 large avocado
1/2 cucumber peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small tomato seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
In a medium bowl, add all ingredients.
Mix together until all ingredients are well-combined.
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe yields 4 servings
Amount per serving:
Calories 91
Total Fat7.4 g
Total Carb 6.5 g
Protein 1.2 g
3. Steak Tacos:
With just a few adjustments, you can have some delicious and satisfying steak tacos without the side dish of guilt! Skip the sour cream, lighten the cheese load, and swap out your regular flour tortillas for Food for Life's sprouted corn tortillas. Que delicioso!
Ingredients:
1/2 lb flank steak
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tbsp each: garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper
4 Food for Life Ezekial corn tortillas
4 tbsp guacamole lite (see above recipe)
4 tsp cotija cheese
Directions:
Marinate the steak with lime juice, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Grill steak to desired temperature.
Let steak rest for 3 minutes and slice thinly against the grain.
Assemble tacos with thinly sliced steak, 1 tbsp guacamole, and 1 tsp cotija cheese.
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe yields 2 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 380
Total Fat 18.5 g
Total Carb 29.5 g
Protein 28 g
4. Shredded Chicken Enchiladas:
Usually, I leave enchiladas off the menu. They're smothered in cheese and full of grease—not what I would choose as a healthy option. However, I know that many people love enchiladas, so I took my crack at a healthier version. After this successful experiment, I came out an enchilada believer!
Ingredients:
For Chicken Mixture:
2 chicken breasts boiled and shredded
8 oz plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1 lime, juiced
1 small can green chilis sliced
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
For Enchilada Sauce:
1 16 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp cumin and chili powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Splash of balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp Stevia in the raw
Salt and pepper to taste
6 Food for Life tortillas
1/4 cup fat-free Mexican blend shredded cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pan, heat olive oil for one minute on medium heat.
Add garlic, onion, and spices and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, Stevia, vinegar, and cilantro.
Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
In a mixing bowl mix together cooked and shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, lime juice, green chills, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Spray 9x9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish.
Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas, roll each one, and place in dish seam-side down.
Pour remaining sauce over the top of rolled tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, and then garnish with cilantro.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size (1 enchilada)
Recipe yields 6
Amount per serving:
Calories 175
Total Fat 3 g
Total Carb 21 g
Protein 19 g
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