Healthy Mexican/Tex-Mex Dishes; MBG style

Healthy Mexican Dishes MBG style

Mexican cuisine is known for its delicioso foods bursting with flavor but if you are not careful you can end up eating too much fat and too many calories.  However, there are many healthy Mexican recipes that use ingredients that are good for you and your body and are easy on the budget.  Corn, beans and rice are Mexican staples that are budget-friendly yet nutritious.  Low-fat cheese and guacamole instead of sour cream add flavor and nutrition for a satisfying meal.  Cooking in Olive Oil instead of lard or corn oil will chip away at the LDL bad cholesterol.  Cilantro and diced tomatoes; Green. red, or both make interesting flavors for Mexican food and are high in antioxidants.  Consequently they do also have a bit of acid to go along with it for those it may bother.  Most foods considered Mexican should not be confused with Tex_Mex, i.e. the run of the mill fast food chains like Taco Bell and Taco Mayo or the like.  look for authentic dishes like fajitas or chorizo dishes served with traditional Mexican Culture touches.

Plant-Based Ingredients

Mexican dishes are typically based on corn, rice, beans and vegetables, with meat or chicken used only as a garnish.  You can load your fajitas, enchiladas or tacos with lots of vegetables and beans.  You can even have a meal of brown rice, beans and vegetables.

Make Healthy Substitutions

Healthy Mexican recipes are versatile.  If you want to avoid eating too much red meat, simply replace the meat protein with vegetables, beans, lentils, and some cheese.  Try adding beans to your chili.  Red kidney beans provide plant-based protein as well as folate, iron, calcium and fiber.  Seafood like shrimp is another healthy alternative.

Many Mexican foods have incorporated an Tex-Mex condiment like sour cream.  Use sour cream as an ingredient in the dish or as a dip or topping, but look for the low fat renditions.  You can try eliminating it altogether, or substitute low-fat yogurt, guacamole, or salsa verde or pica de gaillo.  The low-fat version is also a healthy option.

For a healthier version of the popular taco, you can replace the traditional iceberg lettuce, which has very little nutrition, with spinach, Romaine lettuce, arugula or radicchio.  You can also mix these healthier greens with iceberg lettuce for a nutritious combination.  You can also substitute the Ground Beef for Ground turkey as a healthy alternative for taco filling.

Tortillas are a staple in Mexican cuisine.  Mexicans traditionally use corn tortillas, which is high in fiber and nutrients.  If you want to eat healthy like the Mexicans do, use corn tortillas in your recipes.  Another good option is whole meal or whole wheat tortillas.  You can even make your own at home with Masa Flour or corn meals.

Bump Up the Flavor with Spices, Not Fat

Mexican food is alive with flavors due to the generous use of spices such as cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika and even chocolate or cocoa powder.  Onions, garlic, peppers and cilantro add flavor to vegetables.  You won't miss the fat in healthy Mexican recipes because of all the wonderful-smelling herbs and spices.

Budget-Friendly Mexican Stews and Soups

If you want a budget-friendly meal, look for healthy Mexican recipes for stews and soups coming soon on MBG My Budget Gourmet.  You can use cheaper cuts of meat in a stew.  To further stretch your food budget, add beans and vegetables to your stew or soup.  Cheaper cuts of meat, which are often tougher, come out tender and juicy when cooked this way.  MBG My Budget Gourmet uses a low fat leaner Turkey as substitute for budgets as it is preferably 10-27 cents less per pound and 85% leaner.

Make Use of Leftovers

With a little imagination, you can transform leftovers into mouthwatering meals.  Search online  at MBG for Mexican recipes where you can use your leftover vegetables, chicken, beans, rice, etc.  Leftover vegetables or chicken can be made into enchiladas or casserole.  Add leftover rice to casserole or soup.  Leftover beans can be made into a dip or added to salads and soups.  Cold Wraps are possible with lettuce or cabbage the next day added to freshen up the leftover ingredients.