Category: ¡Hola, Sabrosa!

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, English, Healthy Family, Healthy Mexican Food

¡Salsa First!

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Salsa Con Todo

There is an old saying that my Tía Paqui, one of my madrinas, used to say when she cooked up a good salsa: “¡Más vale la salsa que los chicharrones!” (The salsa is worth more than the chicharrones.)

Dichos are wonderful little bits of wisdom and at De Las Mías, we love our dichos. They are mini-lessons passed on by our abuelitas, moms and madrinas. You can find thousands of dichos in the Spanish language. 

The dicho, “Más vale la salsa que los chicharrones” aligns with the De Las Mías way of thinking.It means that salsa is highly valued in our kitchen culture. And in the case of chicharrones, we definitely want the salsa to be the star of the show and the chicharrón to be the supporting actor. The chicharrón is not your friend, comadre. And as my Tío Beto used to say, “Los chicharrones son muy traicioneros.” In English, this translates to “chicharrones are traitors,” (backstabbers!) They can basically kill you.

Some of us, like my sister, loves, loves, loves chicharrones. But chicharrones are firmly in the “poquitos por que son benditos,” category. You can still make a mean taco with a few chicharrones, though. You can. I’ve done it. I am speaking from experience. But let the salsa lead and postpone the heart attack.

(I’m only half kidding.)

High fat foods are killing us, comadres, and we need to dial it back. Fat makes food taste good, but salsa makes it taste GREAT! So when you’re cutting back on fat, a good way to not sacrifice flavor, not to mention, your way of life, is to liven it up with salsa!

Salsa is in our blood. Our indigenous grandmothers have been making salsas since before the Spaniards landed. 

A Mini-History of Salsa

Mexican salsas originated with the Aztecs. And apparently, the Incas and Mayans were no slackers when it came to to making these tasty  concoctions. (Ají, any one?) The base of a good salsa is, el chilito! You cannot have a good salsa without chiles, but the next most common ingredient is el tomate — the tomato. Both of these ingredients are native to the Americas. Salsa, of course, has evolved. For example, I am not sure when the onion showed up. But as the salsa evolved, many other healthy ingredients were added such as cilantro, parsley, epazote and other spices, and lest we forget, the heroic avocado! Today, there are hundreds of different kinds of salsas. We love fruit salsas, like mango, peach and jicama salsa.

Salsas can be raw or cooked. My own favorites are raw salsas, like Pico de Gallo with jalapeños or one good Hatch green chile, or even the humble Anaheim! But one thing is for sure, and that is that salsas are healthy foods that you can eat in great abundance and feel good about it. Get your veggies here, Comadres!

Salsa adds spice to life – le da sabor a la vida.  Even a simple bottle of Cholula will brighten up your taco.  And did you know that Louisiana Red Devil Sauce, la salsa del diablito, originated in New Orleans? Who knew? Here is a great article that you might find entertaining.

We love concocting recipes with native ingredients such as nopalitos, tomatoes, and chiles.  Here’s a list of native foods from the Americas,these ten things that have always been here:

Finally, did you know that cranberries are native to the Americas? Cranberry salsa, anyone? Are you ready for this? Easy cranberry salsa that you could become famous for, with only 5 raw ingredients: Fresh or frozen cranberries, an orange, a fresh jalapeño, a little bunch of cilantro, and yeah, a cup of sugar. But it’s okay, in moderation, remember? And for Thanksgiving! To go with your native guajolote? (Blend it up in a food processor and you are done.)

So pile on the salsas, comadres! And have yourself some of the healthiest food you can eat, while expressing your fabulous cultura. ¿Who says Mexican food is not healthy? ¡We don’t!

Here is a list of the salsas that you can find in La Cocina — De Las Mías:

Roasted Chile Salsa

Pepino and Radish Salsa

Pico de Gallo

Salsa de Nopalitos

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Ana’s Chipotle Salsa

Try them with tacos, burritos, scrambled eggs, tortas, tostadas, soups, and stews.  (I take a store-bought bottle of Cholula to the movies for my popcorn! Yeah, I do.)

Don’t see your favorite salsa here? Send us the recipe and we’ll send you a little something in return.  

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De Las Mias app is ready for download.  Look for it at the Apple and Google Play Store. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

 

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, English, Healthy Mexican Food

The Diversity of our Comida

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We are so lucky to be Mexican! Hey, how often have you heard that lately? Well, it’s time to say it out loud, comadres!

Mexico is a fantastic country and the American Southwest, which at one time was part of Mexico, is a fantastic region. We are connected by land, our love of language, our love of familia, and our love of food. We are kindred spirits. In many instances, we did not cross the border. The border crossed us. So here we all are in this extraordinary land at an extraordinary time. This land mass that we occupy, Mexico and the North American Southwest, holds our roots and represents centuries of customs, languages and flavors. We come together to form a wonderful amalgamation.

Amalgamation is what happens when two or more cultures blend together to create a new one – in Spanish it is called Mestizaje. That’s what happened to us, our customs, our food and our way of life. ¡Que viva el Mestizaje!

It started when our Spanish ancestors landed in Vera Cruz, painful as it was for our indigenous brothers and sisters. It was a brutal birth, but the results were complex, rich, beautiful and diverse. Our food grew out of that mestizaje and now we have one of the most varied and delicious foods in the world.

From our Spanish ancestors we got wheat, cows, pigs, chicken, horses and sugar. From our indigenous ancestors we got corn, potatoes, tomatoes, chiles, and chocolate!

Say those words out loud and let your imagination and your taste buds explode!

If it hadn’t been for the Spaniards, we would not have our beloved flour tortillas. And where would be without the corn of our indigenous grandmothers? Picture a day without tacos, burritos, enchiladas, pozole, menudo, and tostadas, and picture a sad, sad day! Imagine New Mexico without the red, the green and the Christmas!

And don’t even get me started on where I personally would be without chocolate.

Every region of Mexico and the North American Southwest has its knockout specialty dishes and as De Las Mías grows, we want to proudly feature all of them and teach you how to enhance those dishes to make them healthier.

 

Here is a small run-down of our favorite Mexican and Southwestern foods and signature dishes.

  • Arizona: Machaca
  • California: Fish Tacos
  • New Mexico: Green Chile Stew
  • Texas: Fajitas
  • Oaxaca: Mole Negro
  • Puebla: Pipian
  • Sinaloa: Chilorio
  • Tijuana: Caesar Salad
  • Jalisco: Birria
  • Sonora: Caldo de Queso

 

Some of them you will find in De Las Mías and some of them you will have to dig around on your own.  Talk to your mothers, abuelas, madrinas and comadres. Hear their stories. Start collecting family recipes and pass them on. Pass them on to us and we’ll have our expert chef and nutritionist hack them for you and teach you how to make lighter versions that don’t compromise flavor. And when we can’t hack them and make them healthier, we won’t recommend that you give them up. If we can’t make it lighter, you will simply hear us say, ¡Go easy on the portion size, comadre!  

Enjoy our “Poquito de todo,” philosophy.

Enjoy the fruits of our amazing Mestizaje! Be a proud Latina enjoying the riches that our multicultural cornucopia has to offer – and ¡Buen Provecho!

As Evie Righter, author of the lovely little book, The Best of Mexico so aptly puts it, “Every cuisine in the world is rooted in history. And while volumes have been written about Mexico’s past, it is only recently that the cuisine of this dramatic, vibrant country has been chronicled for its extraordinary complexity and diversity and it is marvelous melding of different cultures and distinct regions. It is spirited; it is strong; it is from the ground up. Its beginnings are ancient.”

I love this paragraph and I see how it also applies to that same cultural legacy we benefit from in the American Southwest. At De Las Mías we will always strive to highlight the diversity of our food and strength of our cultural heritage. The changes we make in our test kitchen with the help of our chef Lori and our nutritionist Malena, will never compromise flavor and always strive to enhance your ¡Salud!

Here are some great resources we want to share with you to start exploring the glorious and exquisite foods of Mexico and the Southwest. Here are some of the books I keep on my shelf and 2 websites I am particularly fond of:

 

Books

Diane Kennedy’s – The Essential Cuisines of Mexico

A tattered copy of my mom’s — La Cocina de Doña Adela by Adela Romo de Escamilla

 

Websites

De Las Mías

Comida Mexicana

 

Other Books on my Shelf:

Susanna Palazuelos’ and Marilyn Tausend’s Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook

Evie Righter’s The Best of Mexico

Marilyn Tausend’s and Miguel Ravago’s Cocina de La Familia

Fabiola Cabeza de Vaca Gilbert’s The Good Life: New Mexico Traditions and Food

Jane Milton’s Mexican: Healthy Ways with a Favorite Cuisine

 

 

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Spanish

La variedad de nuestra comida

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  ¡Somos tan dichosas de ser mexicanas! ¿Cuántas veces has oído eso últimamente? Bueno, es hora de decirlo en voz alta, Comadres! México es un país fantástico y el suroeste de los E.E.U.U, que en un tiempo fue parte de México, es una región fantástica. Hay muchas cosas que nos unen:  la tierra que compartimos, a la que pertenecemos, nuestra idioma, el amor que sentimos por nuestras familias y nuestra cultura y algo más que es súmamente importante:  ¡nos encanta nuestra comida! Aunque ya lo había mencionada antes, lo quiero repetir que pertenecemos a esta tierra, a esta región que embarca méxico y el suroeste de los E.E.U.U.. En muchos casos, nosotros no cruzamos la frontera: la frontera nos cruzó a nosotros. Así que aquí estamos todos en esta tierra extraordinaria en un momento extraordinario. Esta terreno que ocupamos los Latinos, Indo-hispanos, Mexicanos, Mestizos, sostiene nuestras raíces y representa siglos de costumbres, idiomas y sabores.  Formamos una maravillosa amalgamación. Es una manera de describir lo que nos sucedió cuando nuestros antepasados indígenas se mezclaron con nuestros antepasados españoles. Dos o más culturas se mezclaron y crearon una nueva. En español esto se llama Mestizaje. El mestizaje fue el resultado de la mezcla de costumbres, idiomas, comida y forma de vivir. ¡Que viva el Mestizaje! Para muchos de nosotros, esta historia comenzó cuando nuestros antepasados españoles aterrizaron en Vera Cruz, doloroso como lo fue para nuestros hermanos y hermanas indígenas, así es cómo llegamos a este mestizaje. Fue un parto brutal, pero los resultados fueron complejos, ricos, hermosos y diversos. Nuestra comida surgió de ese mestizaje y ahora tenemos uno de las cocinas más variadas y deliciosas del mundo. De nuestros antepasados españoles conseguimos el trigo, vacas, cerdos, pollos, caballos y azúcar. De nuestros antepasados indígenas conseguimos el  maíz, las papas, tomates, chiles y ¡chocolate! ¡Si te pones a repetir, en voz alta, todas estas palabras que representan nuestros alimentos,  y te dejas llevar por tu imaginación, ¡sientes una exploción de sabores! Si no hubiera sido por los españoles, no tendríamos nuestras amadas tortillas de harina. ¿y dónde estaríamos sin el maíz de nuestras abuelas indígenas? Imagínate un día sin tacos, burritos, enchiladas, pozole, menudo y tostadas! ¡Qué dia tan triste! No quiero ni pensar cómo fuera mi vida sin chocolate. Cada región de México y del suroeste norteamericano tienen sus especialidades y en De Las Mías queremos presentar, con orgullo, un poco de toda la variedad que existe en nuestra cocina maravillosa y deiciosa. Nuestro meta es en presentarte toda esta variedad exquisita en una manera más saludables.   Aquí hay una pequeña lista de algunos de nuestros platillos regionales favoritos:

  • Arizona: Carne machaca
  • California: Tacos de pescado
  • New Mexico: Green Chile Stew (Guisado de puerco en chile verde)
  • Texas: Fajitas
  • Oaxaca: Mole Negro
  • Puebla: Pipian
  • Sinaloa: Chilorio
  • Tijuana: Ensalada César (Ceasar Salad)
  • Jalisco: Birria
  • Sonora: Caldo de Queso

  Algunos de estos platillos  se encuentran en la sección de la cocina En De las Mías y algunos de ellos tendrás que encontrar por tu cuenta.  Habla con tu mamá, tu suegra, tus abuelas, madrinas y comadres. Escucha sus historias. Empieza a colectar recetas familiares y a preservarlas y compartirlas. Compártelas con nosotras.  Danos permiso para adaptarlas, si es necesario, para hacerlas más saludables. Aquí podemos ver si es posible preparar versiones más saludables y compartirlas contigo y tus amigas. Se trata de adaptar pero no sacrificar el sabor. Y cuando no se puede adaptarla receta sin sacrificarla, seguimos nuestra filosofía de “Poquito de todo.” Disfruta de nuestro increíble Mestizaje en la cocina! Hay que sentir orgullo por nuestra cultura y la diversidad de nuestra comida. Evie Righter, un autora de un pequeño libro de recetas muy encantador, The Best of Mexico lo explica bien, “Cada cocina en el mundo tiene sus raices en la historia. Y aunque se han escrito volúmenes sobre el pasado de México, es sólo recientemente que la cocina de este dramático y vibrante país ha sido presentada por su extraordinaria complejidad y diversidad. Es una maravillosa fusión de diferentes culturas y regiones distintas. Es espíritu; es fuerte; surgió de la tierra. Sus origenes son antiguos. “ Me encanta este párrafo porque reconozco cómo se aplica también a nuestra herencia cultural que nos enriquece la vida. En De las Mías siempre nos esforzaremos para representar lo mejor de nuestra comida y en una manera saludable. Los cambios que hacemos en nuestra cocina los hacemos con nuestra chef, Lori y nuestra nutricionista Malena. Siempre nos comprometemos a conservar la tradición de nuestra comida mientras que la adaptamos para hacerla en una manera más saludable. Aquí hay algunos recursos que queremos compartir con ustedes para que empiecen a explorar los alimentos diversos, gloriosos y exquisitos de México y el suroeste. Aquí está una lista de mis favoritos libros de receta y 2 sitios web que me gustan especialmente:   Books Diane Kennedy’s – The Essential Cuisines of Mexico A tattered copy of my mom’s — La Cocina de Doña Adela by Adela Romo de Escamilla   Websites De Las Mías Comida Mexicana   Otros Libros en mi Estante: Susanna Palazuelos’ and Marilyn Tausend’s Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook Evie Righter’s The Best of Mexico Marilyn Tausend’s and Miguel Ravago’s Cocina de La Familia Fabiola Cabeza de Vaca Gilbert’s The Good Life: New Mexico Traditions and Food Jane Milton’s Mexican: Healthy Ways with a Favorite Cuisine    

¡Hola, Guapa!, ¡Hola, Sabrosa!, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Family

How to Help your Spouse Make Healthy Changes

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Bicycle Commuter stop at Traffic Light

We’ve all heard the old American dicho, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”  This little bit of wisdom, much like the dichos of our abuelas, madrinas and moms, is tried and true. Another one of my favorites is, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”

I think these two dichos are pretty handy for those of us over-achieving helper types. Being a helper or a supporter of someone trying to make a change is very important. De Las Mías is based on the knowledge and the research that affirms that helping relationships actually make a difference. But it is equally important to realize that if the horse ain’t ready, there ain’t much you can do about it. So here’s your first consejo: Before you volunteer to help someone change, make sure they are ready to make the change.   

When I started helping my husband, Mike, eat healthier foods, he was ready. His dad had died when Mike was just a baby, leaving Mike’s mom as a young widow to take care of herself and her infant. This was in the 1950s and women alone had more barriers than they do now fending for themselves. This tragic story was told and retold by Mike’s aunts and uncles so that young Mike grew up knowing of his father’s fateful date with a heart attack. When Mike reached the age 35, the same age his dad was when he died of a heart attack, he went in for a routine check-up. The doctor told Mike that he had a very high cholesterol level for a man in his 30s. Mike didn’t need more warning than that. This was his wake-up call and he responded, ready to make a change.

Mike was ready and he asked for my help. Those are two key ingredients to helping someone make a change: readiness and asking for help. If you are in a situation where you want to help your spouse or partner make a change, remember they have to be ready for change and you have to be ready to help.

Mike and I love to eat, and we love to eat good food! We took the guidelines his doctor gave us about what to eat and  starting looking up healthy recipes. We were in it together and that made it fun, not to mention delicious. One of the first things I did was buy a subscription to Cooking Light  because they have wonderful and delicious recipes!  But, although these recipes were good and light, they weren’t Mexican.

So the next important task was to find a dietician who knew about Mexican food! I’m a proud Mexican and a proud Mexican cook. Mike is a proud consumer of Mexican food, so we make a good couple. At the time there was this misconception that Mexican food was unhealthy and greasy, and although there are plenty of ways to cook high fat Mexican food, there are also plenty of ways to cook low fat, healthy Mexican food. And thanks to dieticians and nutritionists like our own Madrina Malena Perdomo, I learned everything I could on how to keep my hubby healthy and happily eating his favorite food.

Remember, the secret sauce here is that Mike was ready. If your spouse is ready, it’s going to be easier, but there are still ways you can get yourself into trouble if you don’t watch it.

So here is how to watch it:

  • If you’re kind of metichi like I am, you’re kind of bossy, right? So the next piece of advice is Stop.  Being bossy is only a good idea in theory. Looks great on Tee-shirts but it doesn’t work that well in marriages.
  • If your spouse needs your help, encourage him or her to ask you for help. You can say something like, “Okay, so I hear you want to start eating better, what can I do to help?”
  • Another helpful hint would be to say, “You know, I’ve been wanting to make some changes too.  What do you say we do it together?”
  • Avoid nagging. Saying “I told you so,”  is a big no-no. If you see him reach for the peanut butter cups, say nothing on the spot. Better to wait and ask him/her later, “Hey, Love, when you reach for the peanut butter cups, do you want me to say something or no?”If he or she says, “Nah, by the time my fingers are on those suckers, it’s kind of late,” take the cue. Take a deep breath and let him or her guide you in how you can help.
  • Control your environment. A very powerful approach to cutting down on junk food and sweets is to simply not have them in the house. You might suggest this when it is NOT emotionally charged. Don’t wait until you’re in the middle of the Super Bowl or his favorite novela to challenge peanut butter cups. Think ahead. You could say something like, “Hey, what about if we don’t buy any junk food this week and see how it goes…”
  • Look up a delicious De Las Mías recipe and prepare a meal together. They say that the couple that cooks together stays together.
  • If you see that either one or both of you want to eat more than you planned after dinner, go for a walk. Exercise has proven to be a great countering technique to overeating.
  • As in all good communication, it starts with a good plan and a good agreement. If you can prepare a plan before going into action, chances are good you’ll be successful!

Remember, as a helper, you want to help.  As you do with your comadres, avoid judging, nagging and giving unsolicited advice.   

And feel free to share my story… About the time that I helped Mike eat better and possibly prevent a heart attack — all while cooking and eating good Mexican food!

¡Suerte!

¡Hola, Guapa!, ¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 3: Stay On Track, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

Sticking with Your New Routine

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Making healthy choices is empowering. Turning those choices into lifestyle changes is even better. But it takes work! Here are some ways to stick with your routine, push through challenges, and turn healthy choices into healthy habits.

Have you started eating healthier, or exercising regularly with your comadres? Great work! Getting started is the hardest part. But sticking with those new choices is just as important as making them in the first place. The best ways to do that? Stay consistent, hold yourself accountable, and give yourself new challenges.

 

Consistency is Key

Our strongest habits are the ones we do every day — or at least on a consistent schedule. Whether you’re exercising with your comadres 3 times a week or putting some healthy veggies on the table every night, be consistent. It takes time and commitment to change a habit, so the more you stick to it the quicker it will be second nature.

Prepare for setbacks. Having plans in case of setbacks puts you in the driver’s seat. For example, if the weather is bad, find ways to be active indoors such as an exercise video. If you’re dining out with a friend, make up your mind ahead of time that you will look for healthy menu options. It’s important to make the effort, even if you’re not meeting all of your goals. Make a goal to do something good for yourself every day!

 

Keeping Yourself Accountable

Speaking of goals, are yours written down? Having something to work toward is essential to your success. Writing down your goals and revisiting them helps keep your eye on the prize. Whether they are on your bathroom mirror or a post it on the fridge, put your goals some place you’ll see and read them often.

As Latinas we also know the strength and support of our community is vital. Tell your comadres and friends about your new healthy habits. This can give you the extra ganas you need to stick to your plan.

 

Find Challenge in Change

Routines can get boring. We know. But you don’t have to give up your healthy habits just because you’re getting used to them. Give yourself some credit! And then mix it up.  Change your walking routine into a jog. Find a new De Las Mías recipe or two and try them out! And if you find you’ve met your goals, give yourself an ¡Eso! Share your new triumphs with your comadres. Add some new ones! Our philosophy of “poquito de todo” applies as much to activities as food choices: a little bit of everything helps achieve balance, puts variety into the mix and makes your body feel good.

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 3: Stay On Track, English

What is Portion Control: Part 2

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en tus manos Becoming aware of serving sizes and how they impact your healthy eating goals is a key step toward healthy living. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, De Las Mías is not about diets or deprivation. We don’t want you to stop eating anything that you love to eat. Even a sweet treat is okay in moderation. The other day I was talking to a doctor, a specialist in diabetes, and we were discussing the traditional New Mexican diet. She said, “Face it—there is no way of making a healthy bizcochito,” and she is right. Traditional bizcochitos are made with flour, sugar and lard. Period. So, what to do? Are you really going to try to give up these tasty little morsels? I don’t think so. The next-best thing is to eat a smaller amount. Enjoy it, savor it and don’t overdo it. So, if you’re used to dunking four bizcochitos into that hot chocolate on a cold winter’s eve, now you cut it by half. Dunk two and enjoy! Giving up your favorite foods is just going to make you feel deprived, and we don’t want you to feel deprived. We want you to feel nourished and happy. Treating yourself once in a while is not going to hurt you; it might even make you happy. That’s why one of our favorite traditional dichos is “Una vez al año, no hace daño”—”Once a year doesn’t hurt.”   We believe that, with small tweaks, a traditional recipe can be turned into a healthier recipe without sacrificing flavor. See what we have done with traditional green chile: we use olive oil instead of lard. Try our low-fat pozole recipe and taste a bit of heaven. And go ahead and make the enchiladas, but instead of frying them before rolling them, make them flat and use a little less cheese. The De Las Mías recipes are chock-full of traditional foods made healthier, but even the best chef can’t get the fat out of the bizcochito. At those special times, just eat “un poquito,” a little less of it, and you’ll be fine. And by the way, don’t begrudge yourself after you eat a special treat like that. Once you decide to indulge in the deliciousness of a homemade bizcochito, don’t ruin it by beating yourself up. Own it and go on to healthier options at your next meal. Remember, you always have a chance to have a healthier meal. Here are five ways to cut down on serving sizes:

  1. Instead of four bizcochitos, have two.
  2. Divide a meal. Instead of having the whole burrito, eat half now and save the rest for later!
  3. Instead of two flour tortillas, have one flour and one corn tortilla.
  4. At a restaurant that serves chips and salsa along with big meal portions, simply skip the chips.
  5. Eat a salad before your main meal. That way you will naturally eat less and get your veggies to boot!

The biggest takeaway is this: By making small changes to your portion sizes, you can still enjoy your traditional foods. Cutting back on the amount of fat you eat is a good way to make healthy changes. You can cut back on fat without cutting back on flavor. If you follow these guidelines, you are well on your way to making healthy changes without compromising your passion for traditional foods.

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Edición No. 3: Stay On Track, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Mexican Food

What is Portion Control: Part 1

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Do you have a grandma or madrina who’s always using old Spanish dichos to give you guidance?

Dichos are little golden nuggets of wisdom passed down by generations. They abound in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Texas and California.

Not surprisingly, there are many dichos about food, like the New Mexican favorite, “Panza llena corazón contento.” That one (full stomach, happy heart) could get you in a whole lot of trouble if you let it. Better to counter it with “Poquito porque es bendito,” (A little bit because it’s sacred). Sooo much more civilized, and your abuelita would approve. It cultivates honoring your food as if it is sacred.

I’m sure many of you have seen your tíos or tías crossing themselves before they dive into a bowl of pozole. That’s the same idea: blessing your food, pausing and becoming aware of how delicious it looks and how grateful you are to be enjoying such a lovely meal…

Now think about this: what if you treated your body as if it were a sacred place, as if it were the temple in which you live? Imagine, if you treated your body with that much respect and love, how eating would change for you.

What if “poquito porque es bendito” guided your daily enjoyment of food? This old dicho passed on to us by our ancestors is perfectly aligned with our De Las Mías philosophy of “Poquito de Todo”—eat a little of everything.

At De Las Mías we want you to be passionate about food and passionate about your body. We want you to be Food Positive and Body Positive. We want you to embrace the deliciousness of our food and our cultural connection to it, and we want you to love and accept your body as it is now.

In keeping with our Poquito de Todo philosophy, we want you to make healthy changes that will result in a more empowered life and a healthier connection with your body. By embracing this “eat a little of everything” approach, you can make slight changes that will result in better health.

One of the ways to do that is to become aware of the size of your servings. We don’t want you to give up your favorite foods and family recipes—we just want you to reduce those serving sizes.

One tool to get a handle on serving sizes is our En Tus Manos Infographic. This handy little tool shows you how to use your hands, like your grandma did back in her day, to measure food.

Try it and let us know how it goes!

Check out our other articles in Healthy Mexican Food for ideas on how to cut down on serving sizes and enjoy your food.

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, Healthy Mexican Food, Spanish

En Tus Manos Portion Control

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An important part of having a healthy lifestyle comes down to portion sizes. Luckily, easy portion control is possible when you have a better understanding of what the right serving size looks like..

At De Las Mías we believe that moderation is key to health—that’s why we abide by the “Un poquito de todo” philosophy. Eat a little of everything. Watch those portion sizes.

Not sure what the right portion is? You are not alone! We hear this question a lot, and we have a a simple portion chart we love to share with our comadres.

In the kitchen, you have spices, ingredients, produce, and meat. The amounts you choose can really add up, so it’s helpful to visualize what a healthy portion looks like. This doesn’t have to be hard: you can use your own two hands to get the serving size right!

For example:

  • 3-4 oz. meat, fish or poultry = size of your palm
  • 1 tsp. oil, butter or mayonnaise = size of your thumbnail
  • 1 oz. tortilla or other chips, crackers = size of 2 cupped hands
  • 1-2 tbsp crema, salad dressing or queso fresco= size of your thumb
  • ½ cup beans, rice, potatoes, pasta = size of 1 cupped hand
  • 1 cup soups, fruits, vegetables, salad = size of closed fist

Need a visual? You’re in luck. We created this portion control chart to guide you on your healthy journey.

A Visual Guide to Easy Portion Control

Easy portion control is possible when you follow the “Un poquito de todo” philosophy. Use this En Tus Manos portion control chart as a guide any time you need a helping hand.

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, English, Healthy Family, Healthy Mexican Food

So, You Don’t Like to Cook: Easy to Cook Healthy Recipes

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Your secret is out.

You’re not your nana or madrina or tía. You’re not your mom. You don’t know the difference between a sofrito and a frittata. You are not a cook. You don’t like to cook. I can relate! I found easy to cook healthy recipes and you can too.

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Here’s my story:

My mom was excited when I told her my new boyfriend would be visiting from San Francisco over the weekend. I had told her so much about him. How wonderful he was, how kind and smart and Latino he was! She, being the mama bear that she is, was dying to meet him.

“When does Alex come into town?” she asked.

“Tomorrow,” I said.

“I can’t wait to meet this guy. He’s your first Latino boyfriend, mija. This is a momentous occasion,” she said.

I gave her a look and told her to dial it back a notch.

Then she offered to help me get my house in order. Who am I to turn down this kind of offer? So I said, “Sure, Mama, come over about 10 tomorrow.”

She was right. We went on a speed-cleaning spree and we got ‘er done in no time at all. In the middle of it, she asked, “Do you have anything to eat? I’m getting hungry.”

Uh-oh. I didn’t have anything to eat. Well, that is kind of an understatement. When she opened the refrigerator, all she found was a half-eaten piece of chocolate cake and a flat bottle of cava. Okay, maybe some moldy cheese and a rotten avocado.

“¡Ay, Virgen Santísima!” she said.

“I was planning to go to the store before he came,” I said. “I’ve been gone all week, Mom.”

“Not even orange juice and a loaf of bread, Sari? Really?”

“I don’t keep a well-stocked, fridge, Mom. You know I don’t like to cook,” I told her.

“Okay, okay!” She threw her arms up in the air. “It’s none of my business.”

You know you’re in trouble when they say, “It’s none of my business.”

Mom went out and stocked the fridge for me and tried to make it look like I’ve been eating healthy. She even bought some tomatoes, onions and green chiles.

“Let’s fool him into thinking you know how to make sofrito,” she said, only half-joking.

That was a couple of years ago, before Alex and I got engaged and then promptly eloped. I am happy to report that Alex is a wonderful cook. He makes some mean bistec de pollo, and cooks most of our meals at home. Okay, I help. I’m his sous chef. Sometimes.

Once we were married and set up our cozy home, I wanted to get into the kitchen a little more. Not too much, just a little. Like, throw something together for us once or twice a week. Do easy to cook, healthy recipes even exist for a girl who doesn’t like to cook?

My Tía Lori—the De Las Mías chef and la mera mera madrina en la cocina— would say yes!

These recipes can be found in the All Recipes section of the DLM app.

5 Easy to Cook Healthy Recipes

I still don’t love to cook, okay? But on those days when Alex doesn’t want to be in charge of the kitchen, I can honestly say, ¡me defiendo!

My way of thinking is that not all of us like to cook, but we can still whip up something healthy and delicious with just a little bit of help from our madrinas and comadres. Periodically, I will post some of my other Lazy Sari dishes, which are easy to cook, healthy recipes for those of you who are like me. After all, men shouldn’t do all the cooking. They need a break once in awhile!

Here are a few of our favorite easy recipes!

Black Bean Salsa
Chicken Taco Salad
Chilaquiles Con Chorizo & Huevos
Lazy Sari Posole
Tuna Taquitos

¡Buen Provecho!

¡Hola, Sabrosa!, English, Healthy Body, Healthy Mexican Food

De Las Mías 9-Step Healthy Eating Plan

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At De Las Mías we believe that moderation is key to better nutrition—that’s why we abide by the “Un poquito de todo” philosophy to enjoy a little of everything. Our resident nutritionist, Madrina Malena, created a healthy eating plan so you have the tools you need to make smarter choices.

Healthy Fruit Salad

A Healthy Eating Plan to Help You Achieve a Balanced Life

1. Un poquito de todo. Eat a little of everything. Watch those portion sizes. Not sure what the right portion is? Check out our infographic, “En Tus Manos Portion Control.”

2. ¡Tantas frutas y verduras! Eat more fruits and vegetables. Make it your goal to eat up to five vegetables and fruits per day. Go ahead, start with three! Then, keep adding. Try Madrina Lori’s delicious Turkey Taco Salad. Eat this, and you’re halfway to your goal of five fruits and veggies a day.

3. Switch to integrales. Eat more whole-grain breads and pastas. Eat more corn tortillas than flour tortillas. Eat more whole-wheat tortillas than white flour tortillas. Try other whole grains like quinoa. Try Madrina Lori’s Quinoa Salad. ¡Qué rico!

4. Los chicharrones son muy traicioneros. Reduce your intake of trans and saturated fats. (¡No matter how charming, the chicharrón is not your friend!) Switch to olive and canola oils instead of lard. Eat more lean meats, like chicken and turkey. Trim fat off chicken and pork. Use ground turkey instead of ground beef for tacos. Try Madrina Lori’s delicious Turkey Chorizo!

5. ¡Queso control! We love cheese but take it easy. Switch from whole milk and high-fat cheeses to reduced-fat milk and lower-fat cheeses like mozzarella and queso fresco.

6. ¡Aguas con la sal! Watch the salt and sodium in your diet. Avoid adding more salt to your food on the table. Read the labels of packaged foods for sodium content.

7. ¡Gánale a la chatarra! Junk food is not healthy for our children or us. Avoid it.

8. Watch the dulces. Lower your intake of candy and sugar and reduce the amount of food with added sugars.

9. ¡Agua! Drink water instead of soda and other sugary drinks. Make your own delicious aguas with fruits and vegetables.

Now it’s your turn, comadres! Discover better daily nutrition by making smarter choices. Use this healthy eating plan to become your healthiest self.