Tag: Snack

Healthy Mexican Food

Cucumber and Jícama Salad

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Cucumber and Jícama Salad: A Delicious Way to Eat Your Veggies

At De Las Mías, we pride ourselves in bringing you the most delicious and simple ways of preparing and serving healthy Mexican foods! If you’ve been to Mexico, no doubt you came across the food carretas selling sliced jícama with lime and chilito. And have you seen the cucumber served on a stick like a popsicle with what else but ¡chilito! a dash of salt and juicy lime. Almost anywhere you go in Mexico, you will see merchants selling fruits and vegetables. Yet, many of us have gotten away from these delicias. In the USA, we just don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables! Find cucumber and jícama at your local market.  Buy jícama already peeled and chopped if you want a short cut!

Jícama is rich in fiber

The jícama is known in some circles as the Mexican Potato. Who knew? And because the jícama is so rich in fiber, it is a very healthy carb! For that reason, this combination of green refreshing cucumber with the crunchy sensation of the jícama is simply an irresistible combo. Simple salads, or chunky salsas like this one are a great way to get into the habit of eating more veggies! Refreshing, quick and easy-to-make, this dish goes well with everything. Use it to top your taquitos and tostadas, or as a side dish. Pair it with carnitas, roasted chicken or fish. It also makes a great mid-afternoon snack. Add as much chilito as your heart desires, or go easy on it for the kiddos. Enjoy this tasty, spicy, crunchy treat and satisfy yourself on a culinary and cultural level ¡Provecho, Comadres!

Healthy Mexican Food

Corn Salsa

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Corn salsa with nectarines?  Really?  Yes, and it is delicious.  I have made this salsa for pot lucks and also made it the night before of an overbooked day, because there is nothing like getting home hungry and tired and finding something healthy and delicious.  At De Las Mías we are all about adopting new and healthy habits. One of the ways we can add healthy habits is to change our environment.  When I came across an article on stacking up those healthy habits, I chose getting to those 3 veggies a day. As a result, I went on a mission to keep ready-to-eat veggies in the refri.  If I come home tired after a busy afternoon, and I see deliciousness waiting for me, I feel like a Super Mujer.  That is one less handful of fritos, doritos or chicharrones!  Roasting the corn ahead of time gives it a nice charred flavor and I highly recommend that you do that, but if you want to opt for a short cut, just sauté some frozen corn and try it that way.  Also, if you haven’t tried canned chipotle, go now and get yourself some.  This smoky jalapeño knows how to kick it up a notch.  Use sparingly until you can’t live without it.  (Hint:  I put it into the olive oil I drizzle on my popcorn!) This corn salsa is particularly tasty on a hot summer evening.  I must admit that I triple or quadruple the recipe because it goes fast.  I love it with a tall glass of my favorite jugo verde – La  Diosa Verde –  one of the green juices you can find at De Las Mías. It also goes super great with Tacos and it is just lovely as a topping for black bean tostadas.  Try it on Meatless Monday!

Healthy Mexican Food

Traditional and Healthy Frito Pie

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Frito Pie is one of those Southwest Chicano inventions that would make a traditional Mexican chef like Diane Kennedy cringe, but it is one of the most kid-friendly, festive and delicious stews you can eat in the street or in your own home. New Mexicans and Texans fight over who invented this famous concoction on an on-going basis. I don’t know who would win that feud, so let’s just say that it was a happy evolution!   

My own favorite experience is the memory of sitting on the grass on the Santa Fe Plaza and having my husband hand me what looked like a bag of Fritos  brimming with what I mistakenly called chile con carne.  I said, “What is that?” and he said, “Frito Pie, Man.”  When I asked where it came from, he said, “Woolworth’s.”  And when I dipped that plastic spoon into that glorious hot mess I was a changed woman. Chicano food at its very best! They still sell it on the Plaza in Santa Fe, so hurry up before it goes away.  The next best thing is to make it yourself.  Lori and Malena “hacked” it with ground turkey instead of beef, but it has so much New Mexico red chile in it that no one will ever know you didn’t use beef. It’s a lot healthier and just as delicious.

Reminder: This recipe falls squarely in the ‘Poquito de Todo’ category. We don’t want to give up our beloved foods but we want to go easy on the portion sizes! One cup is plenty! Use the Fritos like a garnish and not like a staple. If your hijitos are still developing their chile tasting buds, cut back on the chile or use a milder version. And please serve it with a tossed green salad! 

This one will take you home, Sister!

Makes 6 cups. 1 serving = 1 cup.

Healthy Mexican Food

Tropical Infusion Smoothie

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This Tropical Infusion Smoothie is a delicious treat, and a great way to get your fruit in for the day. At De Las Mías, we love our licuados and batidos! Smoothies have a long-standing tradition for Super Mujeres on-the-go all over Mexico and Latin America and now they are gaining ground in the USA.  And why not?  What could be more delicious, healthy and quick than loading up your blender with fruits and veggies, watch it whirl, and enjoy?  No need for fancy equipment here!  This colorful Infusion will take you to the tropics!  What’s there not to like about mangoes, pineapple, papaya and strawberries?  This one calls for coconut water, but you can just add water, or a little bit of juice, or even yogurt!  Whatever combo works for you works!

My own preference is to blend the heck out of it with ice on a hot summer day.  I even infuse it with a shot of jalapeño juice, because, for me, everything goes better with chilito!

Our mera mera nutritionist Malena recommends that you pair it with protein.  So how about a piece of whole grain toast with avocado to go with it?  Or a handful of cashews or almonds to give it a protein punch?

 

 

Healthy Mexican Food

Tropical Infusion Smoothie

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This Tropical Infusion Smoothie is a delicious treat, and a great way to get your fruit in for the day. At De Las Mías, we love our licuados and batidos! Smoothies have a long-standing tradition for Super Mujeres on-the-go all over Mexico and Latin America and now they are gaining ground in the USA.  And why not?  What could be more delicious, healthy and quick than loading up your blender with fruits and veggies, watch it whirl, and enjoy?  No need for fancy equipment here!  This colorful Infusion will take you to the tropics!  What’s there not to like about mangoes, pineapple, papaya and strawberries?  This one calls for coconut water, but you can just add water, or a little bit of juice, or even yogurt!  Whatever combo works for you works!

My own preference is to blend the heck out of it with ice on a hot summer day.  I even infuse it with a shot of jalapeño juice, because, for me, everything goes better with chilito!

Our mera mera nutritionist Malena recommends that you pair it with protein.  So how about a piece of whole grain toast with avocado to go with it?  Or a handful of cashews or almonds to give it a protein punch?

 

 

Healthy Mexican Food

Agua Fresca de Cucumber

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When I think of Agua Fresca I think of Mexican markets on hot days, of walking in from the street to a cool Mercado to find a fruit stand with rows of enormous glass jars filled with bright-colored refrescos – white for horchata – dark rich brown for Tamarindo – purple for Jamaica… and then there are the aguas made with fresh fruits and veggies, with less sugar but every bit as “quenchy” and delicious.

Here is a healthy recipe for Agua Fresca de Cucumber.

Agua Fresca de Cucumber is a refreshing way to get some veggies into your day and stay hydrated. Most of us don’t drink enough water every day.  If one of your healthy habit goals is to drink more water, this is a great way of doing it.  The added benefits to this agua de pepino is the pepino!  Cucumber is rich in vitamins C, K, and B, and also according to WebMD, rich in minerals like copper, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. It’s hard to drink the 6 glasses of water a day and pepino is 95% water!  This one has celery which adds even more vitamins and minerals, and lest we neglect our chilito, this one also has jalapeño!

This recipe for agua fresca does not call for straining the drink, but some agua fresca aficionados like to strain their aguas.  You can strain or not strain.  Up to you. We like to blend it and not strain it because the pulp contains fiber. But if you like your aguas to be more like the a traditional agua fresca that you would get in a Mexican market, strain away!

We encourage you to get creative and use other fruits such as watermelon and melon to make aguas.  You can add a little sugar or stevia if you like them sweet. Make ahead, strain and leave in the refri for later.

Happy Healthy Drinking – ¡Salud!

Healthy Mexican Food

Avocado Mojito Smoothie

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Avocado Mojito Smoothie

This seemingly random combination of ingredients actually works to make a delicious and nutritious pick-me-up! If you like melon and you like avocado, you will love this licuado.  The coconut water, lime juice and mint give it a mojito vibe. This smoothie is a great way to get your healthy fat in from the avocado, as well as boosting your new habit of having more fruits and veggies every day.

Treat it as a satisfying elixir after-work or after-work-out!

We love this avocado smoothie because it’s great for breakfast too!  You can also turn it into a mid-day  meal by pairing it with protein.  It goes  nicely with a tuna salad, or tuna tacos, or you can keep it simple by making yourself a fresh ensaladilla with lettuce, tomato, and purple onion, dressed with a light olive oil vinaigrette.  With the olive oil and the avocado you’ve got your healthy fats covered.  And with a crisp, fresh salad with a little protein you are well on your way to treating your body right, Comadres!

Getting into the habit of adding healthy smoothies like this to your day will make it that much easier to live a healthier and satisfying life. Look for other De Las Mías smoothies and licuados in our La Cocina section and enjoy!

¡Andale!  You deserve to take care of yourself!

¡Buen Provecho!