Category Archives: Mexican

Chimichurri Chicken and Green Beans

July 19, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Chimichurri sauce just makes everything better ! It’s a great mix of parsley, vinegar, garlic and lemon and is much like the Italian gremolata. Serve with some coucous for a great complete meal !

4 servings
280 calories per serving

3 T oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1.25 lb.)
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
12 oz. fresh green beans
1 T water
¾ c parsley
1 T cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, halved
¼ t red pepper flakes
Zest of 1 lemon

Brush chicken with 1 T oil and sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Heat grill and cook chicken 12-15 minutes or until done. While the chicken is cooking place beans and water in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave 3 minutes. In a food processor combine 2 T oil, the rest of the salt and pepper, parsley, vinegar, garlic and red pepper and process until almost smooth. Place chicken on bed of beans, with sauce and lemon zest on top. Squeeze extra lemon juice over top and user lemon slices as garnish.

Appetizers, Chicken, Lunch, Mexican, Snacks

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas

July 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is so savory and flavorful…and filling ! You can also cut these into smaller servings and make as a snack or appetizer.

4 servings
348 calories per serving

2 c shredded cooked chicken breast (Perdue Shortcuts work great here!)
2/3 c salsa verde
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 80 calorie tortilla wraps
1 c shredded low fat Mexican four cheese blend
Pam
Extra salsa verde for dipping
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix chicken, 1/3 c salsa, salt and pepper. If chicken is cold, you may want to heat it a couple minutes in the microwave – this way the quesadilla comes to heat quicker. Combine beans with the rest of the salsa and mash slightly to break up some of the beans. Spread 1/3 bean mix over half a tortilla and then top with ½ of the chicken mix and ¼ c cheese. Fold in half and spray the outsides of the tortillas with Pam. Heat a skillet and cook each quesadilla a couple of minutes each side. Cut into wedges and serve.

Appetizers, Lunch, Mexican, Snacks

Nacho Pizzas

June 15, 2010 admin 1 Comment

Just made this one again after a few months – – it is still just as delicious 🙂

Appetizer, lunch, snack – no matter how you serve them, these are a crowd pleaser. I used a nice spicy salsa so that these had a little punch to them and they are definitely on my list of things to make again SOON 🙂 If there is an ingredient you don’t like, just leave it off the ‘pizza’ – it won’t hurt a thing !

5 servings (2 pizzas each)
270 calories per serving

1 can refrigerated biscuit dough
3 T black bean dip
1/3 c thick salsa (or petite cut diced canned tomatoes)
2 T canned chopped green chilies
2 scallions, chopped
2 T sliced black olives
¾ c shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out each biscuit into a 5 inch circle and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Top with bean dip, salsa, chilies, onions and olives. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 12-15 minutes or until crust is brown and cheese is melted.

Chicken, Lunch, Mexican

Chicken and Cheese Tostados

May 10, 2010 admin Leave a comment

I always find tostados a bit hard to eat – do you crack the tortilla and scoop? Do you pick it all up and eat it like a pizza? For this one, I folded the shell over like a taco 🙂 The flavors in this dish mix incredibly well and this is a GREAT lunch.

6 servings
280 calories per serving

6 6 inch flour tortillas
1 package (1.4 oz) taco seasoning
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts in bite sized pieces
½ c water
2 large tomatoes, chopped
7 oz. shredded non fat cheddar cheese
6 T low fat sour cream
¼ c chopped cilantro
Pam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place tortillas on a cookie sheet and spray with Pam. Sprinkle with 1 t taco seasoning and bake 8 minutes or until tortillas are crisp and golden. Mix chicken with the rest of the seasoning mix and water and bring to a boil in a skillet then simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Add 1 ½ c tomatoes and cook another 2-3 minutes them remove from heat and stir in 1 ¼ c cheese. Place the mix over the heated tortillas and then top with the rest of the tomatoes and cheese.

Mexican, Sides

My Salsa Verde

May 2, 2010 admin 1 Comment

When I first had this in a Brazilian restaurant I came home and scoured the net to find a recipe that was similar to what I had just tasted. After much trial and error, this is the recipe that grew out of many test batches.

When this is paired with meats and fishes, it makes the meal super refreshing and turns the simplest of grilled meats into a flavor sensation – it is soooo good ! But beware – this does leave you with some pretty heavy duty garlic breath – this is not a good recipe for date nite !

Just a tablespoon or 2 served with grilled beef, chicken or fish is a taste treat you won’t soon forget !

15 servings
39 calories per serving
(1 serving=1T)

7 cloves garlic
2 c fresh parsley
2 c fresh cilantro
10-12 T fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
¼ c olive oil
¼ – ½ c vinegar
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Place garlic in a good processor and mince finely. Add parsley and cilantro and mince finely – so fine that the mixture is more of a paste than chopped herbs. Place in a bowl and mix with all the other ingredients. Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight to let the flavors mingle.

Lunch, Mexican, Salads, Sides

Spicy Black Bean Salad

May 2, 2010 admin Leave a comment

I’ve been making this side salad for years. It is great alongside so many dishes ! Sometimes it’s even good as a lunch served with a few low fat crackers.

10 servings
250 calories per serving

15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can mandarin oranges, rinsed
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 c chunky salsa
¼ c lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t ground cumin

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Chicken, Dinner, Mexican

Chicken Enchiladas Especial

April 22, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The salsa verde is what makes this enchilada dish so special. This is a great recipe !

4 servings
323 calories per serving (1 serving = 2 enchiladas)

1 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
7 oz. salsa verde (found in the Mexican section of your food market)
2 c shredded cooked chicken breast
1/3 c low fat cream cheese, softened
8 6 inch corn tortillas
Pam
1/4 c crumbled queso fresco (Mexican cheese) or 1/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 t chili powder
salt
4 lime wedges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

You can either start with precooked chicken (Perdue Shortcuts work great), use leftover chicken, or boil 2 boneless skinless breasts and let cool a bit. Then shred using 2 forks. Alternately, you can just make very thin slices. Combine chicken with cream cheese. Combine onion, cilantro, garlic and salsa verde in a blender or food processor and mix well. Stir 1/2 c of the salsa mixture into the chicken mix. Keep the rest of the salsa mix to use as a topping.

Heat the tortillas for 15-30 seconds on the microwave – just enough so that they will roll easily and will not fold and break. Spoon 1/4 c worth of chicken mix down the center of each tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with Pam.

Top the enchiladas with the remaining salsa and sprinkle with cheese and chili powder. Bake 18-22 minutes or until hot throughout. Serve with lime wedges.

Dinner, Lunch, Mexican

Black Bean Pies

April 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Though the Morningstar Farms black bean patties are MIGHTY GOOD, these were also good and if you’re just in the mood to do it from scratch, this is a great recipe !

4 servings
194 calories per serving

Pam
3 t oil
½ onion, chopped finely
½ green pepper, chopped finely
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T honey
1 T cider vinegar
½ t chili powder
½ t cumin
¼ t red pepper flakes
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ c breadcrumbs
2 T flour
4 T low fat sour cream
2 T cilantro, chopped

Spray skillet with Pam. Heat 2 t oil on medium high and sauté onion, pepper and garlic 4 minutes or until golden then add honey, cider, chili, cumin and red pepper and mix well. Add beans and breadcrumbs to the pan and reduce the heat to medium and cook 10 minutes stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and mash bean mixture with a potato masher until it is the consistency of a thick puree, and then shape mix into 4 patties (like a hamburger). Spread flour on a platter and coat patties on both sides. Spray same skillet with Pam and ad 1 t oil. Saute patties until light browned turning once. Serve each with sour cream and cilantro.

Dinner, Mexican, Pork, Summer

Mexican Kabobs

April 12, 2010 admin 1 Comment

Retread #2 – Oh so yummy ! I served them with roasted tomatoes and zucchini fritters for a super tasty, healthy and balanced meal 🙂

I usually skip right by kabob recipes – threading the skewers is a pain and a lot of time, the food falls off into the grill. Now I use a grill basket instead and gather up as many kabob recipes as I can 🙂 Just be sure not to stir or shake the basket too often. You want the food to get the nice little charred ends just as you would if you were cooking on skewers. Add some extra veggies and a bit more spice to bulk up the meal without adding too many more calories – grape tomatoes, button mushrooms, different color peppers….they all work well.

4 servings
145 calories per serving

1 lb boneless pork cut into 1 inch cubes
1 T taco seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 large onion in thin slices
1/2 medium green bell pepper in thin slices
Pam

Combine all ingredients and toss to coat well. Grill 10-15 minutes in a grill basket sprayed with Pam or on skewers that you have thread with the pieces. Here’s a link to the grill basket that I use:

You can also put all the ingredients in a bowl to mix, and then place on a baking sheet sprayed with Pam under a heated broiler for 10-12 minutes.

Chicken, Lunch, Mexican, Videos

Chicken Cheese Burritos

March 24, 2010 admin Leave a comment

These took just 10 minutes to throw together and were so very good – the onion was just enough, the beans leant a great flavor as well as making the texture really nice, and the cumin and lime made for a great overall flavor. You can make these ahead and freeze them – then you have a quick nutritious microwave lunch ready in 3 minutes !

6 servings
367 calories per serving

2 t oil
1 c diced onion
1 T minced garlic
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 c cooked and diced chicken breast (Perdue Shortcuts work great here!)
1 T cumin
2 plum tomatoes, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 T minced lime zest
2 T fresh lime juice
2 t oregano flakes
¼ t salt
¼ t pepper
6 8 inch whole wheat tortillas (Smart Delicious 80 calorie version)
1 ½ c shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Heat oil in skillet and cook onion and garlic about 2 minutes then add beans. Mix chicken with cumin and add to onion mix. Stir in tomatoes, jalapeno, zest, juice, oregano, salt and pepper and cook until jalapenos are slightly softened, about 5 minutes then let filling cool slightly. Place tortillas on a flat surface and fill with ¾ c filling and ¼ c cheese. Fold and eat ! Here is a video that will help you learn how to roll the burrito so it does not leak.

If you are making these to freeze and eat later, make sure you let the mix cool completely before putting them together and then fold in all 4 sides and roll, securing the filling inside. Wrap each in plastic wrap and then place all the burritos in a zip loc freezer bag.