These cook up quick and are just as good as any restaurant fajitas ! Without all the oil that restaurants use for extra flavor, these come in at only 250 calories per serving including the wrap

Chicken Fajita Quesadillas

6 servings
250 calories per serving

1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (Perdue Shortcuts work great here !)
3/4 c sliced onions
¾ c sliced green bell peppers
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t cumin
½ c salsa verde (or plain salsa works here too)
½ c black beans, drained and rinsed
6 whole wheat tortillas (fajita size)
1 ½ c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
Pam

Spray a skillet with Pam and cook onions and peppers 10 minutes (add hot water a tablespoon at a time if the onions start to dry out). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix then add chicken and cumin and cook another 5 minutes or until chicken is almost done (if you are using Perdue Shortcuts, cook just enough to warm chicken). Add salsa and beans and cook another 3 minutes.

Spoon mix onto one half of each wrap and sprinkle with cheese and fold. Spray a skillet with Pam and cook quesadillas a couple of minutes each side to brown them.

Here is a video that will show you how to fold up a fajita securely

Optionally serve with a bit of no fat sour cream on each.

This turns out a dish much like pork carnitas, but with a bit more juice so you can enjoy it as a stew. Serve it piping hot and enjoy !

Mexican Pork Stew (Crock Pot)

8 servings
252 calories per serving

3 lb. pork loin
1 1/2 c salsa verde
1 3/4 c chicken broth
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 t ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained well
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/2 c low fat sour cream

Trim meat and cut into 2 inch chunks and place in crock pot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a saucepan mix salsa, broth, onion, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil then pour it into the crock pot. Add tomatoes and mix. Cover and cool 6-7 hours or until meat is very tender. Transfer meat to a bowl and keep warm. Pour the sauce an veggies into a skillet and cook for 15-20 minutes to thicken sauce. Add in pork and ¼ c cilantro and heat through. Garnish each dish with sour cream and cilantro.

To make this without a crock pot, preheat oven to 350 degrees and place pork, salsa, broth, onion, cumin, salt, pepper, tomatoes and ¼ c cilantro in a large baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake 2 ½ hours. Uncover and bake 15 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro.

A great appetizer – easy to make, smothered in heavenly salsa verde, easy to keep warm in a crock pot, and good to the last bite.

Mexican Meatballs

12 servings
159 calories per serving (4 meatballs)

1 1/4 c salsa verde
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg
3/4 c finely crushed tortilla chips
1/2 c minced green onions
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 3/4 c salsa verde, beef, tortilla chips and onions. Make into 48 meatballs and place on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Bake 15 minutes or until done. Serve with the rest of the salsa verde. Once baked, I usually place in a crock pot and cover with the rest of the salsa verde and this becomes a great party dish that can be kept on low heat to keep warm.

Mexican Meatballs

This is one of the most awesome chili recipes I have ever made ! The depth of flavor was amazing. This is a truly authentic, rich, aromatic and spicy chili that is just plain PERFECT. Don’t forget the squirt of lime just before serving – it actually makes a big difference in the total package.

Black Bean Chili (Crock Pot)

10 servings
280 calories per serving

1 lb. dried black beans, rinsed
1 T oil
1 T mustard seeds
2 T chili powder
1 1/2 t cumin seeds
1/2 t cardamom seeds (or ground cardamom)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
8 oz. jarred salsa verde (medium heat)
1/4 c water
4 c vegetable broth
6 oz. can tomato paste
½ t salt
2 T minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 1/4 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1/2 c low fat sour cream
1/2 c chopped cilantro
2 limes, cut into wedges

Place beans in a bowl with 2 quarts of water and soak overnight. Mix oil, mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin and cardamom and place in a hot Dutch oven for 30 seconds to release more flavor then add in onions, mushrooms, tomatillos and water. Cover and cook 7 minutes then uncover and cook 15 minutes to lightly brown the veggies. Then add broth, tomato paste, salt and chipotles and mix. Place beans in a slow cooker and pour over the vegetable mix. Cover and cook on high 6-8 hours. Place into bowls and garnish with sour cream and cilantro and squirt with lime.

Pork with a great crunchy coating, plus a side salad with a surprisingly good dressing !

Pork and Greens

6 servings
342 calories per serving

1/4 c green salsa (salsa verde)
1 T yellow mustard
1/3 c low fat mayo
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 lb. boneless pork chops (¼ inch thick)
35 Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers, finely crushed
2 T oil, divided
7 oz. Spring Mix (or your favorite mixed leafy greens)

Mix together salsa, mustard and 1 T may0 and set aside – this is the salad dressing. Mix garlic and mayo and coat pork (put it on like you are buttering bread) then coat with the crumbs. Heat skillet and add half the oil. Cook half the chops 5 minutes per side or until done. Add the other oil and repeat with the remaining chops. Mix greens and dressing.

This dish is worthy of any Mexican restaurant out there ! The salsas give the beans a subtle flavor and the velvety consistency of the refried beans is a perfect side to all Mexican fare. Try serving with Mini Chile Rellenos for a great Mexican inspired night.

Jazzed Up Refried Beans

6 servings
159 calories per serving

16 oz. can nonfat refried beans
15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed
¼ c prepared salsa
¼ c prepared salsa verde
2/3 c shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese
4 scallions, sliced
Pam

Preheat broiler. Mix Beans, refried beans, salsas and 1/3 c of cheese in a pan and cook until hot throughout and the cheese has melted. Turn into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and the scallions and broil 2 minutes or until cheese is brown.

Tomatillos are spicy little green fruits in the tomato family – you have probably eaten them in some salsas (salsa verde which translates to green salsa) and tomatillo sauces. Grilling them brings out a nice sweet flavor. This is a nice spicy addition to a meal that may be a bit on the blander side.

I served it aside Broiled Cod with Chili Powder – it was a great double whammy of flavor

Grilled Tomatillos

4 servings
154 calories per serving

¼ c basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1 T lemon juice
6 tomatillos cut into 1/2″ thick slices
1 T oil

Heat grill and oil grates or a grill pan. In a food processor mix the basil, garlic and lemon juice until smooth (adding 1-2 t water if needed). Brush tomatillo slices with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly charred and then serve with basil sauce.

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

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas

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.

Sometimes simple is the best. And pork chops are just great simply sprinkled with garlic and grilled. Here I added a dollop of My Salsa Verde for only a few extra calories. It gives the meat some extra moisture and a whole lotta extra flavor.

Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic

4 servings
135 calories per serving

4 4 oz. boneless pork chops
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t garlic powder

Preheat grill. Place chops in a dish and sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle with minced garlic and a bit of water to help keep them moist. Cool 5 minutes per side or until done.

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 !

My Salsa Verde

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.