On April 30th, cook with a view hosted its third cooking class ~ Healthy Mexican Food. It was a great success, and the food was out of the world if I do say so myself. Below are a couple of recipes from that class that I hope you’ll enjoy. I would love to hear from you if you try one or both of these. What’s your favorite Mexican Food? Share it and let’s see if we can find a way to give it a healthy overhaul – beyond just using reduced fat cheese!
Chayote and Chile Poblano Soup
- 2 poblano chiles roasted and cleaned
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups white onion, chopped
- 2 lbs. chayote peeled and chopped (shown in the photographs)
- 1 cup corn
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, heated
- 1 cup Mexican cream or heavy cream
- 1-2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. white pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
peeled chayote squash
cubed chayote squash
- Cut poblano chiles into strips and set aside.
- Place the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the garlic and onion. Sauté for about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the chayote, corn and broth, as well as the roasted poblano chiles, salt, white and red pepper. Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the chayote is soft.
- Place the soup in a food processor in two parts and puree. Or use an immersion blender.
- Return to pot and add crème.
Low-Carb Option Omit the cup of corn and lower the carbs to 11 grams.
Low-Fat Option Use low-fat milk instead of the cream and lower the calories to 116 as well as shedding 10 grams of fat.
Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing Salad
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and well drained
- 2 cups chopped seeded tomato
- 2 cups chopped peeled jicama
- 1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels, uncooked (or frozen or canned)
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes
- Half a ripe avocado, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
Honey-Lime Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 large scallion bulb, finely minced
Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl. In separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over mixture and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
