mexican food
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lindzebird
Cathlete
mmmm...mexican food. I got this recipie from Cooking Light that is yummy...
Beef Carnitas Tacos
From Cooking Light
These simple tacos are an ideal showcase for tender Beef Carnitas (or Pork Carnitas). Serve with a black bean salad and frozen margaritas or ice-cold beer. You can warm the tortillas in a nonstick skillet just until lightly browned.
2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 2 medium)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup diced peeled avocado
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups Beef Carnitas
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
Combine the first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl; toss well. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/4 cup Beef Carnitas onto each tortilla; top each with about 3 tablespoons avocado mixture. Fold in half; serve with lime wedges.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos and 2 lime wedges)
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 235(30% from fat); FAT 7.9g (sat 2.2g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 17.6g; CHOLESTEROL 48mg; CALCIUM 37mg; SODIUM 303mg; FIBER 3.8g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26g
Julianna Grimes Bottcher
Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2006
Beef Carnitas
From Cooking Light
This simple recipe, which uses inexpensive beef stew meat, garnered our highest rating for great flavor and versatility. To freeze the carnitas, wrap them tightly in heavy-duty plastic wrap or foil, and place in a zip-top plastic freezer bag; they will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
This recipe goes with Beef Carnitas Empanada, Enchilada Casserole with Quick Mole Sauce, Spicy Beef Salad, Beef Carnitas Tacos
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup less-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large unpeeled orange wedge
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beef; sauté 5 minutes or until beef is browned on all sides. Stir in broth, sugar, salt, and pepper; nestle orange section into beef mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Remove and discard orange. Continue simmering, uncovered, 8 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently.
Yield: 4 cups (serving size: 1/2 cup)
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 180(40% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 3g,mono 3.4g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 22.2g; CHOLESTEROL 71mg; CALCIUM 16mg; SODIUM 320mg; FIBER 0.4g; IRON 2.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.5g
Julianna Grimes Bottcher
Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2006
Beef Carnitas Tacos
From Cooking Light
These simple tacos are an ideal showcase for tender Beef Carnitas (or Pork Carnitas). Serve with a black bean salad and frozen margaritas or ice-cold beer. You can warm the tortillas in a nonstick skillet just until lightly browned.
2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 2 medium)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup diced peeled avocado
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups Beef Carnitas
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
Combine the first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl; toss well. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/4 cup Beef Carnitas onto each tortilla; top each with about 3 tablespoons avocado mixture. Fold in half; serve with lime wedges.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos and 2 lime wedges)
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 235(30% from fat); FAT 7.9g (sat 2.2g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 17.6g; CHOLESTEROL 48mg; CALCIUM 37mg; SODIUM 303mg; FIBER 3.8g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26g
Julianna Grimes Bottcher
Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2006
Beef Carnitas
From Cooking Light
This simple recipe, which uses inexpensive beef stew meat, garnered our highest rating for great flavor and versatility. To freeze the carnitas, wrap them tightly in heavy-duty plastic wrap or foil, and place in a zip-top plastic freezer bag; they will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
This recipe goes with Beef Carnitas Empanada, Enchilada Casserole with Quick Mole Sauce, Spicy Beef Salad, Beef Carnitas Tacos
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup less-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large unpeeled orange wedge
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beef; sauté 5 minutes or until beef is browned on all sides. Stir in broth, sugar, salt, and pepper; nestle orange section into beef mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Remove and discard orange. Continue simmering, uncovered, 8 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently.
Yield: 4 cups (serving size: 1/2 cup)
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 180(40% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 3g,mono 3.4g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 22.2g; CHOLESTEROL 71mg; CALCIUM 16mg; SODIUM 320mg; FIBER 0.4g; IRON 2.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.5g
Julianna Grimes Bottcher
Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2006
alsrnbsn
Cathlete
It can be because it tends to have a lot of hidden fat and calories. Especially when you look at how traditional tortillas are made (lard mixed with maza, or corn). Just another area where you want to be smart, and it sounds like you are, if you are watching your diet. It's another area that can be a great splurge!!!}(
sahara
Cathlete
Mexican food bad? Never! 
Seriously Laura, I eat Mexican about twice a month and I generally stay away from the wrapped stuff...burritos, tacos, enchiladas, etc... Quesadillas are my favorite but I don't eat them either unless its my birthday or something. Those flour tortillas that they wrap that stuff in are just empty calories. One of my tricks is to order from the lunch menu because the portions are way smaller. My favorite Mexican restaurant serves the lunch menu until 5 (even on weekends) so if I get there at 4:50ish, I can order from the lunch menu for dinner. I usually get the fajitas and I don't eat the tortillas or the chips.
When I order other dishes like the Mexican stew or the bistec (T-bone smothered with onions and peppers)I usually ask to substitute my sides with the Mexican salad or something like that. I follow a lower carb diet so eating just meat and vegetables doesn't really bother me. I don't really like beans so a bite or two of the refried beans and I am done. Eating out is usually not spur of the moment for me so I pretty much eat what I want and just plan it into my calorie intake for the day. I'll eat lighter than usual during the day to account for the extra calories. I am with you, I wish they offered healthier alternatives. The "Schwarzbein Principle" recommends eating corn tortillas instead of flour if you are having Mexican. I tried to do that at this restaurant but the corn tortillas were just as white as the flour tortillas so I just don't bother with either.
Tracey
"Where there's a will, there's a way."
Seriously Laura, I eat Mexican about twice a month and I generally stay away from the wrapped stuff...burritos, tacos, enchiladas, etc... Quesadillas are my favorite but I don't eat them either unless its my birthday or something. Those flour tortillas that they wrap that stuff in are just empty calories. One of my tricks is to order from the lunch menu because the portions are way smaller. My favorite Mexican restaurant serves the lunch menu until 5 (even on weekends) so if I get there at 4:50ish, I can order from the lunch menu for dinner. I usually get the fajitas and I don't eat the tortillas or the chips. When I order other dishes like the Mexican stew or the bistec (T-bone smothered with onions and peppers)I usually ask to substitute my sides with the Mexican salad or something like that. I follow a lower carb diet so eating just meat and vegetables doesn't really bother me. I don't really like beans so a bite or two of the refried beans and I am done. Eating out is usually not spur of the moment for me so I pretty much eat what I want and just plan it into my calorie intake for the day. I'll eat lighter than usual during the day to account for the extra calories. I am with you, I wish they offered healthier alternatives. The "Schwarzbein Principle" recommends eating corn tortillas instead of flour if you are having Mexican. I tried to do that at this restaurant but the corn tortillas were just as white as the flour tortillas so I just don't bother with either.
Tracey
"Where there's a will, there's a way."
Twice a month! I eat it at least three times a week. But I do cook my own food. So I can somehow watch what I put in it. Even though the secret to what makes the food taste so yummy is LARD.
http://www.picturetrail.com/alio0026
http://www.picturetrail.com/alio0026
kathryn
Cathlete
Mexican food can be one of the healthiest types, if you can get whole grain tortillas, brown rice, beans that are cooked without lard, etc. Home made Mexican food is great.
Most ethnic restaurants have more healthy choices on their menus, but you have to be discerning (and avoid that basket of chips--fried and tasty!--that come while you are waitiing for the meal to arrive...oone could easily chow down hundreds of calories of high-fat before even starting the mail meal!)
Most ethnic restaurants have more healthy choices on their menus, but you have to be discerning (and avoid that basket of chips--fried and tasty!--that come while you are waitiing for the meal to arrive...oone could easily chow down hundreds of calories of high-fat before even starting the mail meal!)