Five Quick and Healthful Mexican Dinners

by Erin Rogers, Health-E-Meals.com

Many of us love the fresh and bold flavors of Mexican cooking, but these meals can also be very high in fat and calories. But, with a little planning, you can enjoy many delicious Mexican specialties with no guilt and with very little prep or cooking time!

There are some simple ways to reduce the fat and calories in any recipe, while still maintaining excellent flavor. Follow these easy guidelines to easily incorporate Mexican meals into any diet plan:

? Replace full-fat cheeses with reduced-fat or fat-free
? Replace regular sour cream with light or fat-free
? Reduce or eliminate black olives
? Use fat-free refried beans, or low-sodium black beans
? Use your choice of whole wheat, lowfat or low carb tortillas, or corn tortillas or taco shells
? Load up on fresh tomatoes, lettuce and salsa
? Go easy on avocados and guacamole, but if you're a fan - a little bit of either can add a great deal of enjoyment to a meal

All of the following meal ideas can be made with one of many lean proteins as a main ingredient. Try using ground turkey or chicken breast, lean ground beef, grilled chicken breast, lean grilled beef (such as tenderloin or flank steak), meatless soy crumbles, or even all veggie ingredients (bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc.)

Meal #1: Tacos

Season any of the above proteins with taco seasoning. Serve on your choice of tortilla or taco shell, and add cheese, lettuce, tomato, light sour cream and salsa. Serve with fat-free refried beans or black beans.

Meal #2: Taco Salad

The only cooking you need to do for this meal is to brown some lean ground beef or poultry (or use other protein above) - so it's very fast! Load up on lettuce, tomato, kidney beans and salsa and go light on cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Crumble some baked tortilla chips on top and drizzle with a lowfat Catalina salad dressing.

Meal #3: Fajitas

While you have several options for healthful ingredients with fajitas, the fastest way to whip up a fajita dinner is to buy precooked chicken breast strips and defrost a bag of frozen, sliced fajita vegetables (usually peppers and onions). Saute vegetables until tender-crisp and serve on small tortillas with a dab of light sour cream and salsa.

Meal #4: Mexican pizza/tostada

Start with your favorite size of tortilla(s) on a cooking sheet. Spread with fat-free refried beans, sprinkle on some frozen or canned corn kernels and a modest amount of reduced-fat cheddar or jack cheese. Place under broiler until cheese melts. Top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, a few chopped black olives, diced avocado, salsa, chopped cilantro and a dollop of light sour cream.

Meal #5: Southwestern Chicken Salad

Start with a large bowl of torn lettuce, add strips of grilled chicken breast, chopped tomatoes, diced red onion, corn, black beans, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, and salsa. For a quick side dish, spray flour tortillas with cooking /butter-flavor spray, onion powder, and garlic powder (chili powder, too - if you like a little kick!) and broil until crispy. Cut into wedges and serve with salad.

For a change of pace, try new combinations that you maybe haven't assembled before, such as steak fajitas, or tacos with seasoned meatless crumbles. By varying the main ingredient in these meals, as well as the optional toppings, you'll be able to make nearly endless tasty new combinations according to your own or your family's tastes. And, you'll be eating quick meals that taste great and won't disrupt your healthy diet!

© Health-E-Meals.com, 2004



Erin Rogers, a work-at-home mom of two, is the founder of Health-E-Meals.com, providing practical healthy living resources for busy people.
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