Everyone knows how tasty and satisfying Mexican food is and most of us enjoy a variety of tacos, enchiladas or quesadillas on a weekly basis. However, what most people don’t realize is that Mexican homemade dishes can be not only delicious but also very healthy for the whole family!
As opposed to the high-calorie and fatty Mexican restaurant food choices, traditional homemade dishes from Mexico include freshly grilled vegetables, a variety of corn and beans, fresh and dried chiles, fresh herbs and spices, rice, and slow cooked meats. Here are our top tips for keeping your Mexican dishes authentic and healthy…
- Saucy it up!
The secret to a tasty Mexican meal is in the sauce. Cooking your veggies in a spicy tomato based sauce like our Veracruz cooking sauce will ladle on heat, flavor and a touch of sparkle to your simple and healthy vegetables. Try this Mexican zucchini stew, it’s healthy, takes you less than 20 minutes to prepare and it is very satisfying.
- Slow-cook fattier, cheaper cuts
When you slow-cook the cheap cuts, an amazing flavor comes from the marbled fat running through the joints. But by slow-cooking meat like this, the fat slowly dissolves in the sauce. If you slow-cook a cheap cut one day and allow to cool, you can spoon off excessive fat the next day, while also allowing all the flavors to improve overnight making healthier, better tasting food. Like this amazing beef barbacoa recipe, it’s simple and flavorful.
- A little goes a long way
Mexican food is all about balancing the different food groups. While you might have a deliciously fatty cut of meat that you have cooked for dinner, you don’t have to have too much of it if you have a delicious, healthy bowl of soup, baked beans, some corn tortillas, and rice. Limiting how much of the fattier, more calorific meats you serve will drastically reduce the amount of bad fats and cholesterol you are eating. Try these delicious slow cooker navy beans as a side or main dish on your next meal.
- Roast your meats
Deep- or pan-frying and sautéing require you to cook your food in excess oil, automatically upping the calorie and fat count of your meal. Baking or oven-roasting your food doesn’t usually require adding additional fat yet it delivers flavorful and moist meats. Try this succulent roasted pork tenderloin recipe; it will leave you asking for seconds.
- Add a touch of fire
Chillies are known for their ability to get the digestive system going, facilitating weight loss. If you really are determined to lose those extra pounds, up the ante with the chillies and you will have your system flying at full speed in no time. Try this delicious Mexic-Asian stir fry made with our Mexico City cooking sauce. It adds a touch of spice from real Arbol chile peppers and a lot of flavor.
- Marinate your low-fat meats
Marinating low-fat meats a day in advance will result in moister, deeply flavored food. Eating food that is full of flavor (rather than bland low-fat foods specially geared for dieters) will leave you feeling more satisfied with what you’ve eaten and less like craving other bad foods afterwards. Try this healthy and tasty grilled adobo-rubbed steak salad marinated in our Oaxaca marinade.
7. Eat up your Mexican greens
Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, home to a whole host of wild greens, pumpkins, squashes, cacti, tomatoes and wild herbs such as epazote. Eating more fruit and vegetables will give you a healthier, lower fat diet full of the right vitamins and minerals, plus fiber that can help regulate your digestive system. Try this nopal cactus soup, it’s delightful, takes less than 30 minutes to make, and has all the health benefits of the prickly pear cactus!
8. Be full of beans
Beans are an amazing source of protein. Black beans, black eyed beans, navy, flor de mayo, pinto, chickpeas and lentils are all different types of beans and pulses favored by us, Mexicans. Add them to your meals as an alternative or an addition to meat and you will be packing your body with the right things. Try our lentil soup with spinach as a filling and flavorful meal.
