Protein Beef Taco Bowls, by Diane

I have been seeing high protein beef bowls all over my instagram, and they have really been helping lately in my diet. I saw this one from Chelsea's Messy Apron, and a sauce by Get On My Plate, and decided to combo them together! This was really really good, and I loved how healthy and filling these were! They were also super easy to prep for batch cooking and tasted great all week! (note- I ran out of avocado for this photo but it's in the recipe!)

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef, grass fed

Taco seasoning (I made my own with paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and I like mexican oregano and a dash of cinnamon here)

2 sweet potatoes, cubed

EVOO

3 ears corn, roasted and cut off cob

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup cilantro, rough chopped

1/2 avocado, sliced

Sauce: 1/2 cup greek yogurt, 1/2 chili in adobo, 1/2 lime juice, 2 tbsp cilantro, 1 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Blend the sauce well and set aside in the fridge. 

2. Heat a large saucepan to medium, brown and drain the beef, and mix in taco seasoning to taste. Set aside.

3. While the beef is cooking, roast sweet potatoes tossed in EVOO and taco seasoning at 400 (I airfried them for 25 min) until soft.

4. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Enjoy!

Mexican Shrimp Bowls, by Diane

 

I saw this recipe from @calwillcookit and it looked just like the perfect fresh and detoxing recipe needed for lunches this week after 3 weeks of vacation in Asia! This could not have been easier to make and it was DELICIOUS! I made two adjustments here- first, he served them over rice, but I liked them on their own and was trying to do a grain detox, and second, I swapped the sour cream in the sauce for high protein cottage cheese to get more protein in these meals. Both suggestions I would do again so I'm writing them in the recipe below. Yum!

Ingredients:

For shrimp:

1 lb raw shrimp, deveined and shelled, thawed

2 tbsp taco seasoning mix (I used chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, red chili flakes, and mexican oregano finely mixed)

2 tbsp EVOO

For salsa:

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 cup corn, charred (I used one can of corn because summer corn isn't good yet)

1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup poblano pepper, diced

1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

juice 1 lime

salt to taste

pepper

garlic powder

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

For the creamy cilantro sauce:

1 cup cottage cheese

1 tbsp EVOO

2 cloves garlic

1/2 bunch cilantro

juice 1 lime

zest 1/2 lime

salt to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse and drain the shrimp, toss in seasonings, and cook 2-3 min per side in a med heat frying pan until cooked. Set aside. 

2. To make the salsa, stir all ingredients and adjust for taste, set aside.

3. To make the sauce, blend all ingredients in an immersion blender and adjust for taste, using water if desired to get a saucier consistency.

4. Serve all together and enjoy!

Mexican Egg Bake, by Diane

 

I got inspired to create this recipe after trying unsuccessfully to remember my last egg bake recipe and failing- but the silver lining is that this creative take on a Mexican chili and Mexican baked eggs was created! Boy am I glad, because oh my gosh this was so soooooo good! So easy, and so dense in nutrition and protein- this was a winner for sure! The mix of flavors and the slight heat in this was also amazing!

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

12 eggs

Salt

1 bunch cilantro, stems trimmed and rough chopped

1.5 tbsp EVOO

1 white onion, diced

1 poblano pepper

1 lb ground turkey

Taco seasoning (I made my own with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper), to taste

1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 small can diced green chiles

1 15 oz can black beans, drained

1 15 oz can sweet yellow corn (I found a mexican version with bell peppers in it and used this)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray on bottom and sides and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and a pinch of salt together. Add in cilantro and stir well, set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, heat EVOO over medium high heat. Add onions and brown.

4. While the onions brown, roast the poblano pepper skin over a flame (I had a gas stove so this was easy) until the skin chars and blisters. When cool, remove the seeds and black skin, and dice and add to the onions.

5. Add the ground turkey and taco seasoning to the pan and crumble with the back of a spoon until the turkey is just cooked. 

6. Take the pan off heat and add tomatoes, chiles, beans, and corn to the pan and mix well. 

7. Pour the turkey mixture into the 9x13 dish, then pour the egg mixture over top and mix until combined evenly.

8. Bake for 50 min or until eggs are set and a knife comes out clean.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs, by Cheryl

I used this as the chicken in my enchiladas and they came out great! The thighs were flavorful and juicy! They could be eaten on their own or used as part of another recipe or put into a salad. This is a solid marinade that I'll be using again! Yum! 

Ingredients (recipe from here):

3 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless

1/3 cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp honey

2 limes, juiced and zested

1/4 cup cilantro, finely minced

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

1) In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together except the chicken. 

2) Add the chicken to the marinade and stir to coat well. Marinate anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours. 

3) Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the chicken thighs in a single layer, not touching each other. 

4) Cook for 6 minutes on each side until they are cooked through. 

Chicken Mole Enchilades, by Cheryl

After being stuck in a major cooking rut the past few months I have found some renewed interest in cooking dishes I haven't made before. And if 3 out of 4 people in my family eat it then I'm happy. In come the chicken mole enchiladas! All I had to say to my 8 year old was that the sauce was made from chocolate and she was in heaven. Now my younger one isn't so easily swayed haha. But seriously these were delicious and we ate them all up! Yum! 

Ingredients (recipe from here):

Cilantro lime chicken thighs (recipe will be on blog), or 2 cups shredded chicken

10 corn or flour tortillas, warmed up

3 cups mozzarella cheese

Optional: queso fresco, avocado, cilantro

MOLE SAUCE:

1 19oz can enchilada sauce

1/4 cup chocolate chips, dark if possible

1 tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp chili powder

Directions:

1) In a small saucepan combine the mole sauce ingredients over medium heat. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

2) Preheat oven to 350.

3) Place shredded chicken in a bowl. Mix 1/2 cup of the mole sauce with the shredded cheese and chicken.

4) Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup chicken and cheese mixture. Carefully roll the tortillas to enclose the filling and place in a serving dish seam side down. Fill the rest of the tortillas and place them side by side. Pour the reserved mole sauce on top. 

5) Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with optional queso fresco, cilantro, and avocado. 

Spicy Fermented Tomatillo Salsa, by Diane

A coworker recently made us jars of this salsa for holiday presents, tied with a little bow. I hadn't tasted fermented salsa before, and I had my doubts, but let me tell you that one bite of this stuff led to me eating almost the whole jar in one sitting- until I remembered it was fermented and full of good bacteria, which made me stop and save some until the next day to be safe (nothing happened!). This is so easy to make and customize. The flavor is delicious, even though I typically don't love tomatillos. What makes it fermented is the salt, so it doesn't have a typical sour fermented taste like other items (kombucha, kimchi, etc). The recipe calls for red fresno peppers, which are smokier than the green version, but after 5 grocery stores with no red fresnos I got so desperate to have more salsa and knew I already had to wait a while for it to ferment that I just made it without (but it looks prettier with the pop of red, and festive for the holidays!). This batch makes about 9 1/2 pint jars, but trust me you'll want it all for yourself :)

Note: this tastes AMAZING with salted corn tortilla chips, but also would go really well as a topping or condiment in Mexican dishes! It would go perfect on my chicken al pastor egg bake, which is what I plan to try next!

Ingredients:

2 28 oz. cans tomatillos (keep the liquid)

6-7 jalapeno peppers, halved with seeds removed (you can reserve one pepper's worth for extra heat)

2 fresno (red) peppers, halved with seeds removed

1 large onion, rough chopped

4-6 cloves garlic

1+ bunch cilantro- discard stems, rough chop

juice of 2.5 limes

2 tablespoons salt Directions: 1. Place the peppers, onions, garlic, salt, cilantro, lime juice, and tomatillo liquid in a blender and blend at high speed until desired consistency (I made them small). 2. Add the tomatillos, blend until desired consistency (small chunks). Taste and adjust for salt and heat. 3. Pour into mason jars up to the neck, then top with a pre-measured circle of wax paper. Flatten the paper onto the salsa ensuring no air bubbles, then place the lid on tightly. 4. Store on a counter away from light for 2-14 days. Refrigerate after fermenting.

Tamale Pie, by Diane

This one was a winner! I wanted another new recipe as we are heading into our second trial of Whole30 this Monday. I made a few changes here (added garlic and onion), and would make a few more after tasting this (needed more enchilada sauce, and the sauce would have been better mixed through instead of poured on top), but it was really delicious and a good hearty meal for the week! I made it with corn, but it could be Whole30 with cauliflower (as the original recipe calls for). Posting the recipe with changes below.

Ingredients:

2 small sweet potatoes
1 cup corn meal
1 4oz can diced green chiles (I got fire roasted)
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp. oil
2 lb ground beef
1 small white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp each cumin and chili powder
2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
1 tsp each of oregano, garlic powder, and cumin
2 tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne (I used Tony Chacere's here, about 2 tsp)
4 tbsp. nutritional yeast (or regular cheese)

Directions:

1. Cook sweet potatoes until soft, combine in a food processor with corn meal, chiles, eggs, and salt and pepper to taste.

2. Preheat oven to 400.

3. Grease a cast iron skillet, spread the mixture evenly across the bottom and sides of the pan to form a crust. Bake for 25 min.

4. While the crust cooks, brown the beef in a skillet with onions and garlic. Drain, then add back into the pan with the 1 tsp of cumin and chili powder. Set aside.

5. In a bowl, whisk tomato sauce, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne/Tony's until combined. Mix well with the beef mixture.

6. Pour the beef/sauce mixture into the crust, top with nutritional yeast, and bake another 10 minutes.

Chicken Al Pastor Egg Bake, by Diane

This week I decided to combine two recipes that I had saved on Instagram from the Whole30 feed- chicken al pastor and carnitas breakfast bake. I liked the chicken al pastor recipe but couldn't figure out what to eat it with, and I liked the carnitas breakfast bake but had just finished off pork from this week and wanted a change. I thought the two dishes would perfectly complement each other, and I was a fan of using the crockpot this week since my gas bills have been insanely high from using the oven so much in the past few weeks of summer when I've been baking everything from scratch for lunches and dinners. This turned out really good!!

A note on the marinade for the chicken- I tasted it and thought it was disgusting and got pretty upset that the flavor of this whole dish was going to be off on the first step. However, I decided to let it go and see if cooking it changed the flavor and I was right, it did! The result after 3 1/2 hours was chicken that practically fell apart when I went to shred it and was so flavorful and delicious! This would have been awesome in tacos. Another note, this dish took way longer to cook than the posted 30 minutes, closer to an hour for me until the eggs on the top were fully cooked (there goes my attempt to lower the gas bill).



Ingredients:

For the chicken al pastor:

2 lbs chicken breast
1/2 c each pineapple and orange juice
2 chipotle peppers (I couldn't find these in my store so I subbed in extra chili powder, Tony Chachere's, and some cholula)
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp each cumin and paprika
1/2 yellow onion
1 lime, juiced
2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper (I left these out be I had already used Tony's)

For the egg bake:

12 eggs
3 tbsp milk of choice
12 mini sweet peppers, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion
1 small can diced green chiles
1 cup pico de gallo
Salt and pepper


Directions:

1. Place all of the chicken al pastor ingredients EXCEPT chicken into a blender until smooth. Place the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot, pour the marinade over top. Cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

2. Shred the chicken and return to the pot for another 10 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350.

4. Whisk together the eggs, some of the liquid from the crockpot, and milk until frothy, then pour into a large casserole dish along with the remaining ingredients and chicken. Mix well and even out the top.

5. Bake 30-35 minutes, top with avocado or guacamole and cilantro.

Mango Avocado Salsa, by Cheryl

What a great salsa! I made this with shrimp tacos and it added the perfect amount of sweetness and spice to an already delicious dish. Yum!

Ingredients (recipe from here):

1 avocado, pitted and diced
1 lime, juiced
1 mango, pitted and diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste

Directions:

Place the avocado in a serving bowl and mix with lime juice. Mix in everything else.

Pumpkin Empanadas (Mexico), by Cheryl

Mexico is next on my countries food theme! So I decided to do something different and shy away from the obvious choices of tacos, enchiladas, chicken mole, etc. and try my hand at some baking and something I haven't made before. I really need to start reading the directions of a recipe before I start making it! I didn't realize that I would need to let the dough sit for 1.5 hours before rolling out each empanada. It ended up being fine, but I got a little lazy at the end and didn't roll out the dough as thin as it should be. So the dough was kind of thick. I also misread the directions because I was annoyed and I ended up doubling the amount of sugar for the dough. So these were just okay.. I won't be making them again, because I get really annoyed working with dough, especially if I need to roll it out! And the pumpkin filling wasn't amahzing. But they were still good and I found myself grabbing one out of the fridge for a quick snack. Yum!

Ingredients (Recipe from here):

2 cans pumpkin
6oz brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground anis
1/4 tsp ground cloves

For the dough:
2.5 cups flour
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/3 cup warm milk
1 tsp dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg lightly beaten to brush the empanadas

Directions:

1) For the dough: Place the yeast in a small bowl with the warm milk and let it proof for 5 minutes.

2) In a large bowl place the flour, eggs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and mix to form a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed.

3) Place the dough in an oiled bowl turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic and let it rest for 1.5 hours.

4) Place the pumpkin in a saucepan with the brown sugar, 1/4 cup of water, and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick. Add the spices and cook for another 5 minutes.

5) After the dough is ready, knead again for 2-3 minutes and divide into 12 small balls.

6) With a rolling pin roll out each ball until it's about 7 inches in diameter stretching where necessary. (Mine were only about 4 inches- too thick).

7) Place about a 1/4 cup of filling in each one. Fold dough to enclose filling and form a half moon. Seal edges by crimping with a fork.

8) Preheat oven to 375. Arrange empanadas on greased baking sheets. Brush with egg wash and dust with some sugar if you desire. Let them rest for about 30 minutes to let the dough raise (I didn't do this last part... I was way too impatient).

9) Bake until light brown, about 15-18 minutes. Rotate pans halfway through.

Chicken and Plantain Stuffed Chili Rellenos with Homemade Enchilada Sauce, by Diane

On my recent return to Texas, I rekindled my love of chili rellenos! I forgot how good these things were. I wanted to recreate them back at home (already missing my family and that FOOD!!), but in a healthier version. Chili rellenos typically consists of the mild but large poblano pepper that is charred and then stuffed with cheese, battered, and deep fried. I usually get mine with chicken, and there are a variety of other ways that you can fill them.

Since I didn't want to bread or fry mine, and I always try to avoid cheese, I had to do some thinking on what to fill my version of chili rellenos with. I came up with a concoction of some of my favorite latin flavors, and they really combined nicely for an awesome dish! I also found a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce, after learning what crazy ingredients store-bought enchilada sauce contains. The enchilada sauce recipe was an amazing flavor- way better than store bought!

This recipe creates a pepper that still has a bit of crunch to it, which I've often eaten. I like my peppers softer, so next time I may steam them after removing the skin and before stuffing them.

Recipe for crockpot chicken enchilada sauce from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/super-easy-slow-cooker-chicken-enchilada-meat/

Guide to charring and prepping chili rellenos from: http://www.chow.com/recipes/29565-chiles-rellenos


Ingredients:

4 skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1/3 cup chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp flour
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne (or more depending on your preferred heat level)
6 poblano peppers
EVOO
1 small yellow onion, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow ripe plantains, cubed
1 small can mild green chiles (or hot if you want!)
1 can black beans, rinsed


Directions:

1. Place chicken in the bottom of a crockpot. In a blender, combine tomatoes through cayenne until well blended, and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Remove chicken and shred, then return to sauce, setting the crockpot on warm.

2. In the last 30-60 minutes of the chicken's cooktime, prepare the poblanos by slicing them vertically down the center from top to tip, careful not to slice all the way through. Make a second cut to form a "T" shape right below the top (see the link for the prep of rellenos above for a great illustration). Using a spoon, remove the ribs and seeds of the peppers and discard. Set the peppers aside cut side up.

3. Now it's time to fire roast the chilis. If you have a gas stove, you can turn the flame to a medium setting and roast them directly on the burner until they blister and char on all sides. If not, you can place the chilis on your oven rack and broil on high, turning so all sides can char. After charring, place the chilis in a large bowl and cover tightly for 15 minutes to steam them. This allows for easy removal of the charred skin, which you should do carefully with a butter knife and discard the charred skin.

4. Preheat the oven to 350. In a large saucepan, heat EVOO on medium high heat. Add in onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and chiles, cooking for another 2 minutes. Add in plantains and cook for 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add in the beans and cook for another 2 minutes and remove from heat.

5. In a 9x13 baking dish, pour enchilada sauce on the bottom to coat the dish. Place the chilis cut side up in a single layer. Stuff with the shredded chicken and plantain mixture, and pour remaining enchilada sauce over top. Bake for 20 minutes, covered. Remove cover and bake another 10 minutes until sauce is bubbling.

Carribean Jerk Tacos with Mango Salsa and Picked Red Onions, by Diane

This was one of the best lunches I've had in a long time! It uses one of my all time favorite go-to's, Crockpot Jerk Chicken, in an entirely new way. The pickled red onions, the best taco topper IMO, were so easy to make and I was excited that they were in this recipe. And the mango salsa gave it an extra island kick!

I made two changes to the original recipe here. The first is that I swapped out the yogurt sauce for some spiked coconut milk that I added into the chicken. The second is that I am allergic to peaches (the original recipe has a peach mango salsa) and so I bought my favorite mango salsa that Giant sells- less time = no complaints!

Original Recipe here: portandfin.com/jerk-chicken-tacos-with-peach-mango-salsa-pickled-red-onions/

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
10 peppercorns
5 medium garlic cloves, smashed
3 medium scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cilantro (about 1 bunch), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced into 1/4-inch coins
1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, sliced into rounds

For the Salsa:

2 peaches, peeled and chopped
1 mango, peeled, cored and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
½ bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 lime, juiced
⅛ tsp salt

For the Onions:

1 medium red onion, halved and sliced thinly
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
10 peppercorns
1 tbsp sugar
water

1 can coconut milk
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
Corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Combine the first 4 spices of the chicken ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the chicken all over with the rub and set in the bottom of the crockpot. Place the remaining chicken ingredients in a medium nonreactive bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over the chicken, cover, and cook on low, turning the chicken pieces every few hours, until the meat is falling off the bone, about 5 to 8 hours.
2. While the chicken cooks, place the onion ingredients into a mason jar through sugar, then add water until all the onions are covered. Set aside.
3. Chop all the salsa ingredients and combine in a bowl, set aside.
4. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite-sized pieces (discarding the ginger) and place back in the slow cooker with the sauce until ready to serve. Combine the coconut milk, chili powder, and cumin in a bowl and add to the chicken. 
5. Place all ingredients into a corn tortilla and enjoy!

Fish Taco Bowls, by Diane

This recipe came from http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2014/07/fish-taco-cabbage-bowl.html and I loved the simplicity of it. Mexican food is one of my favorites, and this looked like a filling, less messy way to eat a fish taco and bonus- no tortilla! I switched up the sauce which I will post below as well since I didn't want to use a ton of mayo. I worked really hard to think up a good substitute for a fish taco sauce, which is always creamy and delicious. So I came up with coconut plain yogurt for a tang that was creamy and non-dairy, and combined it with canned adobo peppers and lime juice. I also added cholula hot sauce on top, because in my world that is a MUST on tacos! This wound up being a great, really delicious meal that I will definitely make again!!

Note: If using frozen filets, defrost in a large bowl of cold water in the packets for 20 min or until thawed.

Ingredients:

3 large or 4 small fillets Tilapia or other mild white fish
1 tbsp + cooking spray
Spice rub of your choice (I used Tony Chachere's creole seasoning)
1 medium head green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 medium head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/4 chopped cilantro
Guacamole
Cholula

Dressing:
3/4 cup coconut yogurt, plain (or you can sub 1/2 cup mayo)
3 tbsp chipotle pepper liquid (you just want the liquid from the can, or if you really like spice you can add some of the peppers in as well!)
1/2 to 3/4 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450.

2. Combine cabbages, onions, and cilantro in a large bowl, or several small bowls, and set aside.

3. Make the dressing and set aside.

4. Pat dry and coat both sides of the fish with the rub. Place the fish on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and flaky white.

5. Portion out the fish and top with the sauce and guacamole. This keeps really well for lunches if you store the fish in an airtight plastic baggie portioned out.

Breakfast Machaca Tacos, by Diane

Machaca is a mexican dish that's typically served for breakfast. It's eggs cooked with a special type of shredded beef called carne desebrada, and then lots of grilled veggies like tomatoes, onions, and peppers are added in. It's served with rice and refried beans and lots of fresh corn tortillas. BUT- the beauty of machaca is that you really can create it with any type of meat and veggies. Last weekend I went out to a latin restaurant where I had rum sugarcane glazed shredded pork alongside pico de gallo, coconut mango rice, and black beans. It was amazing, and I took home a massive box of leftovers. The next morning as I was deciding what to cook for breakfast I saw the box of leftovers and thought it would make a great machaca- and I was right. This was a killer breakfast that was healthy and full of protein to keep me going. Add on some cholula sauce and you are good to go!


Ingredients:

1 cup shredded meat, any type (I used pork here but typically would use beef)
1/2 each red and green bell pepper, cubed
1/2 small onion, cubed
1/2 tomato, cubed
2 eggs, whipped together
Beans and Rice (any types)
4 corn tortillas
Hot sauce, salsa, condiments



Directions:

1. Cook the meat (or warm up if using leftovers) and remove. In the same pan without draining/cleaning it, saute the peppers and onions until just softened. Add in the tomato and cook another 2 minutes. Add in the eggs and cook until the eggs are done to your liking.

2. Load the machaca mixture into tacos, adding the beans and rice in or saving it for on the side. Top with your favorite condiments and enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup, by Diane

I created this recipe last week when it got unexpectedly chilly. It is full of good nutrients and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Definitely easy and a hit!


Ingredients:

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded (I used rotisserie chicken for a better taste)
1 package frozen yellow corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can enchilada sauce, whatever heat you prefer
1 can mild green chiles
1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and chopped
1 box chicken stock (equals 4 cups)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
Avocado
Tortilla strips


Directions:

1. Add everything except the last two ingredients into the crockpot, cook on low for 8 hours (you can adjust the time if needed, just increase the heat level).

2. Garnish with the remaining ingredients.

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos, by Diane

Lately with trying to eat healthier and include dishes that are nutrient-rich, I've come up with a lot of spins on my regular dinner favorites. Mexican is my favorite food, but many dishes are fried or laden with fat and flour and red meat. So I found this recipe on Cooking Light (http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/blackened-tilapia-baja-tacos-50400000110429/) as part of an article for healthy fish tacos. I've actually never had a fish taco before, despite all my time in California where they are hugely popular and my love for mexican. I only recently attempted to try fish other than canned tuna fish for the first time. But this recipe had enough spices and flavors that I figured the taste of the fish wouldn't be a problem for me! Plus, it used tilapia which is a very mild fish that I've tried once before.

Typically fish tacos on the east coast (and even some on the west coast) are battered and fried, and topped with some sort of chipotle aioli (mayo sauce). With this cooking light recipe, I seared and blackened the fish, had a sauce of reduced fat sour cream but loaded with cilantro, red onion, and lime juice (I omitted the jalapeno), and swapped high cal low nutrient flour tortillas for corn ones, all of which increased the flavor so much that you could never miss the fat and calories. Overall, I was really surprised at how the flavors compensated for the light nature of the taco, and how well those flavors blended together! This was a great weeknight dinner, took under 15 minutes total, and was both satisfying and delicious without making you feel that fullness you typically get from tacos. Plus the toppings have so many good nutrients for you that you feel good eating it too!

Ingredients:


1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup thinly sliced white onion
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, thinly sliced
4 lime wedges (I omitted these because there was so much lime already in the sauce it was perfect!)

*We also added 3 color cabbage mix for a crunch as typically found in fish tacos- highly recommended!


Directions: 

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine jalapeño sauce and onion in a small bowl. (Note: I wound up doubling the sauce as I typically do from experience with CL recipes, and it was a perfect amount!).

2. Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through ground red pepper); sprinkle evenly over fish. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

3. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish, onion mixture, and avocado evenly among tortillas. Serve with lime wedges.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili, by Diane

Last week I attended a seminar on nutritional approaches to dealing with fatigue. It was really interesting to learn what happens to the body if any of the essential vitamins, minerals, or amino acids aren't eaten in proper amounts, and how much damage it can do- not to mention deplete you of energy. As a part of the seminar, the instructors cooked whole food recipes that were packed with the nutrients addressed in the lecture. This is the first recipe they made, I'll be posting the rest soon.

This chili was so simple to make, and was very good and filling. I personally might have cut down on the cayenne, because it was pretty spicy. I also think it would be great chilled as a substitute for salsa with some homemade chips! There were many other additional health benefits to this chili, such as healthy fats from EVOO and avocado, immune boosters from spices, etc., but the main benefit of this recipe was described as "creates warmth (good for blood flow and circulation) and stimulates digestive properties." You are definitely warmed when you eat it! We also learned that the more surface area garlic has, the more nutrients are absorbed (why you mince it instead of rough chop it) and that the darker the bean = the more nutrients (why black beans are used).


Ingredients:

2 tbsp EVOO
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium coarsley chopped red bell peppers
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
1 16 oz. can chunky tomato sauce
1-2 medium avocado, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped


Directions:

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook until golden, then add bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add in garlic and cook altogether for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Mix in spices, stir and cook for 2 minutes covered.

3. Mix in beans and tomato sauce, bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low, simmering and stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add in water if you want it thinner and cover, or if you want it thicker cook uncovered.

4. Ladle into bowls and top with avocado and cilantro.

Mole Sauce, by Diane

I fell in love with Mole Sauce (pronounced mol-AY) at a Mexican restaurant in Southern California when I had it over cactus, believe it or not! It's a sauce made from chiles and chocolate, which sounds a little funny to think about chicken/beef/veggies and chocolate, but the chocolate is not sweet and just gives the sauce an unbelievable richness! Mole also contains a long list of other ingredients that typically requires a lot of steps to make, but the flavors come together in layers so you can taste each one. The cooking process and amount of ingredients is what stopped me from making it before now, but I came across a relatively easy recipe that someone learned from a Mexican cook while on vacation. I tweaked it a bit in order to add in some ingredients I knew made the dish famous but seemed to be missing- and came up with this creation. Of course, just like many amazing things tried while away on travel, my own sauce did not do justice to the mole's of Mexico and Southern California but it was a close enough attempt that I was pretty happy.

This recipe makes a lot so you can either cut it in half or freeze it in small batches like I did to use for later. All you have to do is reheat it up with shredded chicken, ground beef, or even grilled veggies and eat it alone or wrapped in a tortilla for a perfect meal.

I used it on healthy enchiladas made with ground turkey, black beans, and corn tortillas (if you dip the tortillas into steaming water for about 5-10 seconds until they bubble they won't break when you fill and roll them!)

Here is the website I adapted the recipe from: http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2008/07/almonds.html


Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp canola oil
10 ancho chiles (smoked dried poblanos)
2 Tbsp raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tsp oregano
3 whole cloves
2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup lightly toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup lightly toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/3 cup crushed oyster crackers (or soda crackers -- something with low salt content)
1 cup canned ground tomato (or tomato puree, or fresh peeled, seeded chopped tomato)
A 3" x 1/2" piece of semi-sweet chocolate (Ibarra or other Mexican or Oaxacan chocolate is best, because has sugar mixed in)
2 cups or more chicken broth

Directions:

1. Soak the ancho chiles in warm water to soften, then remove stems and seeds (unless you like it SPICY- keep seeds and remove just the stems only). Drain and chop roughly, and set aside.

2. In a small dry frying pan, toast the sesame and pumpkin seeds until they turn light brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. In a deep stock pot (6-8 quart size), sauté the onion and garlic in canola oil until the onions are translucent. Add the chiles and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add raisins, almonds, spices, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and crackers. Stir constantly over low-medium heat for a few minutes, until all ingredients are cooked through.

5. Add tomatoes and a 2 cups chicken broth, puree with an immersion blender. Add chocolate, stir until melted and add enough chicken broth (if needed) to make a smooth sauce.

6. Stirring occasionally, simmer on low until sauce thickens a bit and has the desired consistency.

Chicken Tortilla Soup, by Diane

I love Mexican food, and I love soups on a cold day, so this recipe is a perfect combination! I found it in a Rachael Ray magazine, and it looked easy and really delicious. The soup itself turned out to be really great, tasted delicious, and had just enough spice to it that it really warmed you up! It was also really filling.

I found a lot of problems with the recipe itself though. The tortilla strips in the oven burned after ten minutes, causing me to throw out the batch and use the extras I had left. In the future, I would reduce the cooking time to ten minutes and watch them carefully!! Also, the 3 tbsp. of oil was not enough to keep the tortilla squares from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning, despite low heat and constant stirring and scraping of the bottom. I ended up having to add in a bit of chicken stock just so that I wouldn't burn the base of the soup, and then everything cooked fine. Finally, the directions never said to remove the bay leaves, and since there are so many chunky things in this soup I wound up eating one- so next time I will remove before serving!!

Here is the link to the actual recipe: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/jane-foxs-famous-tortilla-soup/

Toppings Bar- minus the red onion and jalepenos!

Ingredients:

12 corn tortillas, 6 sliced lengthwise into 1-inch-wide strips and 6 cut into 1 1/2 squares
Vegetable cooking spray
Salt and pepper
1/4 corn oil (I used EVOO)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped
A handful cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mild to medium chili powder, such as Gephardt's or ground ancho chile powder (about a couple scant palmfuls)
1 tablespoon ground cumin (about a palmful)
6 cups chicken stock
1 15 ounce can  diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 rotisserie chicken breasts, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded or diced
2 avocados
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 large jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and chopped
Crumbled queso fresco and sour cream, for topping


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees . Arrange the tortilla strips on a baking sheet in a single layer; spray with cooking spray. Bake until deep golden, about 15 minutes. Season with salt.
2. Meanwhile, in a soup pot or dutch oven, heat 3 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add the tortilla squares and cook, stirring, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. oil, the yellow onion, garlic, cilantro, bay leaves, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the spices are toasted and the onion is softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and lower the heat to a simmer until ready to serve.
3. Peel, seed and dice the avocados. Place some at the bottom of each soup bowl and douse with a healthy squeeze of lime juice. Pour the soup into the bowls. At the table, top with the red onion, baked tortilla strips, jalapenos, queso fresco and sour cream. Serve with the remaining lime wedges.

Chicken Quesadillas, by Cheryl

Once again I found myself with the kitchen cabinet open wondering what to make for dinner. There's so many random things in my kitchen that it would seem like I could make a ton of meals, but I can never come up with any ideas. I'm not sure how or why I thought to make chicken quesadillas, but they came out better than expected! I adapted this recipe from http://annies-eats.com. The spices that I mixed together for the rub for the chicken was oh so tasty! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
lemon juice (about 1.5 tbsp)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced (I didn't use this, but think it would be great to add)
2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 an onion
tortillas
shredded cheese

Directions:

1) Combine the first 7 ingredients (through cilantro) into a bowl and mix.

2) Coat each chicken chunk with the mixture. Cook chicken in a pan. When done, shred the chicken into small pieces.

3) Add the onion with some oil to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes.

4) Combine the onion, chicken, and tomatoes in a bowl and toss.

5) Lightly brush one side of a tortilla with vegetable oil. Flip it over and place some of the chicken mixture onto one side of the tortilla. Top with shredded cheese. Fold over the tortilla and repeat with the other tortillas.

6) Cook the quesadillas over medium high heat until browned on the outside and has melted cheese on the inside. Slice into wedges and serve with salsa or sour cream.