Mexican Recipes

If you love Mexican food as much as I do, you'll love today's six recipes, including Quesadillas and Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Salsa Verde. Enjoy!

CHIMICHURRI STEAK WRAPS

Yield: Makes 4 servings

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chimichurri-steak-wraps

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chimichurri-steak-wraps/print/

Ingredients

12 ounces grilled top sirloin steak, cut into slices

3 cups fresh baby spinach

1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

4 medium whole wheat tortillas (8 to 10-inch diameter)

Chimichurri Sauce

1 cup fresh parsley leaves

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place parsley and garlic in food processor or blender container.

Cover; process until finely chopped.

Add oil, vinegar and salt; process just until blended.

Spread each tortilla evenly with Chimichurri Sauce, leaving 1/4-inch border around edge.

Top with equal amounts spinach, bell pepper slices and beef slices on top two-thirds of tortilla.

Fold bottom of tortilla up over filling. Fold right and left sides to center overlapping edges; secure with wooden picks; if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 340; Fat: 16 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Fiber: 3.7 g; Sodium: 410 mg; Cholesterol: 49 mg; Protein: 30 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g

QUESADILLAS

Recipe Yield: 8 servings (2 wedges)

View online with photo: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/quesadillas

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/quesadillas/print/

Source: Forbidden Foods Diabetic Cooking

Ingredients

1 cup shredded Mexican Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or brick cheese

1 green onion, minced

1-3 tablespoons canned chopped green chilies (to taste)

4 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Chunky salsa, for topping or dip

Directions

In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese, green onion, and chilies; set aside.

Spray a medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat.

When hot, add 1 tortilla and sprinkle it with one-fourth of the cheese mixture.

When the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute, fold the tortilla in half.

Continue cooking until lightly browned and crisp on both sides, about 1 minute.

Transfer to a cutting board.

Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Cut into 4 wedges with a knife or pizza cutter and serve immediately with the salsa.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 134; Fat: 6 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 211 mg; Cholesterol: 12 mg; Protein: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Sugars: 1 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Fat

MEXICAN CHICKEN

Yield: 4 servings

This can be found online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mexican-chicken

Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

Book Title: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

Ingredients

2 cups deli fresh salsa

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup fat-free sour cream

1/4 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 package taco seasoning (or 1-2 teaspoons chili powder to reduce sodium)

Nonstick cooking spray

4 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, mix together salsa, cilantro, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and taco seasoning.

Place chicken into a glass baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Pour sauce over chicken and bake 40-45 minutes, until the chicken registers 170 degrees F. on an instant read thermometer.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 250; Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 74 mg; Protein: 30 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Carbohydrate, 4 Very Lean Meat

TORTILLA SOUP

Recipe Yield: Makes 4 servings.

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/tortilla-soup

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/tortilla-soup/print/

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 scallions, sliced thin

2 cans (14.5 oz.) reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

1 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

12 oz. cooked chicken, cut in small pieces

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup baked tortilla chips, crumbled, for garnish

Low-fat sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Saute garlic and scallions until garlic begins to color.

Add broth, tomatoes, corn and spices and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add the chicken and heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

Add cilantro and lime juice. Stir and warm through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with crumbled tortilla chips and add a dollop of sour cream in the center for garnish.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:Calories: 231; Fat: 6 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 636 mg; Protein: 31 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g

BUTTERNUT SQUASH ENCHILADAS WITH SALSA VERDE

This recipe begins, “It's a taste explosion! Treat yourself and your family to something different for dinner with this seasonal twist on an Mexican classic.”

Recipe Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/butternut-squash-enchiladas-with-salsa-verde.

Ingredients

1 package (16 oz.) diced peeled butternut squash, or 1 1/4 lb. squash, seeded, peeled and diced

Canola oil spray

1 can (15.5 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup (3 oz.) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese, divided

8 large (about 7-inch) corn tortillas

1 jar (16 oz.) salsa verde

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Place squash in medium saucepan. Add 1 cup water. Cover pot tightly, and place over medium-high heat. Cook until squash is tender but not mushy, 12-15 minutes, depending on size of cubes. Drain squash, and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Select a baking dish just large enough to hold the eight tortillas, folded over and slightly overlapping, so that they fit snuggly in the dish. (You may want to "test" and see if the baking dish is the proper size by arranging unfilled, folded tortillas in it, as they would be once filled and ready to bake.) using the canola oil spray, lightly coat the interior of the baking dish and set aside.

Place beans in mixing bowl. Using fork, partially mash beans. Add squash and blend, leaving mixture coarsely mashed, with some beans still whole. Mix in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper.

Coat a tortilla on both sides with cooking spray. Lay it on a plate.

Spoon 3/4 cup of filling on one half of the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half over filling. Set it at one end of the baking dish. Repeat, placing filled tortillas so they overlap, filling baking dish tightly.

Pour pureed sauce over assembled enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining cheese over sauce. Cover pan with foil.

Bake enchiladas about 30 minutes, until they are heated through and tortillas are soft.

Uncover and serve garnished with cilantro.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 180; Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 479 mg; Protein: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g

EAST-WEST BURRITO

Recipe Yield: Makes 8 servings

Source: AICR

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/east-west-burrito

Ingredients

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Pinch tsp. ground cardamom

Pinch tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips

3 tbsp. canola oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 1/3 cups canned fat-free refried kidney or pinto beans

8 flour tortillas (7-8 inch)

1 1/3 cups cooked brown rice

4 Tbsp. reduced-fat sour cream

1/2 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves, roughly cut up

1 cup prepared salsa

Directions

Combine ground spices in a bowl. Add chicken and press spices in so they adhere. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside.

Add remaining oil to the pan. Sauté onions and pepper until soft and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the chicken, mix in and set aside. Add beans to the pan and cook, stirring until they are warmed.

Warm tortillas in a large, dry skillet over medium high heat. Spread one-fourth of the beans in center of each. Top with rice, then chicken mixture. Add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro leaves. Fold sides of tortillas over the filling, then fold in ends. Turn the burrito over. Serve with salsa sauce on the side.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 346; Fat: 10 g; Sodium: 562 mg; Protein: 16 g; Carbohydrates: 48 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Bread/Starch, 2 Lean-Meat, 1 Fat