Category Archives: Mexican/Spanish Recipes

A to Z Challenge 2015, Beef, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Iceberg is Ideal for Salads

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Really, it is. Oh, sure, there are those that criticize, saying that it lacks in any real nutritional value and maybe there is truth to that. But Iceberg Lettuce has a clean, refreshing taste and keeps pretty well in your refrigerator for at least a week, which some other lettuces don’t do as well. Although it’s low in nutrition, it is only a little below Romaine lettuce, which is my other favorite lettuce. The Iceberg lettuce is largely water, but it has a sweet, clean taste where some of the other, more nutritious lettuces, can be a bit bitter and not as refreshing. The ideal, in my opinion, is a mix of the lettuces for variety.

Iceberg lettuce is the one you find most frequently in restaurant salads. The lettuce is also great on sandwiches or for making lettuce wraps because of its nicely cupped, large leaves. It is the primary lettuce used in the United States.

Lettuce Origins

All lettuces trace back to the Mediterranean area where lettuce was first cultivated for its leaves in ancient Egypt, with evidence of that dating to about 2680 BC. Originally, it was grown for the oil produced from its seeds. The Egyptians considered it the sacred plant of Min, their god of reproduction. The cultivated variety appeared to be about 30 inches tall and resembled a larger version of the modern romaine lettuce. The Egyptians passed the seeds along to the Greeks, who then shared with Romans and more varieties were developed. Writings by Joachim Camerarius in 1586 described the three basic varieties of modern lettuce, which are loose leaf, romaine and head lettuce, such as iceberg and butter.

Christopher Columbus brought the lettuce to America in the late 15th century. Meanwhile, more varieties were being developed in Europe. Many of these are still grown in gardens today. I grew a mixture of lettuce a couple of years ago, but pulling leaf by leaf didn’t seem very rewarding. I grew a butter lettuce last summer and that was good, but you only get one head per plant, although after I harvested it, the plant did continue to produce leaves. In the late 19th century, documentation indicates between 65 and 140 distinct varieties.

Because lettuce has a relatively short life span once it is harvested, it didn’t expand into wide spread use until the 1900’s when packing, storage and shipping technology improved. To ship the fresh vegetable long distances,in the 1920’s, crisp head lettuce was shipped in train cars, filled with crushed ice to keep the lettuce chilled. The crisp head lettuce shipped this way came to be known as iceberg lettuce since the ice resembled icebergs. Incidentally, prior to the advent of ice-making facilities, ice used to be harvested in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Donner lake and brought down by train to Sacramento for shipping fresh produce. In the 1950’s vacuum cooling revolutionized the industry. This allowed the lettuce to be cooled and packed in the field, which kept it fresher to market.

Lettuce Uses

Around 50 AD, the Romans cooked and served lettuce with an oil and vinegar dressing, although they sometimes ate them raw. Between 81 and 96 AD, the lettuce salad prior to a meal became a tradition. In China, salads were made primarily from cooked vegetables and the lettuce was worked into all kinds of dishes from wraps to stir-frys and in other meat dishes along the way. Now days, we use lettuce in salads, wraps, sandwiches, and other ways and occasionally still cook it.

Personally, I haven’t tried cooking iceberg lettuce, although some of the loose-leaf varieties seem like they would go well in a skillet of greens. However, I did find a recipe from OceanMist for Fire Charred Iceberg Salad. This just might tempt me to try it. If you do it first, report back, please.

Nutrition Information for iceberg lettuce – 1 cup
Calories:10 Fat: 0 g Net Carbs: 1 g Protein: 1 g

Here are a couple of my quick and easy recipes for lettuce cups, which are really great for a low carb lifestyle.

Taco Lettuce Cups

4 large leaves Iceberg or Butter lettuce
1/2 lb Ground Beef
1/4 lb Chorizo
1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning
1/4 cup Pico de Gallo
1/2 cup chopped Baby Corn
2 tablespoons Black Beans
1/4 cup Butternut or Acorn Squash, cubed
1/4 cup Salsa
1/2 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese, shredded
1 small Avocado

Precook squash in the microwave or in a suacepan with a little water until it is fork tender. Cut into samller pieces.

Cook ground beef and chorizo in a skillet until lightly browned. Add taco seasoning, squash and a little water to make a moist filling. Stir in the baby corn and beans. Cook about three to five minutes to heat the corn and beans.

Put the lettuce leaf on a salad plate, spoon 1/4 of the ground meat on it, then top with Pico de Gallo and 1 tablespoon of Salsa. Add about two tablespoons of jack cheese over the top, and crown with slices of avocado. Fold the lettuce over and serve with sour cream.

Makes 4 tacos.

Nutrition Info per taco:
Calories: 424.8 Fat: 33.3 g Net Carbs:6.1 g Protein: 22.3 g

All comments relevant to my posts are welcome. SPAM is not.  If the post has nothing to do with my site content, it will not be posted.

Information for this article was helped by these pages:  Wikipedia, About Health, Livestrong.com and Oceanmist.com

All photos are by R. Averett, Copyright Skinny Girl Bistro

Desserts, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Recipes

Light and Delicious Pumpkin Flan

Fall is beginning to really arrive in many parts of the country.  Here, in the Truckee Meadows of Northern Nevada, it’s an overcast, blustery day and trees are beginning to change colors.  My pear tree is a mixture of red-orange and golden leaves from the multiple varieties grafted onto it.  My pumpkin vine failed to produce any pumpkins, but luckily, the grocery stores have canned available.  I usually pick up several cans in the fall to last me year ’round because I love pumpkin!  I like to have Pumpkin Butter with my low carb muffins or spread it on the top of little cakes.  Pumpkin pie should be savored year-round.  Not to mention those Pumpkin Madeleine cookies that I posted recently or luscious Pumpkin Cheesecake.   And there’s the old stand-by for breakfast, Pumpkin Pancakes!

So, here is another lovely pumpkin dish.  A flan is a Spanish dish that is like a custard, usually with a caramel sauce, and it is very easy to make.  My recipe will make six little ramekins of these delicious desserts.  You will need six 1 cup ramekins or you can make them in a muffin tin.  Just be sure you have a pan large enough for the tin to sit in.  My recipe uses coconut milk or almond milk, so it is good for those of you who can’t tolerate cow’s milk.  It also makes it lower carb than using heavy cream, but you can substitute that in if you prefer the richer taste.

Not crazy about pumpkin?  Are you nuts!  Seriously, I know there are some people who don’t really like it, but you can try this Orange Flan recipe instead. (It’s near the bottom of the new page.)

Light Pumpkin Flan

3/4 cup Sugar Free Maple Syrup
3 large Egg
1/3 cup Sugar Substitute
3/4 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon Ground Clove
1 – 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 -1/2 cup Almond Milk or Coconut Milk (or heavy Cream)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat maple syrup in a small pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar substitute.  Cook until the sugar is blended in.

Butter or spray six one cup ramekins or six large muffin wells, put 2 tablespoons of the syrup in each and roll around the bottoms to coat. Mix the remaining ingredients together until smooth. Pour into ramekins, dividing mixture evenly to about 1/2 inch from the top.

Put the ramekins or muffin pan into a large pan that is deep enough to add water at least half way up the sides of the pan or ramekins.  Be careful not to get water in the ramekins.  Carefully place in the center of your oven.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the custard is set. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream or cool whip.  You can also top with a few roasted pumpkin seeds for a bit of crunch if you like.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Info with almond or coconut milk:
Calories: 59 Fat: 3.2 g Net Carbs: 2.4 g  Protein: 3.8 g

Nutrition Info with heavy cream:
Calories: 256.8 Fat: 24.6 g Net Carbs: 4.1 g Protein: 4.8 g

Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Recipes

Quick Beef Enchilada Casserole

Enchiladas are spicy and very tasty and are a part of my childhood onward.  I love the many varieties, but sometimes I don’t have time or the patience to make the rolled ones.  The easiest way to make enchiladas is into a casserole rather than rolling each one individually. It doesn’t come out as pretty, but it tastes as good. This low carb version uses low carb flour tortillas (3 nc each) that are not pre-fried briefly in oil, although you could do that if you would like to add a fried bread flavor to the dish.

1 lb Ground Beef
3/4 cup Onion, chopped
4 Low Carb Tortillas (6″)
4 oz. can Green Chiles, chopped
10 oz. can Red Enchilada Sauce
2 teaspoons Taco Seasoning
1 teaspoon red Chile Powder
1 cups shredded Cheddar Jack or 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese
1 tablespoon Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.)

Prepare a casserole dish by spraying with cooking spray or rubbing oil on the bottom and sides.

In a large skillet, lightly brown the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces. Drain any fat off. Add the Taco Seasoning and 2 tablespoons of water and mix into the ground meat until it is blended. Remove the meat to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and sauté the onions until they are tender. Mix the meat into the onions. (If you wish, you can sauté the onions first, then add the ground beef and cook it all together, then stir in the seasoning mix.)

Put the enchilada sauce in a small pan and add the Chile Powder to it to give it a little more flavor and cook for a few minutes.

Pour about 2 oz. of sauce on the bottom of the casserole pan, then place a tortilla on top. Spread another 2 oz. of sauce on top of the tortilla, then put 1/3rd of the ground beef mixture on top, then put 1/4 of the cheese on top of that. Add the next tortilla and repeat with sauce, beef and cheese, then add the third tortilla and repeat again. For the top level, put the last tortilla on, top with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the cheese it melted and just toasted on top.  Serve with sour cream and a green salad or Spanish Cauli-rice or Roasted Cauliflower topped with turmeric.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Info: (per serving)
Calories: 396 Fat:25 g Net Carbs: 7.2 g Protein: 34.4 g

Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry, Recipes

Rene’s Chicken Chile Rellano Casserole

First Published on my LiveJournal blog on July 13, 2012

Maybe a bit oddly, this 4th of July I went for some comfort food from my formative years. Not your ordinary comfort food, but the kind of food that I relate to home and family. In this case, it is a Mexican dish, with my own twist, that brings back many fond memories from my childhood. I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and Mexican food was as common as steak and potatoes in my family. (Both of my mother’s parents had been Texas ranchers.) At least once a month, and often more than that, the whole family would go out to dinner at one of the local Mexican restaurants. My grandfather’s favorite dish, and the one he ordered all the time, was chile rellanos. I didn’t develop a taste for them until I was in my teen years, but the memories of my grandfather are always associated with this dish. And that, to me, is comfort food.

This recipe is my one I have developed over the years and can be made with Anaheim chiles, fresh or canned. Keep in mind the bulk of the hot spice is in the seeds and discard them if you want the flavor without the burn. If you use fresh, you will need to roast or blister the peppers and peel them. I add chicken or turkey to the stuffing then bake them in a casserole rather than frying them. They can be made without the meat, if you prefer a meatless dish.

Rene’s Chicken Chile Rellano Casserole

1 – 16 oz can Fire-Roasted Whole Green Chiles (approx. 8)
1 cup Fire-roasted Diced Tomatoes, Mexican style or add onions and peppers, if desired
8 ounces Chicken Breast, diced or shredded
8 sliced sticks of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, about ½” x ½ inch and long enough to fill the chile
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Shredded Mexican Four Cheese blend or Cheddar and Jack Cheese
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup Sweet Peppers, sliced (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Split the chiles open and stuff each with chicken and 1 tablespoon of cheese.

Whisk together the eggs, cream cheese, and cream with 1/4 cup water in a bowl, add salt and pepper, a bit of garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon of red chile powder (if desired). Pour the mixture over the chiles and cheese. Top with sliced sweet peppers and remaining cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until set, about 40 minutes. Remove casserole and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.


While the casserole continues to set, heat diced tomatoes in a saucepan. Add chopped onions and peppers, if desired. To serve, carefully cut along the chiles to try to remove them as a whole chile rather than just cutting the dish into squares.

Each serving is one chile topped with diced tomatoes.
About 270 calories and 5 net carbs per serving.

 

Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry, Recipes

Muy Delicioso – Enchiladas con Pollo y Calabaza

That’s Enchiladas with Chicken and Butternut Squash, for those who don’t speak any Spanish. But it is appropriate as we are approaching Cinco de Mayo and all the Mexican celebrations coming up. I love Mexican food, grew up eating it, so it’s a part of my Tex-Mex culture. My Spanish, on the other hand, is limited in spite of growing up on the border. But when it comes to food, I am pretty fluent.

This is a non-traditional dish made even more so by being made low carb. I got the original base recipe from AllRecipes.com, which was posted by Elizabeth there, but I made a few changes and it doesn’t look much like the original any more. It is delicious and flavorful with the added flavors of butternut squash, spinach and chipotle salsa. It is not good for either phase I or II of Atkins, but it is worth the slight indulgence.

Enchiladas with Chicken and Butternut Squash

8 low carb Flour Tortillas, 7″ (La Tortilla and Mama Lupe’s are 3 net carbs per tortilla)
1/2 unpeeled Butternut Squash, seeded (1 cup)
2 Chicken half breasts, boneless
1/4 cup Water
1 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/4 Onion, chopped
1 cup fresh Spinach, packed
1 cup red Enchilada Sauce
1/2 cup Chipotle Salsa
3/4 cup Mexican 4 Cheese mix
2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup Sour Cream, for topping (optional)

A few ingredients: Butternut squash, spinach, olives, onions and garlic.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Put butternut squash half in a baking dish, pour in water and spray top with butter cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes to roast. Take out and let cool enough to handle, then peel and dice the flesh. It will make about one cup. Place into a mixing bowl and set aside.

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and broil or grill the chicken until it is just done, but still juicy. Let cool and cut into cubes or shreds. Add to the butternut squash.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and olives, then stir-cook until the spinach wilts. Fold the spinach mixture into the diced butternut squash.

Put enchilada sauce into a small pan, add 1/4 cup chipotle salsa and stir- cook with a wooden spoon until it thickens enough to coat the spoon.

Heat a tortilla over an a gas flame to soften it. If you don’t have a gas stove, use a griddle on the burner to heat the tortilla. Place the tortilla on a plate, spread about 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce over it. Spoon in 1/8th of the filling (about 1/4 cup), about 1 tablespoon of cheese and roll the tortilla. Secure with a toothpick if you need to and place seam side down in a baking dish. Repeat with each of the tortillas.

Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over it.

Bake in the preheated oven until hot, about 10 minutes. Garnish each enchilada with chopped cilantro leaves and a dollop of sour cream to serve.

Makes 8 enchiladas

Nutrition per enchilada
Calories: 155.7 Fat: 8 g Net Carbs: 8.25 g Protein: 10.7g

Posted on 5/2/2013