May 5th, 2021 | Hui Hui Lee, RD/LD
In May, we are celebrating Cinco De Mayo, Mother’s day, and many other life’s celebrations. So, I am sharing Mexican inspired recipes. Things that I love about Mexican food are it is very flavorful, flexible, budget-friendly, and easy to make. You have full control over the types of ingredients and the levels of spiciness to fit everyone’s preferences (no matter who you are vegan, vegetarian, or meat-eater, you are still going to enjoy Mexican food).
Unlike the Tex-Mex foods served at the restaurants, home-made Mexican foods are much more delicious, healthier, and budget-friendly.
Ingredient options for different types of diet:
VEGAN: Beans, nuts, vegan cheese (slightly pricey), vegan sour cream (slightly pricey), regular salsa, any kind of vegetables/grains
VEGETARIAN: all the vegan option, PLUS eggs and regular dairy items
MEAT-EATER: all the vegan and vegetarian options, PLUS any kind of animal proteins (meat, chicken, fish, turkey, and more). For my meat-eaters out there, do yourselves a favor, make sure you incorporate some non-starchy vegetables when you are enjoying Mexican food.
I am sharing the recipes of my favorite Mexican foods:
Mexican breakfast bowl: My breakfast bowl is a vegetarian recipe (I included walnut chorizo and a sunny-side-up egg for my breakfast bowl), however you can make an easy swap of whichever protein you like. If you practice a vegan diet, just omit the egg; and if you are a meat-eater, instead of walnut chorizo, you can use turkey chorizo. I adapted the recipe from Feasting at home.
Creamy vegan queso: If you or your family are practicing a vegan diet, you may experience some difficulty in finding vegan queso for your tortilla chips. This recipe is super easy to make and the cost of the ingredients is reasonable. This recipe is adapted from Cookie and Kate.
Vegetarian enchiladas: There are so many enchiladas recipes out there, and I tried so many of them previously. The minute I saw the recipe from Feasting at home, I knew this is a keeper.
Salsa Macha Bowl: Like the breakfast bowl, the ingredients to make a salsa macha bowl are very flexible. The highlight of this recipe is salsa macha, which is a Mexican condiment made with oil, vinegar, and dried chili peppers. Salsa macha pairs well with almost everything. I made my salsa macha bowl with grilled chicken, roasted sweet potatoes/onion/bell peppers/zucchini, and seasoned black beans. Prior to serving, I garnish the bowl with sliced avocado, cilantro, and lime. The recipe is adapted from Feasting at home.
Black Bean sandwich: After several conversations with different patients, I came to realize many are not aware that there are plant-based sandwich/burger options. Do you know home-made plant-based or vegetarian patties are extremely easy to make, palatable, and healthy? This month I am sharing with you these Mexican-inspired black bean patties recipes. These patties are not just packed with fiber, they also taste so good as it includes some cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice! The recipe is adapted from Feasting at home.
Vegetarian stuffed bell peppers: It took me less than 30 minutes to make these stuffed peppers. It is a fool-proof recipe and is perfect for all the meal-prep friends out there! The recipe is adapted from Cookie and Kate.
***Most of the ingredients sponsored by the DRH Food and Nutrition Department.