Last weekend was a fun yet busy one, with Market Street Festival and Cinco de Mayo falling on the same day. I had Market Street After Dark on Friday night, Zumba In The Street with my Y peeps the following morning, then, of course, a little Market Street shopping in the Mississippi May humidity.
We thought about taking it easy and going out to one of our favorite Mexican cantinas Saturday night for shrimp nachos and margaritas, but instead opted to whip up a fresh, healthy Mexican feast at home with friends.
Now, I love cheap Mexican food just as much as the next girl (it’s almost un-American not to), but it’s such a fat, calorie and sodium bomb it’s had to become an occasional splurge instead of a weekly date night with my husband. Even though most places do have a few healthier options on the menu, who goes out for Mexican and doesn’t indulge in those greasy tortilla chips and salsa, or even cheese dip? It’s almost impossible to resist.
Because my willpower goes right out the window at La Fiesta, this is what I came up with instead: homemade salsa, black bean dip and guacamole to start and grilled cilantro lime shrimp and tricolor bell peppers and onions on warm corn tortillas, topped with a sprinkle of queso fresco, for the main event. Plus, guacamole salad with cherry tomatoes and spring onions and Mexican brown rice with black beans for side dishes; and last but not least, fresh fruit salad with pineapple, mango, strawberries and kiwi drizzled with a mint-infused agave syrup for dessert.
Sounds pretty darn good, huh? It was so delicious, in fact, I decided to continue with the Mexican-inspired theme into the next week — because Mexican is just as good on May 6 as it is on May 5.
Here’s the recipe for my skirt steak fajitas with garlic cilantro cream:
Kroger seasoned beef for fajitas, cut into strips (It’s made with skirt steak which is very lean at 160 calories and 7 grams of fat for 4 ounces.)
Red, orange and yellow bell pepper (1 of each color), thinly sliced
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Gourmet Garden garlic, red chili pepper, and cilantro (2 teaspoons of each)
White corn tortillas
For the cilantro cream:
1 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt (Greek yogurt has way less fat and calories than even light sour cream and is well worth the cultural infidelity.)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Gourmet Garden garlic and red chili pepper (1 teaspoon of each)
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
When you cook a Mexican meal at home you have control of what goes in and what stays out of your food. By using lean protein, fresh Latin-inspired ingredients (like cilantro, chili peppers, beans, lime zest and juice, avocados and agave), and steering clear of artery-clogging saturated and trans fats, you, too, can satisfy your craving for Mexican without weighing yourself down.
You can find fresh, healthy Cinco de Mayo recipes and more on the {Nourish} Facebook page.
Leah Sullivan of Columbus has been on a productive journey to a healthier lifestyle and shares some of her experiences with Dispatch readers. Follow {Nourish} on Facebook.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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