Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

This is my go-to turkey taco recipe. It's delicious and light – On nights I want to go low-carb, I forgo the taco shells and use lettuce wraps instead!

This is an oldie from the archives, but since I make this so often I thought I would update the photos just in time for taco Tuesday! It's naturally gluten-free, low-carb, and paleo & dairy-free without the cheese and sour cream. I find the outer leaves of Iceberg lettuce makes the best wraps, it's crisp and pliable and the leaves are large enough to make decent size wraps.

Add your favorite taco fixins such as shredded cheddar, light sour cream, chives, black olives, jalapeno, tomatoes or whatever you like on your tacos. The portions are generous, and if you're kids want shells, you can easily bake a few for them and use the same filling.

Making your own taco seasoning is a healthier alternative to buying packaged taco seasoning, and uses less sodium, no sugar, no preservatives and no msg. It also saves you money if you are on a budget. If you prefer to use the package seasoning, simply replace it with the spices listed here.

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Canned Tuna Ceviche

Transform ordinary canned tuna into a zesty, flavorful lunch with a Latin flair by adding fresh lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, tomato and avocado – so good!

A high school friend (hi Cynthia!) actually gave me this idea. She had it while vacationing in Guatemala and shared the idea with me when she returned. When I read the email, I thought it was brilliant! It's basically a poor man's ceviche.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good fresh ceviche made raw fish or seafood. It's actually one of my favorite things to eat. I actually shared a recipe here of Ceviche in Cucumber Cups or this ceviche-like Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad. But when you need a quick lunch using pantry ingredients, this is great and it's inexpensive, low-carb, paleo-friendly, dairy-free and gluten-free!

For presentation, I put the ceviche tuna into the can to use as a ring mold, then inverted it onto my plate; completely optional of course! Topped with fresh avocado, this was filling and delicious.

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Easy Crock Pot Chicken and Black Bean Taco Salad

This simple slow cooker chicken taco salad is high in fiber and protein which means it's very satisfying – all for under 300 calories. Trust me, you won't miss the tortillas!

I'm on a salad kick now that Spring has sprung. Last week I whipped this salad up for dinner, and it was so good and simple I knew I had to make it again to share. I basically added chicken breasts and black beans to the slow cooker, seasoning it with taco seasonings and topped it with salsa. Doesn't get easier than that! A few hours later I shredded the chicken and combined everything for this wonderful topping to this salad.

I also whipped up some of my favorite zesty avocado cilantro buttermilk dressing for the perfect salad that's so satisfying and super easy to make.  Try this for taco Tuesday!

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Crock Pot Carne Guisada (Latin Beef Stew)

Slow cooked Latin beef stew with baby red potatoes and Latin seasonings. Serve this topped with fresh aji picante – it's is a must and really brightens the flavors and rounds out the dish!

Last week I was on a cruise to the Bahamas from New York having fun in the sun. I was hoping to return to Spring weather but so far March is starting off really cold in New York. This Latin beef stew is the perfect way to warm up and it's a favorite in my home. A bit different than traditional beef stew because the meat and potatoes simmer with light beer, scallions, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, achiote (also known as annato) and spices. If you can't find achiote which is traditionally used in Latin cuisine and can be purchased at any Latin market or on Amazon, no worries, you can use Badia Sazon or even sweet paprika instead. If you prefer to make this without beer, you can replace it with water, it will still taste great.

I usually make it on the stove, but with some minor adjustments I was able to make this in the slow cooker. If you don't have a slow cooker you can see the stove top recipe here. Pictured here I served this over brown rice with some avocado on the side. Enjoy!

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Salsa Verde Burgers

Wow, these Salsa Verde Burgers are OFF THE HOOK! If you need a new burger idea that everyone will love, look no further. These burgers are lean with a mean, green kick topped with pepper jack cheese, salsa verde and avocado – delish!

I shared this delicious homemade salsa verde recipe for Better Homes and Gardens on Delish Dish and decided to make these burgers using the salsa for dinner last night. You can also use store bought salsa verde, but trust me, nothing beats homemade!

I made the burgers with both lean beef burgers and chicken burgers since I had both on hand, and I loved them equally.  My husband's not eating carbs this week so he ate two beef burgers without the bun. Whether you make them with lean beef, turkey, chicken, buffalo, black bean patties, veggie burgers... modify them however you wish!

I calculated these with 93% lean beef patties, with the bun and without and with the bun and no cheese. Any other variations you'll have to do on your own – enjoy!
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Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Cilantro and lime make this simple shrimp dish outstanding – and it takes just minutes to make! 

This is an oldie but goodie, a regular in my home. I was making it for dinner the other night and felt the need to re-shoot it. We serve it over rice or with a big avocado and lettuce salad. Enjoy!

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Ceviche in Cucumber Cups and My Tour of the CIA

This very popular Peruvian dish is made with fresh pieces of raw fish (or shellfish) marinated in lime juice, onions and cilantro which slowly causes the fish to "cook", in very much the same way that heating does. The results are bright and refreshing with an opaque appearance and firmed texture of cooked fish. This dish is also gluten-free, paleo friendly and low-carb.

A few weeks ago I went on a fun tour to one of the world’s best professional culinary colleges – the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. 

Pictured from left to right is me, Jennifer from Bake or Brake, Kita from Pass the Sushi and Russ from The Domestic Man. I loved the tour and meeting new food bloggers – the group was small which was perfect to watch the classes in progress without interfering too much.

Lucky for me, that day they happened to be making ceviche in their Americas cooking class and I got to eat it for lunch. I LOVE a good ceviche, and I order it any chance I get when I go out to eat, so I was excited that they shared this recipe with me.

The good news – this is really easy to make and it looks so impressive if you're having guests over. Their original recipe was made with scallops, but I opted for some fresh Striped Bass which I picked up at my local fish store. You can use any type of ocean fish or shellfish to make ceviche, the only rule of thumb is that it should be as fresh as possible, preferably caught the same day. This would make a wonderful appetizer for Christmas eve if your family likes to have fish. While you can prepare the cucumber cups and the vegetables for the ceviche a few hours ahead, ceviche tastes best when it marinates no more than an hour or two before you serve it.

Funny where life takes you, I went to art school and studied graphic design at Pratt in Manhattan which led me to become a graphic designer/digital photo-retoucher prior to Skinnytaste. I believe those experiences helped me and my love of food photography, but if I was to go back to school now, I would LOVE to attend the CIA or at least take some classes their. They are teaching our next generation of leaders – chefs such as Anthony Bourdain, Duff Goldman, Micheal Simon, Cat Cora, just to name a few are all CIA graduates. I mean, doesn't this chef jacket and hat belong on me?

What's really cool about the school is that all students work in 3-week course rotations, the senior class works at one of three CIA’s restaurants – both the front and back ends. So during our first night there we were served by the graduating students, with meals that the students prepared. We ate at the new French Bocuse Restaurant, and the food was phenominal. The highlight of my meal was watching the students make ice cream in 30 seconds with a hand cranked mixer and dry ice – amazing!

If you're ever in the Hudson Valley, you can go on a group tour and dine at one of their three award winning student-staffed restaurants. And if you're thinking about pursuing a career in the the culinary arts, or have kids that are trying to decide their future, check out the CIA . A 4 year degree is completed in 3 years, they have new classes starting every 3 weeks and offer classes in culinary arts, baking, nutrition, and culinary science. What's more, they boast about their 99% job rate in leadership positions after graduating which is unheard of these days! 

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Chicken and Lentil Soup

This delicious, hearty lentil soup made with chicken, cilantro, cumin and spices is perfect for warming your belly on those cold winter nights. What's more, it's easy to make, economical and very satisfying.

I was in the mood for this last night so I thought it would be a great time to update the photos. I've slightly modified the original recipe which I posted back in 2009, but the results are just as good.

I've been making this soup for years, my family loves it – including my four year old (to my surprise)! It makes a big pot which means plenty of leftovers for lunch. It freezes well and can be reheated with a little water if it gets too thick.

Lentils were actually the first legumes I liked as a kid. My mom would me a similar soup with carrots and celery and since I was picky – she usually pureed mine. I love preparing them because they cook so much quicker than dried beans, and a small amount goes a long way. They are high in protein, Vitamin B, folate and soluble fiber and have twice as much iron as other legumes. You can easily cut this recipe in half or freeze left-overs for lunch which is what I like to do. Chicken breast would work in place of thighs if you prefer white meat. Ground annato (also known as achiote) is commonly used in Latin cuisine, it's used mostly to add color and adds a subtle flavor, but if you can't find it paprika would work instead.

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Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

Butternut squash, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro and spices are simmered in a skillet with green chilies and jalapeno, then wrapped in tortillas and baked in the oven with enchilada sauce and cheese – these vegetarian enchiladas are delicious and perfect for meatless Mondays, or any day of the week!

Yup, I'm pretty enchilada obsessed and this meatless version did not dissappoint. Because of my love affair with enchiladas, I always make my own enchilada sauce and keep it frozen; you can use the recipe from my skinny chicken enchiladas but if you're pressed for time store bought enchilada sauce would be fine. Canned beans are inexpensive so this is a great meal if you're on a budget. I served this with fiesta lime rice, but you can also have this with cilantro lime cauliflower "rice" to keep the carbs low.

Butternut squash has so many health benefits; it's low in fat, loaded with fiber, rich in antioxidants, vitamin C and beta-carotene, just to name a few. Combine that with black beans which are super high in fiber and protein and you have one healthy dish which is not only satisfying, it tastes great too. Enjoy!

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Breakfast Egg White Spinach Enchilada Omelets

 

Enchiladas are one of my favorite all time favorite Mexican comfort foods. But enchiladas for breakfast you might ask? Well I say yes, why not! These are low-carb, gluten-free and grain-free by using egg whites as my "tortilla" – they turned out awesome! You can also have them for dinner – perfect for Meatless Mondays!

These are basically glorified egg white omelets, stuffed with sauteed spinach and topped with enchilada sauce, avocado and cheese. Prep them ahead and bake when ready to serve,  make them as hot or mild as you want. I used Frontera green chile enchilada sauce to speed this up, but I also think this would be awesome with homemade red enchilada sauce.  If you follow a Paleo diet, simply leave the cheese off.

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Easy Tomatillo Huevos Rancheros

Once in a while, I crave something different for breakfast; something with a little flavor and spice to wake up my taste buds. And that's when Huevos Rancheros land on the menu in my home. But this time, rather than making them the traditional way, I had some tomatillo salsa lying around and I thought why not simmer the eggs in there.



Turned out brilliant, and I only dirtied one pan – even better. But the best part was this took less than 10 minutes to make, so all in all it turned out to be a great morning.

And by the way, I'm excited to have partnered with Eggland's Best for my first sponsored post with them. I'm sure you can tell if you've been following me for a while that I only work with brands I would use in my own kitchen and I have always loved Eggland's Best so this was a no-brainer. Plus, I'm sure a lot of you are curious as to what makes their eggs different than other eggs on the supermarket shelf. Aren't they all the same you may wonder?



A few things actually set them apart. First their diet (the chickens are fed an all-natural diet of healthy grains, rice bran, alfalfa, sea kelp, canola oil and vitamin E, they are never fed recycled food, animal by-products or processed foods) and because of this they have less saturated fat, more vitamins, double the omegas and more Lutein than ordinary eggs found in the supermarket. Makes total sense, plus they never use hormones, antiobiotics or steriods on their chickens, which is always important to me.

This dish is gluten-free and perfect for Meatless Mondays as a lunch or dinner. To make it a main meal I would serve this with a big ole salad or some Fiesta Lime Rice on the side. Enjoy!


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Turkey Pastelón (Sweet Plantain Lasagna)

Sweet strips of plantains are layered with savory picadillo and cheese. It's that sweet salty thing that makes this taste SOOOO good!

It's Hispanic heritage month and in it's honor I thought this delicious Puerto Rican comfort dish (made light of course) would be an excellent recipe to honor it. My Mom is from Colombia, so we grew up eating plantains a lot in my home.

Plantains are like a cousin to the banana, and depending on the ripeness you'll cook them in different ways. For this recipe, you'll want them pretty ripe (they should be browned and soft). My plantains could have used a few more days to ripen, but I couldn't wait, I needed to make this.

I spent many summers as a kid with Aunt and cousin who moved to paradise (Puerto Rico). Those were some of my best childhood memories and the food I ate their were some of my favorite meals. Pasteles, empanadillas, pernil – their food is like no other, and they cook with so much flavor, only sometimes they tend to be a little on the not-so-light side. But with a few tweaks I was able to make this dish lighter, I just used a little less oil to cook the plantain, and to further lighten it, I made the picadillo with turkey instead of beef, and part skim cheese and I think it's just as good as the real deal – without the extra fat. To serve this, I sliced it into 9 slices and served it with a big salad on the side and my husband and I felt totally satisfied.

This is delicious (and gluten-free!), and now that it's gone, I'm craving some more! I just bought more plantains and this time I'm letting them get really ripe. Enjoy!

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Grilled Shrimp Tostadas

Grilled shrimp, homemade guacamole, fat free refried beans and lettuce on top of a crispy tostada. Super easy and quick – you're going to love these!!

I've been dying to make share this shrimp tostada recipe with you guys and finally got around to photographing it. It's still hot enough this week to make these outside on the grill, but if you prefer to keep it indoors, just use a grill pan, you can make them all year round.

Seasoning the shrimp with salsa verde and crushed garlic is my secret to fabulous tasting shrimp. I discovered this from my friend Doreen, who also added sofrito to her shrimp and I just couldn't stop eating it. I didn't have sofrito, but it was just as good without. These are super filling, one is all you need! If you have a crowd, you can easily double or triple the recipe.
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Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas

Cheesy meatless enchiladas filled with zucchini and cheese, topped with my homemade enchilada sauce –so delicious whether you are vegetarian or not.

While zucchini is still in season, I'm sharing this recipe from the archives. You all know how much I love enchiladas, well these zucchini enchiladas are huge and filling, and one of my favorite meals in the summer. Perfect topped with chopped cilantro, scallions or jalapeños.

For more enchiladas recipes try; chicken enchiladas, chicken and white bean enchiladas with salsa verde, and turkey and black bean enchiladas. This meatless recipe is also a favorite, and since it has no meat I can splurge a little more on the cheese –yum!

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Grilled Chicken with Black Bean Mango Salsa

Grilled chicken breast, seasoned with cumin and spices and topped with a fresh salsa made with sweet mango, protein-rich black beans and lots of lime and cilantro for flavor.

Let's face it, grilled chicken can be pretty boring, but not if you serve it with this zesty salsa. You may want to even make this salsa on it's own, it makes a fantastic dip if you serve it with chips – seriously good! Sometimes, I even throw in some diced avocado – yum!

This is perfect to make for a weeknight dinner, it's quick and light, high in fiber, protein, and gluten-free.
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Skillet Mexican Zucchini

This zucchini is incredibly delicious with a little bit of a Mexican kick from the jalapeno then topped with melted queso blanco. It's also easy and quick, a must try!

I'm a bit of a cookbook addict. It's a problem as I'm running out of room in my home for all my books, but that never stops me from buying new ones. But the biggest problem is that I kinda neglect them. But this weekend I was thumbing through the Aaron Sanchez's (who is one of the judges on Chopped - one of my favorite shows) cookbook Simple Food, Big Flavor who is also one of the judges on Chopped (one of my favorite shows) and I came across his Mexican recipe for zucchini. I can't get enough of zucchini in the summer, in fact I have an entire Pinterest Board devoted to skinny zucchini called Yummy Zucchini, so I decided to test this out...

You MUST try this! I only made a few tweaks using less oil, and and rather than making a cilantro pesto, I added Garden Gourmet cilantro paste and minced pickled jalapeno for kick. It totally exceeded my expectations.

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Skinny Chicken Fajitas

Lean strips of chicken breast, bell peppers and onions served sizzling hot with warm tortillas and shredded cheese. If this is your idea of delicious, you are not alone!

My husband Tommy is a creature of habit; anytime we go out for Mexican he always orders chicken fajitas. In fact when we went to Mexico a few years ago, he may have ordered them almost every night! I find that amusing because I get really bored of eating the same thing twice, and tend to always take a chance and try something completely new to me.

But chicken fajitas are a regular in my home, we make them at least once a month and the whole family enjoys them. My younger daughter Madison likes her bell peppers raw, so I chop some up and just set them aside for her and cut up the chicken. You can make the whole thing outside on the grill using a cast iron skillet to cook the peppers and onions as we usually do in the summer, or you can cook this indoors in a skillet. Enjoy!

This recipe was from the archives, but I made some minor changes to the original, and found those cute fajita cast iron skillets and tortilla warmers at Target by Imusa (a brand I love for Latin cookware), which was the perfect excuse for a new photo. They really make you feel like you're having a fiesta!!! I may need to buy this tortilla press next!

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Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas

Chicken tenders are slow cooked in the crock pot with salsa verde, then served on a crispy corn tostada and topped with melted cheese, jalapeño and a simple cabbage slaw made with red cabbage, lime juice, cilantro and salt. I could eat these everyday!!

Yesterday I posted the Easiest Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken recipe and promised to post the tostadas today. I made these for lunch and everyone in my home loved them (even my husband doesn't care for cabbage). The cabbage adds just the right amount of texture and freshness with a hint of acidity that just works, and he loved it! One was enough to fill me up for lunch, but if you want this for dinner, I would go with two.

The crock pot chicken actually makes enough for 9 tostadas, but I only made 6 tostadas for sake of calculating to keep it an even number. It's really not spicy at all, which is why I added jalapenos. If your family doesn't like spicy food, leave them out. If you don't have plans for Cinco De Mayo, I suggest you give these a try!! If you can't find tostada shells, you can follow the same recipe with corn taco shells instead.


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