Recipes for Your Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Cinco de Mayo is such a fun holiday celebrating culture and food. There are so many fun flavors to play with to make your food really shine! I tend to take the less traditional route by preparing meals that incorporate the flavors of Mexican food and mimic traditional Mexican recipes, but apply them to a way of eating that focuses on fiber and nutrient-rich foods.
This can be done for any type of cuisine! Just because your diet changes or you eat a certain way does not mean you have to give up your favorite foods. The common misconception that healthy eating is boring is simply not the case. Think of your favorite cuisines, and how you can apply the flavors of those foods to foods that suit your way of eating.
These dishes are so easy to prepare in bulk and save well for up to a week (hello leftovers :D). You can also customize the ingredients to suit your needs and preferences—the flavors work well with many options! Some of my favorite Cinco de Mayo inspired dishes are:
Corn & Black Bean Salad
Ingredients:
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
3-4 fresh ears of corn (or use 1-2 cans of corn)
3 Roma tomatoes, diced small
¼ red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
Handful chopped cilantro
Juice from 1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
Black pepper & course sea salt
Once you’ve prepared all of your ingredients, stir together in a bowl and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Add the lime juice & olive oil and mix well. If you’re not a cilantro fan you can use parsley or leave the herbs out altogether (I recommend using them because it adds freshness and boosts the flavor profile of the dish). Allow the bean salad to refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
**Tip: use this black bean salad as a high-fiber alternative to salsa!
Homemade Chipotle Bowl for One
Ingredients:
½ cup cooked grain of choice (I usually use quinoa but brown rice & farro work great as well)
½ bell pepper, cut into ¼ inch slices
½ zucchini, sliced ¼ inch thick
¼ cup black beans
2 tbsp guacamole or ⅓ sliced avocado
1 chicken breast (or protein of choice—tofu & shrimp will also work great here)
Juice of ½ lime
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Coarse salt & black pepper
Steps:
Preheat oven to 400 and prepare your veggies. Meanwhile, boil your grain as per package instructions (I usually like to have this step done in advance so I only have to worry about the veg & protein).
Toss veggies in a bowl with olive oil, spice mix, salt & pepper. Drizzle chicken breast with a little olive oil and use the same spice mix for the chicken.
Bake chicken breast for 20 minutes. 5 minutes in, add the veggies and allow them to bake until they are tender (should take the rest of the 15 minutes).
In a bowl, add your grain. Top with veggies, diced chicken, black beans, guacamole/avocado, and lime juice.
This is one of my favorite meal prep recipes and can be made with any vegetables, proteins, or grains you desire. If meal prepping, you can double or triple the recipe. Be sure to store your veggies, grains, and proteins separately to prevent sogginess.
Easiest Guacamole
3 avocados
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin (or more to taste)
Juice from ½ lime (or more to taste)
Coarse salt & black pepper
Mash the avocados well & mix with the Greek yogurt. Add the cilantro, cumin, lime juice, and stir and add salt & pepper to taste.
The added dairy in this recipe may seem odd, but I promise it’s a game changer! Adding plain Greek yogurt not only makes the guacamole more creamy, but it also adds protein to make this guac recipe a great choice for a snack with veggies or on toast or a rice cake.
Try these recipes for your next fiesta or meal prep and see how you like!
By Jessica Kaplan