I picked up some Soy Chorizo from Trader Joes today with the idea to turn it into two different dishes – a taco filling and a vegetarian chili. Here’s my recipe for the taco filling, which I turned into a taco salad. If you are interested in making the chili, then reserve half of the filling and keep it in the refrigerator until tomorrow. I’ll give you that recipe tomorrow. It’s easy and simmers in the crockpot all day.

Vegetarian Chorizo Taco Filling

* 2 TB olive oil
* 1 onion, diced, about 1 cup
* 4 oz can diced green chilis
* 1 package Soy Chorizo
* 16 oz can of Kidney beans, can substitute black or pinto beans
* 1/2 cup water

1. Heat olive over medium high heat.
2. Add onions and saute for 3 minutes.
3. Add canned green chili to pan, stir.
4. Open chorizo and add to the pan. Break it up with a wooden spoon.
5. Add the water and stir.
6. When water is cooked off, the filling is ready.

Serve as a taco or burrito filling. Also makes a great taco salad.

Image credit: Michelle Smith

Post from: Blisstree

Soy Chorizo Taco Filling

INGREDIENTS:
1 thin steak, cut in strips
1 cup of salsa
1 packet of Cajun Aromatica Organics
1 large flour tortilla
sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese
oil for sautéing

Beef and Salsa Quesadilla (Image © Dexie J Wharton)

Heat up oil in a pan. Sauté beef until tender. Stir in one packet of Cajun Aromatica Orgnaics sesoning. Just let that incorporate for a minute or two. The stir in the salsa. Let it cook for a minute or so.

Using a griddle or a nonstick pan, make sure the surface is hot, lay the flour tortilla flat. Add the beef and salsa mixture on one half of the flour tortilla. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese. Fold in the other half on top. Cook for a minute then carefully turn the quesadilla over to cook the top part.

Slice in quarters, then serve. Double the ingredients for more people.

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Beef & Salsa Quesadilla

I always get the same thing when I go to Chipotle – a Chicken Burrito with the medium salsa, rice, pinto beans, light cheese, and light sour cream. The chicken has a smokey flavor, with a touch of heat. It’s honestly the tastiest chicken that I’ve ever tried.

Another favorite is the Salad, also with the chicken. They serve it with a Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette that is really good.

Chipotle is committed to using organic produce, dairy without hormones, and naturally raised meat. About a third of the beans used are raised organically grown.

If customers are looking for a vegetarian option, they can skip the meat and order the black beans that are prepared in a vegan manner. The burritos are big and in no way low-calorie. If you are looking for a healthier option, ask for less rice, skip the cheese and sour cream, or chose the salad.

Copycat recipes are available all over internet. Here are a few of my favorites: Copycat Honey Vinaigrette Dressing, Copycat Grilled Chicken Marinade, and Copycat Rice.

Image credit: Michelle Smith

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Dinner At Chipotle

I watched the Food Network show, Grill It! with Bobby Flay today. The show works like this: Bobby has a guest on the show who prepares one of their specialities on the grill. Bobby prepares a seperate dish with the same main ingredient.

For example, today Alex, from California came on to prepare his Mexican Shrimp Enchiladas. When they introduced him, he was grilling Carne Asada Tacos in his backyard, using a green salsa.

That’s the sort of food that I want to see on the Food Network all the time. I’m a native Californian and we love our Mexican food. Personally, I cook Mexican food at least 3 times a week, but I’d like to branch out and try some new dishes. I wish they’d have an authentic Mexican cooking show on the Food Network. When they do have Mexican, it’s just a random dish somewhere or it has a sort of Cuban flair. I want the kind of food you eat while listening to mariachi music.

If you are interested in the recipes that Bobby Flay and Alex made, you can find them here. Bobby prepared his shrimp in an Asian style. Alex made Shrimp Enchiladas and Grilled Bananas.

Image credit: Michelle Smith

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The Food Network and Mexican Food

Easy Layered Taco Pie

INGREDIENTS :
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
1/2 cup water
4 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into quarters
1 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick ‘N Chunky Salsa
1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

Crumble meat into microwaveable (plastic) colander; place over microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 8 min., stirring every 2 min. to break up meat. Discard fat. Transfer meat to 9-inch microwaveable pie plate. Stir in seasoning mix and water. Microwave 5 min., stirring after 3 min.

Remove half of meat mixture; set aside. Cover remaining meat mixture in pie plate with half of the tortilla quarters. Repeat layers of meat mixture and tortillas; top with salsa and cheese. Microwave 4 min.

Top with remaining ingredients. Cut into wedges to serve.

This is definitely an easy, fun, colorful and light lunch or dinner for everyone.

(Image/Source : Kraft Foods)

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Easy Layered Taco Pies

My kids had never had the Chorizo experience until I picked up some vegetarian Chorizo last week. I forgot to take a picture of it, but this is similar. The brand that I bought came in sausage-like tubes.

The kids all turned their noses up at it. “Yuck,” they said. I heated it up and added one can of drained black beans, then used the mixture to top nachos.

Guess what? They loved it. The beans give it a fuller texture and add interest to the appearance. They spicy chorizo non-meat “meat” has a lot of spice and flavor. Best of all, it is made of  TVP and isn’t full of fat and cholesterol like the traditional Chorizo. It’s a great buy and can be used in many different Mexican dishes including tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tostadas, with friend potatoes, in chili….. you get the idea. It’s useful stuff.

Image credit: Global Nutrition.com

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Healthier Chorizo

Photo by Jim Semlor

Baked Chimichangas

4 (8-inch) or 8 (6-inch) whole-wheat tortillas

Filling:
1 1/2 cups cooked and cubed chicken
3/4 cup salsa, thick and chunky
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated, reduced-fat cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Optional:
extra salsa
Spanish Yogurt Sauce (page 122, Quick & Healthy Recipes and Ideas, 3rd Edition)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix filling ingredients in a medium bowl.
Warm tortillas until pliable (about 5 seconds each in microwave or in a nonstick skillet).
Wet one side of tortilla with water and place wet side down. Spoon on filling ingredients. Fold to hold in filling.
Spray baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Lay chimichangas, seam side down, on baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.

VARIATIONS: Beef, Pork, or Turkey Chimichangas—Substitute ground or diced beef, pork, or turkey for chicken.

Makes –4 servings
Carb Servings
2
Exchanges
1 1/2 starch
1 vegetable
3 lean meat
Nutrient Analysis
calories 260
total fat 5g
saturated fat 2g
cholesterol 50mg
sodium 544mg
total carbohydrate 27g
dietary fiber 2g
sugars 5g
protein 24g

Source: Quick & Healthy Recipes and Ideas, 3rd Edition, © 2008 Brenda J. Ponichtera, R.D, Published by Small Steps Press, publishing health conscious books for the general population, a division of the American Diabetes Association; retail $18.95;
To order call 1-800-232-6733 or visit http://www.QuickandHealthy.net. Also available at local and online bookstores.

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Baked chimichangas

In preparation for Cinco de Mayo, Wholly Guacamole has shared their recipe for Flag Dip, a festive creation, shaped like the Mexican flag:

Mexican Flag Dip

Ingredients
– Guacamole
– Fat Free Sour Cream
– Salsa
– Rosemary sprigs
– Black beans and olives
– Chips for dipping

Instructions:
1. Divide a rectangular pan into thirds. Spread guacamole and sour cream,
adding salsa on outer band last to avoid running.

2. Top center with an “eagle” of olives beans and sprigs of rosemary.

(photo credit: PRNewswire)

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Festive Food for Cinco de Mayo

We ended up meeting at her favorite Mexican restaurant. I ordered a taco salad, which wasn’t too bad. My daughter ordered nachos with cheese. I ate half of my taco salad, then switched plates with my daughter and ate a few of her chips and cheese.

Now I’m regretting that last bit of chips and cheese, of course. I should have not eaten that. I hope to goodness it doesn’t affect my weigh in next week. I will be terribly disappointed if it does!

On that note, I stepped on the scale this morning and I’d lost another pound. I pulled another skirt out of my closet that I haven’t been able to wear in over a year and guess what? It fit! That really made me feel good.

I’m thinking I need to hold on to those moments…the moments when I’m able to wear something smaller…when I get ready to eat something I know isn’t good for me. I need to something to motivate me and stop me from eating too much of the wrong things.

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Yikes! I Hope This Didn’t Hurt Me