Healthy Cinco de Mayo

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo with family & friends? These recipes and 5 tips can make your celebration lighter - without sacrificing any flavor!

Tip #1: Avoid mindless chip munching.
The baskets of chips keep coming...and we keep snacking. Filling up on chips is easy to do. Staying mindful about how many chips we eat can help prevent this. One way to do this is to serve yourself some chips onto a plate - and stop when those are gone. If you are having a party - offer an alternative appetizer, like these Black Bean Lettuce Bundles - they are fun to make, so delicous, and no chips needed!

Black Bean Lettuce Bundles
Serves 4

• 2 cups cooked no-salt-added black beans
• ½ large avocado, mashed
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• ¹⁄³ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¹⁄³ cup mild low-sodium salsa
• 8 large romaine lettuce leaves

Directions: Mash beans and avocado together with a fork or a pastry tool. Mix all remaining ingredients except lettuce. Place approximately ¼ cup of filling in the center of each lettuce leaf and roll like a tortilla.

NUTRITION INFO
Per serving (about 8.5 oz/240g-wt.): 180 calories (45 from fat), 5g total fat, .5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium,
26g total carbohydrate (10g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 8g protein
Original Recipe from Eat for Health Book Two by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
Reprinted with permission from Whole Foods and their health partner Eat Right America.

Note my changes to the above recipe: I replaced scallions with 1 Tablespoon of finely minced red onion, used butter lettuce in place of the romaine, 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika in place of the cumin, and added a pinch of sea salt to taste.

Tip #2: Lighten Up the Dips.
Queso dip and other richer heavier appetizers are going to be a bigger calorie, fat and salt hit. Focus on the lighter options - salsas and even guacamole (although it has fat in it - it is healthy fat). Just keep moderation in mind.

Mango Salsa Recipe:
Serves: 6-8

• 2 mangos - coarsely chopped
• 1/3 of a red pepper - chopped fine
• 1-2 tablespoons of red onion - very finely chopped
  
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro - chopped fine (should amount to about 3-4 Tablespoons chopped)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 Tablespoon of jalapeno or serrano pepper - very finely chopped (optional - or use less)
  
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
  

Mix all together in a bowl, and serve with chips or as a garnish for grilled meats or seafood.

Tip #3: Choose Grilled Instead of Fried.

Deep fried and battered meats will pack on the fat and calories - but choosing grilled meats will keep your plate slimmer. Serve grilled shrimp, fish or chicken with the mango salsa on the side for flavor, color and a beta carotene punch - makes great fish tacos!

Tip #4: Go with Lard Free Beans.
Beans are a healthy choice - unless they are refried with lots of lard. So when dining out or cooking at home - look for whole beans, or the vegetarian refried kind. Has all the flavor and lots less fat and calories - save those calories for your margarita!

Tip #5: "Skinny" Cocktails.
What is Cinco de Mayo without a margarita? It is easy for the calories to add up when we drink them, especially sweet drinks like margaritas. So instead of picking up some margarita mix (which can have unwanted ingredients like corn syrup and artificial coloring) - try these delicious lighter and healthier margaritas:

• Nature's Agave Organic Margarita - no margarita mix here - just fresh lime juice and agave nectar!
  
• Skinny Spinach Margarita - no one knows there is spinach in there! The spinach adds folate - a powerful antioxidant. This margarita also has fiber, antioxidants, and more. Make a virgin one for the kids!
• Cinco de Mayo Margarita - celebrate in style!

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