It can be difficult for people on a diet to stick to it because some of the best tasting foods are unhealthy. Contrary to popular believe, not all Mexican dishes are loaded with calories and fat. Here are some Mexican recipes that are fewer than 300 calories, and you can make them right at home. With these recipes, the urges for bad food will disappear because all these healthy dishes will curb any craving.
Beef Carnitas Empanada
My Recipes shared this tasty recipe not only stays authentic but also takes out the unwanted calories. It’s delicious, easy to make, and is only 251 calories per wedge! Feel free to make them and share them with everyone you know.
Nutritional Information
- Servings: 8
- Serving size: 1 wedge
Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 251
- Calories from fat: 27%
- Fat: 7.4g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Monounsaturated fat: 2.9g
- Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4g
- Protein: 15.1g
- Carbohydrate: 30.4g
- Fiber: 1.9g
- Cholesterol: 43mg
- Iron: 3mg
- Sodium: 470mg
- Calcium: 57mg
Ingredients
Filling:
- Cooking Spray
- 2 cups vertically sliced onion
- 1 cup sliced green bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped seeded tomato
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups Beef Carnitas
Dough:
- 9 tablespoons hot water
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Directions
To prepare filling, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in tomato, red pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in Beef Carnitas; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
To prepare dough, combine 9 tablespoons water and saffron; cool to room temperature. Stir in vinegar. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times to combine. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, slowly pour saffron mixture through food chute; process just until dough begins to form a ball (dough will be crumbly).
Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap 1 dough portion; place on plastic wrap. Cover dough with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, into an 11-inch circle. Repeat procedure with remaining dough. Place both portions in freezer for 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.
Remove plastic wrap from 1 dough portion; place dough, plastic wrap side up, on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap from remaining dough. Place dough, plastic wrap side up, over filling. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap. Pinch edges together to seal. Cut several slits in top of dough to allow steam to escape. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until crust is crisp and beginning to brown. Cut into 8 wedges.
Black Bean Tacos
This is another great recipe from My Recipes. It’s perfect for people who love their veggies but wouldn’t mind having a taco too. This taco incorporates black beans instead of taco meat to reduce the calories and keep it enjoyable at the same time.
Nutritional Information
- Servings: 6
- Serving size: 2 tacos
Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 283
- Calories from fat: 30%
- Fat: 9.3g
- Saturated fat: 1.2g
- Monounsaturated fat: 5.7g
- Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g
- Protein: 20.4g
- Carbohydrate: 30g
- Fiber: 7.6g
- Cholesterol: 0.0mg
- Iron: 2.8mg
- Sodium: 792mg
- Calcium: 58mg
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- ¾ cup chopped onion
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, undrained
- 1 (8-ounce) package seitan (wheat gluten), finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 taco shells
- 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- Avocado Salsa
Directions
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, oregano, garlic, and jalapeno; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sherry, soy sauce, beans, and seitan; bring to a boil. Cook 7 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Sprinkle with black pepper.
Prepare taco shells according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into each shell; top each taco with about 2 ½ tablespoons lettuce and about 2 ½ tablespoons Avocado Salsa.
Crab-Stuffed Poblano Chiles with Mango Salsa
This is an interesting recipe that shows that you can add something different to keep the calories low and the flavor incredible. My Recipes has this amazing recipe for poblano chiles stuffed with crab meat! If you don’t want to use poblano peppers, they also have an alternative of using red or green bell peppers.
Nutritional Information
- Servings: 4
- Serving size: 2 chile halves & 1/3 cup salsa
Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 225
- Calories from fat: 10%
- Fat: 92.4g
- Saturated fat: 1.1g
- Monounsaturated fat: 0.6g
- Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4g
- Protein: 29.5g
- Carbohydrate: 27.5g
- Fiber: 1.2g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
- Iron: 2.3mg
- Sodium: 397mg
- Calcium: 340mg
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped peeled mango
- 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon balsamic or white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons grated fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) carton fat-free ricotta cheese
- 1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1 (6-ounce) can lump crabmeat, drained
- 4 (15-inch) poblano chiles, halved lengthwise and seeded
- Cilantro sprigs (optional)
Directions
Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Cover and chill.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine 2 tablespoons Romano cheese, oregano, mustard, pepper, and ricotta cheese in a food processor and process until smooth. Spoon into a bowl, and stir in artichokes and crabmeat. Divide mixture evenly among the chile halves, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Romano cheese. Place stuffed chiles on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve chiles with mango salsa, and garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.
Note: Substitute 4 red or green bell peppers for poblano chiles if desired.
Tex-Mex Beef Tacos
This recipe from My Recipe gives you the original taco with ground sirloin, but only consists of 266 calories and fits into your diet.
Nutritional Information
- Servings: 10
- Serving size: 1 taco
Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 266
- Calories from fat: 25%
- Fat: 9.3g
- Saturated fat: 2.7g
- Monounsaturated fat: 3g
- Polyunsaturated fat: 0.5g
- Protein: 13g
- Carbohydrate: 27.6g
- Fiber: 4.6g
- Cholesterol: 31mg
- Iron: 1.9mg
- Sodium: 547mg
- Calcium: 25mg
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 to 3 drained canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
- 10 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
Directions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, garlic, and beef; cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble beef. Stir in corn and next 6 ingredients (corn through chiles). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon ½ cup beef mixture into each tortilla.
These are great meals that you can make in the comfort of your own home, knowing that you are taking good care of yourself. It is always great to be able to eat the foods you want to and know that they are healthy and not consisting of too many calories at the same time. At Mexicali Fresh Mex Grill, we have selections for everyone and incorporate healthy ideals into our dishes. You can find us in Massachusetts in Holden, Spencer, and Ware. We are also located in Connecticut in Dayville and soon to be in Stonington! Be sure to stop by and visit us today!