Healthy Mexican and Indian Food

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Mark1984Scotland
Mark1984Scotland Posts: 84
in Recipes
If anyone has any recipies for the above I would really appreciate it.

Weight Watchers do some nice sauces to add chicken to but anything else would be great.

Thanks
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  • Mark1984Scotland
    Mark1984Scotland Posts: 84
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    Bump
  • jfcameron23
    jfcameron23 Posts: 44 Member
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    Skinnytaste.com chicken enchiladas are awesome
  • bones24
    bones24 Posts: 27 Member
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    I'll also recommend skinnytaste.com. She does a lot of Latin inspired dishes. I tried her Chipotle barbacoa beef recently, wonderful!
  • lpeace2u
    lpeace2u Posts: 94 Member
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    Mexican creamy crock pot chicken

    2 lb. Chicken Breasts
    Half of a jar Pace - Medium Picante Sauce
    1 bag Frozen Sweet Corn
    1 can Black Beans
    1 can Mexican Style Chopped Tomatoes With Chilis
    1 small Red Onion chopped
    Garlic to taste
    Cilantro to taste
    Chili Powder
    Salt and Pepper
    8oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese

    Throw everything in the crock pot except for cream chesse and cilantro. Let cook on high about 4 hours. Add cream cheese and cilantro. Let cook another 20 minutes or so. I put it on a multi grain tortilla or use it for salads. You can also put it on top of rice.

    1 cup = 206 calories
  • hope516
    hope516 Posts: 1,133 Member
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    anything from skinnytaste...I can't wait to try her barbacoa :bigsmile:
  • MissVCI
    MissVCI Posts: 277 Member
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    Chicken Fajitas are healthy just don't add the sour cream and cheese, just a bit of salsa and guac.

    Also Fish tacos with pico de gallo and cilantro are delicious.
    just grill/ steam sauteed the fish(in no oil) sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lime juice put in in corn tortilla with the pico de gallo and cilantro, yummy.

    Mexican is easy food to make healthy, it's just like a baked potato, it's not the food itself that is unhealthy it's loading it with cheese and sour cream that gives it a bad rap.

    Can't help you with Indian food, though I love it.
  • Jenny_MSW
    Jenny_MSW Posts: 109 Member
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    i posted a recipe for spicy black bean soup that is amazing... I also LOVE indian food. This recipe really has a great flavor. Let's be honest, nothing can replace the cream in chicken tikka masala or other similar dishes, but this one is really good. It's No-Butter Butter Chicken. SO GOOD!! I haven't entered it on here yet, so I don't know the calories and everything.

    Here's a link to a page that has step-by-step instructions with pictures, but it's originally from Bal Arenson’s Everyday Indian: 100 Fast, Fresh and Healthy Recipes.

    http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/no-butter-chicken


    My husband and I also enjoy making taco salads which are very healthy. We cook chicken or tofu in taco spices and put it on a salad along with lots of black beans, some reduced fat shredded cheese, avocado or homemade guacamole, tomatoes, etc... guacamole and/or some light or fat free sour cream acts like the salad dressing.
  • gtunlimited
    gtunlimited Posts: 60 Member
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    I've been making chicken chilli bean rice. Just chicken mince, onion, chilli black beans, tin of chopped tomato and Capsicum, chilli sauce like tobasco, corn kernels, all on brown rice(make sure you cook the bejeezers out of it) or use quinoa instead. Top with cottage cheese as its like having sour cream and cheese and if you like add some guacamole.
  • Hoakiebs
    Hoakiebs Posts: 430 Member
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    http://www.vegetarianrecipesandcooking.com/vegetarian-potato-and-tofu-vindaloo-recipe.php and if you're not vegetarian, you can cook the same with lean meats.
  • CarolMorris66
    CarolMorris66 Posts: 59
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    The slimming world magazine often has a good curry receipe in it. Infact so many of the Slimming World receipes are fab... will try and remember to bring the mag to work and copy one out for you to try.
  • annscotslass
    annscotslass Posts: 7 Member
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    Hi Mark
    Skinnytaste looks awesome! I also tried fish tacos when I visited Las Vegas a couple of years ago - delicious and not readily available here in the UK.
    Hope you got some inspiration
    Ann
  • SanyamKaushik
    SanyamKaushik Posts: 215 Member
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    I've been cooking some indian food. There are uncountable number of recipes IMHO but one little secret is: use any recipe but just add very little oil. I would use a non-stick pan and add just 2-3 grams of oil. Be it any vegetable or lentils or whatever. Everything that follows will be healthy :-)
    Indian home cooked food is way different from what we see in restaurants out here which are filled with oil and thats why I hate the restaurant/ takeaway food.
  • mortegren
    mortegren Posts: 1 Member
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    I've probably made about 10 different Mexican meals from Cooking Light Magazine (http://www.cookinglight.com/). They do a pretty good job of keeping things light, but I've even found some ways to cut even more calories. When I alter their recipe, I just add it on here to see what the updated nutritional info is, and then save the updated recipe for future reference. I don't know much about Indian food, but I can recommend the Moroccan Flatbreads (http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/moroccan-flatbreads-rghayef-10000001924680/). There is some room for alteration in that recipe too.

    Probably the easiest "Mexican" dish I make is to boil (or use a slow cooker) some chicken breasts and shred them. Then, I just simmer the shredded chicken in some reduced sodium taco seasoning (follow the ground beef directions on the packet), then just top it with some fat free refried beans, lettuce and salsa (or any other healthyish taco toppings) in a whole wheat tortilla.

    Hope that helps.
  • Stodrick
    Stodrick Posts: 17
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    Just a quick tip for anything with a creamy base: I use non-fat plain Greek yogurt as a replacement for lots of things, including sour cream or heavy cream in savory dishes, which is great for both Indian and Mexican food. It's much lower in calories and fat (130 cals/ 0 g fat vs. 290 cals/ and 40[!] g fat in 8 oz) than regular sour cream. I even use it to make creamy pasta sauce and chip dip mixes, and have always gotten rave reviews!
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
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    I make an amazing healthier version of Chicken Tikka Masala.

    1 onion, chopped very fine
    1 can of crushed tomatoes
    7 (to taste, really) garlic cloves, minced
    1+ inch fresh ginger, minced
    1 tbsp garam masala spice
    pinch of sugar (I use cinnamon sugar, actually)
    1-2 can Trader Joe's lite coconut milk
    1-4 tbsp coconut oil
    400g chicken (approx)
    salt and pepper to taste

    Minced garlic and ginger until more of a paste than pieces. Chop onion very fine. Melt coconut oil (you can start with one tbsp and then add more if needed) in skillet. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add ginger and garlic paste, mix well with onion. Cook for a few seconds and then add garam masala spice (I make my own so I can adjust it to the taste I prefer, as I don't like spicy foods). Then, add can of can of crushed tomato and mix well. Sprinkle salt and pepper if desired, and a bit of (cinnamon) sugar (to help the acidity of the tomatoes). Bring to a boil. Once it has cooked down a little, add a can or two (dependent on how creamy you like it) of lite coconut milk. Stir really well- this might take a while, especially with two cans, and bring to a boil again.

    For the chicken, I use smaller pieces, like chicken breast tenders, or filet the larger chicken breasts in half. I put a cookie cooling rack on a cookie sheet and put the chicken on the rack. I like to sprinkle it with cumin and garlic salt. Then broil until top is done, flip the chicken, season the raw side, and broil until cooked. Cut up chicken into bite size pieces and add to sauce (that should be at a low boil). Let it all simmer together for a few minutes and then serve!

    I make brown rice with this rice; I don't care that it isn't as authentic, lol. And some Trader Joe's frozen garlic naan makes a perfect addition to this meal- mmm.

    This recipe can easily be four *large* servings, or you can split it up into smaller ones if you like, whatever you are in the mood for.

    Enjoy!! :D
  • Mark1984Scotland
    Mark1984Scotland Posts: 84
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    I make an amazing healthier version of Chicken Tikka Masala.

    1 onion, chopped very fine
    1 can of crushed tomatoes
    7 (to taste, really) garlic cloves, minced
    1+ inch fresh ginger, minced
    1 tbsp garam masala spice
    pinch of sugar (I use cinnamon sugar, actually)
    1-2 can Trader Joe's lite coconut milk
    1-4 tbsp coconut oil
    400g chicken (approx)
    salt and pepper to taste

    Minced garlic and ginger until more of a paste than pieces. Chop onion very fine. Melt coconut oil (you can start with one tbsp and then add more if needed) in skillet. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add ginger and garlic paste, mix well with onion. Cook for a few seconds and then add garam masala spice (I make my own so I can adjust it to the taste I prefer, as I don't like spicy foods). Then, add can of can of crushed tomato and mix well. Sprinkle salt and pepper if desired, and a bit of (cinnamon) sugar (to help the acidity of the tomatoes). Bring to a boil. Once it has cooked down a little, add a can or two (dependent on how creamy you like it) of lite coconut milk. Stir really well- this might take a while, especially with two cans, and bring to a boil again.

    For the chicken, I use smaller pieces, like chicken breast tenders, or filet the larger chicken breasts in half. I put a cookie cooling rack on a cookie sheet and put the chicken on the rack. I like to sprinkle it with cumin and garlic salt. Then broil until top is done, flip the chicken, season the raw side, and broil until cooked. Cut up chicken into bite size pieces and add to sauce (that should be at a low boil). Let it all simmer together for a few minutes and then serve!

    I make brown rice with this rice; I don't care that it isn't as authentic, lol. And some Trader Joe's frozen garlic naan makes a perfect addition to this meal- mmm.

    This recipe can easily be four *large* servings, or you can split it up into smaller ones if you like, whatever you are in the mood for.

    Enjoy!! :D

    Sounds good :D
  • BEERRUNNER
    BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,049 Member
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    im only gonna say this once. The healthiest Mexican food is CEVICHE!!!!!!!
  • LifeOnMars_
    LifeOnMars_ Posts: 755 Member
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    Bump
  • th2much
    th2much Posts: 156 Member
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    I've been cooking some indian food. There are uncountable number of recipes IMHO but one little secret is: use any recipe but just add very little oil. I would use a non-stick pan and add just 2-3 grams of oil. Be it any vegetable or lentils or whatever. Everything that follows will be healthy :-)
    Indian home cooked food is way different from what we see in restaurants out here which are filled with oil and thats why I hate the restaurant/ takeaway food.

    Exactly!!! I cook Indian very regularly & All I do is use very little oil and its healthy. I also don't buy tinned lentils or beans. I have a pressure cooker & I cook them in it .
  • nu2012
    nu2012 Posts: 562 Member
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    Like someone said, Indian food in the restaurants is totally different from what is made at home. To make Indian food healthy,just add very little oil. I use 1 tsp olive oil and cook with that. For cream based, which I usually don't cook, I use fat free yogurt.
    Lentil soups are healthy and have a lot of proteins. and as th2much said, pressure cooker works great for lentils and beans.

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