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- Hot and Healthy Salsa
by Nancy Gerlach, R.D.
It's no secret that with today's hectic lifestyles, many Americans don't always eat healthy meals. In fact, I recently read an article about a man who gained an incredible amount of weight while eating only low-fat foods. It's no wonder, with the plethora of no-fat, low-fat, and light versions of our forbidden favorites, that many people are fooled into thinking that we can "have our cake" and become healthy at the same time. In reality, there is no magic potion--good health is achieved through deliberate lifestyle choices and reasonable eating habits.
We all know the health value of increasing our consumption of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain foods, as well as decreasing fat, calories, and excess salt. While salt and fat contribute a lot to the flavor of foods, cooking with less of them doesn't have to spell disaster as far as taste is concerned. It just means that you need to expand your culinary repertoire. Remember there are no "bad foods." We all just need to practice moderation, eat a variety of foods, reduce our fat intake and, of course, increase our capsicum consumption!
Since May is National Salsa Month, I'd like to focus on the impact that a little salsa can have on healthy cooking. Chiles and the other fresh ingredients of salsa are high in vitamins, low in sodium and calories, and they provide a wonderful way to give your diet a flavorful boost. Using salsa can be as simple as adding a cup of it to cooked rice, basting with it instead of butter, or using it as an ingredient in a reduced fat recipe. Some other uses for salsas include:
- Replacing heavy sauces and gravies.
- Toppings for baked potatoes, fish, and chicken dishes.
- Replacing high fat condiments such as butter or margarine, sour cream, mayonnaise, or guacamole.
- Salad dressing substitution.
I've put together a group of recipes that can liven up a healthy eating plan. Remember too, that emphasizing the health angle can be a good selling point with your customers, and that offering recipes utilizing your products should help to increase sales.
Vegetarian Enchilada Bake
Corn tortillas need to be heated so that you can roll them without cracking and splitting. The traditional method for softening involves dipping the tortillas in hot oil, however, the same result can be achieved by lightly moistening the tortillas with water, wrapping them in foil, and placing them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. You can also wrap the tortillas in a cloth towel and microwave them on high for 1 to 2 minutes.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 7-ounce can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons ground red New Mexican chile
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups Mexican-style salsa, divided
8 corn tortillas
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Shredded lettuce
Chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the filling, heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until they are softened. Add the beans and coarsely mash them. Add the corn, chile, cumin and ½ cup of the salsa, then cook for 5 minutes.
Spread ½ cup of the salsa onto a baking dish.
Heat the tortillas to soften them, and spoon about 1/3 cup of the filling onto each tortilla and roll up. Place the tortillas, seam side down, in the baking dish. Top the enchiladas with the remaining sauce. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.
Garnish with the lettuce and cilantro and serve.
Serves: 4
Heat Scale: Medium
Winning White Chili
This low-fat, high-flavor recipe is based on one provided by the National Pork Producers Council. By using a commercial salsa, this simple-to-prepare chili can be ready to serve in about a half an hour.
½ pound boneless pork loin, or two boneless pork chops, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 16-ounce can navy beans, drained
1 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained
½ cup chipotle-based salsa
1 14-1/2-ounce can chicken broth
Chopped fresh parsley
In a 4-quart saucepan, sauté the pork and onion in the oil over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and the pork is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in all remaining ingredients except the parsley, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Serve each portion garnished with some chopped parsley.
Serves: 6
Heat Scale: Medium
Salsa Spiced Squash
This basic recipe can be used for a variety of vegetables, including corn, green beans, carrots, or eggplant. You can even try a different salsa for a new taste.
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, cut in slivers
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 small zucchini squash, julienned
2 small yellow squash, julienned
1 cup tomato-based salsa
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion, garlic, and bell pepper for 2 minutes to soften. Add the squashes and continue to cook over a medium-high heat until the squash is tender.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through.
Serves: 4 to 6
Heat Scale: Medium
Healthy Quick Chicken Soup
Since capsaicin breaks up nasal congestion and gives us the "salsa sniffles," try this quick chicken soup cure for your next cold.
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried epazote (optional)
1 cup chunky-style tomato based salsa
2 14-1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
1 ½ cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup cooked rice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Vegetable oil spray
Spray a heavy saucepan with cooking oil. Heat, and add the chicken, chili powder, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Add the epazote, salsa, broth, corn, and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
To serve, stir in the cilantro and garnish with additional fresh cilantro.
Serves: 4 to 6
Mild to Medium
Mexicali Flank Steak Fajitas
Most of the calories in fajitas come from the toppings that we pile on, including cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. If you replace these condiments with a high-flavor salsa, you won't miss any of the flavor.
1 pound lean flank steak
2 teaspoons ground chile, such as ancho or New Mexican Chimayo
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup chipotle-based salsa, divided
Vegetable cooking spray
6 to 8 green or Mexican bulb onions
4 to 6 flour tortillas
Trim the visible fat from the steak. Combine the chile, cumin, coriander, and garlic powder, then rub the steak with the spice mixture.
Place the steak and ½ cup of the salsa in a zip-lock bag.
Marinate the steak in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
Heat a barbecue until medium-hot. Remove the steak and discard the marinade. Coat the grill rack and onions with the cooking spray. Place the steak and onions on the grill and cook for 8 minutes. Turn the steak and the onions, and continue to grill for an additional 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.
Cut the meat diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Place a few slices of meat into a flour tortilla, add a couple of grilled onions, top with additional salsa and serve.
Serves: 4 to 6
Heat Scale: Medium to Hot
