6 Mexican food recipes – just add a frozen margarita

With summer in full swing, The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan has shared some great healthy recipes to give you a taste of Mexico. From nachos with spicy beef chilli, to griddled prawn and vegetable tacos with beetroot rice, your taste buds are in for a treat. Just add a frozen margarita! Here are 6 Mexican food recipes for the summer to try now…

6 Mexican food recipes

Nachos with Spicy Beef Chilli

We all know that nachos can be high in calories when they are piled up with melted cheese, guacamole and soured cream. The secret is using cool tortilla chips (and less of them!) and topping them with a tasty low-fat chilli and reduced-fat cheese. This recipe serves four people so it’s ideal for entertaining and parties.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 35-40 mins
Calories: 400kcals

Ingredients:

100g low-calorie cool tortilla chips
100g grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
A handful of coriander, chopped
1 red or green chilli, thinly sliced
4 stoned black olives, thinly sliced
4 tbsp 0% fat Greek yoghurt
For the spicy beef chilli:

Spray oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 red chillies, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
300g extra lean minced beef (5% fat max)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 x 200g can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
300ml beef stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To make the spicy beef chilli: lightly spray a saucepan with oil and set over a low to medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic for 8–10 mins, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the chilli and ground spices and cook for 1 min. Those spices should be filling your kitchen with a delicious aroma!

Add the minced beef and cook for 4–5 mins, stirring, until browned. Stir in the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, kidney beans and stock, and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15–20 mins until everything is cooked and the sauce has reduced to a thick consistency. Season to taste with a crack or two of salt and pepper.

Heat an overhead grill on the highest setting. Spread out the tortilla chips on a baking tray and sprinkle with three-quarters of the grated Cheddar. Spoon the spicy beef chilli over the top, leaving gaps to expose some of the tortilla chips. Sprinkle with the sliced chilli, black olives and the rest of the cheese.

Cook under the hot grill for about 5 mins until the cheese is melting, golden and bubbling.

Divide between four plates and serve with the chopped coriander and a spoonful of yoghurt.

Step it up… For a 500kcals supper, serve each portion with 2 tbsp guacamole and 4 tbsp hot salsa.

Vegetarian Quinoa and Black Bean Burritos

These spicy burritos are relatively low in fats and carbs but packed with healthy protein and dietary fibre. Even if you’re not a vegetarian, you’ll enjoy this delicious supper and want to eat more meatless meals!

Serves: 2
Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Calories: 400 kcal per serving

Ingredients

150ml vegetable stock
50g quinoa (dry weight)
spray oil
1 small red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 red chilli, diced
½ tsp ground cumin
100g canned black beans, rinsed and drained
100g sweetcorn kernels in water, drained
juice of 1 lime
a handful of coriander, chopped
4 small low-carb tortillas
45g grated cheddar cheese
100g fat-free Greek yoghurt
crisp green salad to serve

Method:

Heat the stock and when it starts to boil, add the quinoa. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and leave to steam in the pan for 5–8 minutes. Drain off the excess liquid and fluff up the quinoa with a fork.

Meanwhile, make the filling: lightly spray a frying pan with oil and set over a medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, red pepper and chilli for 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Add the beans and sweetcorn and heat through gently. Stir in the lime juice and most of the coriander. Add the cooked quinoa and season to taste.

Preheat the grill to hot. Divide the filling between the tortillas and roll them up. Place them, seam-side down, in a foil-lined grill pan and sprinkle with the grated cheese.

Cook under the grill for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts and the tortillas are golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately, topped with the yoghurt, with a crisp green salad.

Mexican food recipe – Sizzling Minced Beef Enchiladas

These spicy Mexican enchiladas make a tasty supper any day of the week. Serve them with a crisp green salad to add some crunch.

Serves: 2
Prep time: 20 Minutes
Cook time: 35 Minutes
Calories: 400 kcal per serving

Ingredients
spray oil
2 spring onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
200g extra lean minced beef (5% fat max)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 x 200g can red kidney beans
a handful of coriander, finely chopped
4 small low-carb tortillas
30g grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tomato sauce:

spray oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200g canned plum tomatoes

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Lightly spray an ovenproof baking dish with oil.

Lightly spray a frying pan with oil and set over a medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic and red pepper for 5 minutes. Add the minced beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in the chilli powder and cumin. Add the beans with half the liquid from the can and cook for 5 minutes or so until the liquid reduces and thickens. Stir in the coriander and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in another frying pan, heat the oil and cook the garlic over a medium heat for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with 100ml hot water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and let the sauce bubble away, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until reduced and thickened. Season to taste and blitz in a blender until smooth.

Spread the tortillas out on a clean work surface and divide the beef and bean mixture between them. Roll up and place in the oiled baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes until bubbling, crisp and golden brown. Serve immediately with salad.

Mexican food recipe – Griddled Prawn and Vegetable Tacos with Beetroot Rice

Beetroot rice is low-fat, gluten-free and tastes delicious tossed in a fruity dressing. Some supermarkets also sell it in ready-prepared packs to save you blitzing the beetroot yourself.

Serves: 4
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Per serving: 400kcals

Ingredients:

400g raw large prawns
juice of 1 lime
1 red chilli, diced
spray oil
2 red or yellow peppers, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
200g baby leaf spinach
4 large low-fat tortilla wraps
a handful of fresh coriander, chopped
100g reduced-fat tomato salsa
80g reduced-fat guacamole
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Beetroot rice:

3 raw beetroot, peeled and diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
a handful of dill or mint, chopped
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
60g reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
2 tsp toasted pine nuts

Method

Put the prawns in a bowl with the lime juice and chilli. Stir well and season with black pepper. Set aside to marinate.
Make the beetroot rice: pulse the beetroot in a food processor or blender until it resembles small rice grains. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cumin seeds and most of the chopped herbs. Blend the orange juice and vinegar and gently toss the beetroot. Crumble the feta over the top and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Lightly spray a large griddle pan with oil and place over a medium heat. Cook the peppers and red onion, stirring occasionally, until tender and just starting to char. Add the garlic and spinach and cook for 2 minutes until the spinach wilts and turns bright green. Remove the vegetables from the pan and keep warm.

Add the marinated prawns to the hot pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, turning occasionally, until pink on both sides. Remove immediately.

Heat the tortilla wraps in the griddle pan or in a low oven. Divide the vegetable mixture and prawns between them and sprinkle with the coriander. Fold one side of each wrap over the filling to make the tacos and place one on each serving plate.

Serve immediately with the beetroot rice and let everyone help themselves to the salsa and guacamole.

Mexican food recipe – Mexican Beef and Chickpea Chilli

This chilli tastes just as good, if not better, the following day. Make it in advance and then reheat it, or leave it to go completely cold and then freeze in a sealed container. You can eat this at any time of the year – it tastes great in the summer served with a crisp salad.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Calories: 200kcals

Ingredients

Spray oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300g extra lean minced beef (max 5% fat)
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
A good pinch of ground cinnamon
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
200ml beef stock or The 1:1 Diet Golden Vegetable Water Flavouring
1 bay leaf
200g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped coriander or chives to garnish
2 tbsp 0% fat Greek yoghurt

Method

Spray a large saucepan and place over a low to medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, carrot and garlic and sizzle away for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.

Stir in the beef and spices and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over. Add the chopped tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the bay leaf and chickpeas. Cook gently for 30 minutes or until the beef is cooked, the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened. Remove the bay leaf and season to taste.

Ladle into 4 shallow serving bowls and scatter the coriander or chives over the top. Add a dollop of Greek yoghurt and serve immediately.

Mexican food recipe – Chicken Enchiladas

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Calories: 400kcals

Ingredients

Spray oil
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
1–2 tsp chilli powder
300ml Passata
1 x 200g can red kidney beans, drained
150g cooked chicken, skinned and cubed
4 x 22g soft corn tortillas
30g reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, grated
Chopped parsley or chives for sprinkling
Green salad to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

Lightly spray a frying pan with oil and set over a medium heat. Sizzle the onion and green pepper for 5 minutes until softened.

Get the spices flowing by stirring in the chilli powder, cook for 1 minute. Next add the Passata and kidney beans and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook gently for 5 minutes, it should be smelling good right about now! Stir in the chicken and heat through gently. Season to taste with a dash of salt and pepper.

Pile some of the mixture on to each tortilla and then get rolling. Once rolled up, place them side by side (seam-side down) in a rectangular ovenproof dish.

Drizzle the remaining sauce over and around the tortillas. Get cheesy and sprinkle the grated Cheddar over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (if you can wait this long!), until bubbling.

Recipes by The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan.

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