Growing up in San Diego I have been lucky to eat some of the best Mexican food around. Mexican food is by far my favorite type of food and I cook Mexican inspired dishes probably at least 3 times a week. I’ve had friends and family move away from San Diego apparently to other places that doesn’t have Mexican food (why I do not know!) and crave it to the point where they bribe others to overnight them burritos. This post is inspired for all you who love Mexican food but don’t always have access. Now you can learn some tricks to make easy healthy Mexican dishes at home that are sure to get rave reviews.
How To Make Easy Healthy Mexican Dishes At Home
Start with the base of the meal. Whatever meat you prefer or happen to have on hand. We are meat eaters but obviously if you are a vegetarian you can sub the meat for veggies. Organic Grass-fed and pastured meat is always the best option (where to buy online) and try to avoid farmed fish/seafood. The meat can be ground, shredded or however you desire. It can be grilled, cooked in the crockpot or on the stovetop.
Meat
- Steak
- Chicken
- Pork
- Fish
- Shrimp
- Ground Beef
- Ground Turkey
Spices
Spices play an important role in the Mexican flavors of the dish. There are many that can be used but to keep it simple these are the ones I always make sure to have on hand and mix them with just about everything from meats to salsas and side dishes.
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Garlic
- Cayanne Pepper
Produce
The fresh produce adds wonderful flavor and can be either mixed with the dish or as a garnish. A Taco salad is also a wonderful fresh idea and makes a great lunch or dinner. You can add meat to a taco salad and some seasoned tortilla strips.
- Red Onions
- Cilantro
- Bell Peppers
- Other Peppers (jalepeno, serrano, poblano, etc.)
- Tomato
- Limes
- Avocado
- Cabbage
- Corn
- Radishes
Side Dishes
For sides some of my favorites include Mexican rice (or a faux rice with quinoa), seasoned black beans, or a Mexican coleslaw. I will usually cook either the rice, quinoa or beans in bone broth to add nutrients and then add tomatoes, carrots and peas along with some spices. For Coleslaw you can shred cabbage, add veggies and make a dressing with either mayonnaise, lime juice and seasoning or omit the mayo and use apple cider vinegar.
- Black Beans
- Pinto Beans
- Rice
- Quinoa
Tortillas
Since 90% of corn is GMO, I highly recommend using organic corn tortillas which may be available at a local health food market or you can use Organic Sprouted Corn (where to buy) or Organic Corn (where to buy). Another option is to make your own organic flour tortillas if you are feeling ambitious. Here is a recipe by The Prairie Homestead. Or homemade corn tortillas from Homemade Mommy
Salsa
You can’t have Mexican dishes without the salsa. I love making homemade fermented salsas not only for their healthy probiotic kick, but also because they are SOOOO much better than store bought. I make Salsa Verde and Pico De Gallo salsa and they stay for weeks in the fridge and taste great. Both options can also be made un-fermented by just omitting the whey and the fermentation process.
Preparation
The thing I love about Mexican food is the options are seemingly endless. You can make tacos out by seasoning any meat (or veggies), add to a tortilla garnishing with onions cilantro a squeeze of lime and top with some homemade salsa. Meats can be cooked in the crockpot all day or in a shorter period of time on the stove and turned into enchiladas or burritos. What I do sometimes (*AHEM** All the time*) is instead of rolling the enchiladas I will layer the tortillas, meat and veggies in a casserole dish, top with some cheese cover with sauce and make an enchilada casserole. And speaking of sauce, I know make my own which is so easy, allows me to control the ingredients and tastes even more delicious than store bought. Click Here for my recipe for red enchilada sauce and my green enchilada sauce recipe is basically the same as my salsa verde but eliminating the fermentation process (since heat kills all the good probiotic bacteria anyways)
Soups are another good idea, you can use a leftover chicken carcass and make Chicken Tortilla by adding some seasonings, veggies and topping with cheese, avocado and don’t forget the tortilla strips. Or use leftover meats to make fajitas by cooking up some bell peppers and onions and adding the meat to warm. Get creative and you can make just about anything taste Mexican inspired.
I hope these recipes help to inspire some Mexican dishes in your future meal plans! Enjoy!
