10-Minute Side Dish: Tex-Mex Zucchini

10 minute side dish, Low-carb, Mexican, My Tasteful Life, Paleo, side dish, spices, Zucchini

Since it’s still summer, zucchini continues to be abundant and on sale. Finding new ways to prepare it gives me a fun challenge, and my recent blog post on Zucchini Crisps turned out to be a delightful experiment. Today I’m sharing my Tex-Mex Zucchini. IMG_3463

Eating Mexican food doesn’t mean you must have beans and rice as a side dish. If you’re following a Paleo diet, then those items are prohibited anyway. Here’s a perfect low-carb side dish that takes just 10 minutes to make and pairs perfectly with any Mexican-inspired meal.

The unique ingredient is dried chipotle pepper flakes. Traditional in Southwestern and Mexican cuisine, chipotle peppers are smoke-dried jalapenos. Because they are dried, these peppers have a less intense heat than fresh jalapenos or dried red pepper flakes.

Chipotle peppers have a sweeter, smokier heat that tends to linger on the lips. If you truly dislike anything hot, then try reducing the chipotle pepper flakes to a half teaspoon on your first attempt.

This dish only takes 10 minutes to cook, but I like to let zucchini marinate in the chipotle pepper flakes and oil for at least 5 minutes before cooking. This dish serves three, so double it if you’re feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/2″ rounds

1/2 red onion, sliced

2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil

1 teaspoon chipotle pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Process

Mix the zucchini rounds, red onion, oil and chipotle pepper flakes in a bowl. Let sit for 5 to 15 minutes.

When the zucchini is done marinating, heat a dry pan on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Then add the zucchini mixture and sauté for 6 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the kosher salt and stir.

Turn the heat up to high and keep stirring for 2 more minutes. Turn off heat and keep warm until you’re ready to serve your meal.

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Pork al Pastor? Yes, Please!

Lettuce wraps, Mexican, Paleo, Pineapple, pork

I came across this traditional northern Mexico dish in one of my Paleo-inspired cookbooks, Paleo By Season by Peter Servold. It was so delicious that I immediately  wrote down my modified version. I’m pretty sure my family kept saying that it was just so good, but it was hard to tell since they were talking between bites of food. IMG_1657

The key to this dish is to let the meat marinate overnight, and to use a hot, dry pan to cook it. Do not add oil to the pan because the browning of the pork is what makes this truly amazing. The pork is the star, and it really shines with this combination of flavors.

Because we strive to follow a Paleo diet, I serve this with lettuce cups instead of the traditional corn tortilla. I also add fresh chopped toppings including white onion, cilantro and lime wedges. I’m sure this pork pastor would be equally delicious on a salad or over seasoned vegetables.

The meat only cooks for 12-15 minutes so do the garnish prep-work early. You only want to stir the meat a few times while it cooks to ensure even browning. Serve right away and enjoy it while it lasts. This recipe should serve four people, but my family of three licked the plate clean.

Ingredients

1 to 1-1/2 pounds of pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2” pieces IMG_1602

1 jalapeno pepper, cut in half and seeded

1 cup pineapple, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

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Butter lettuce cups

1 small white onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges

Process

Combine all the ingredients from the first list in a bowl, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and let the mixture marinate for 10 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, remove the pork mixture and set it aside for about 15 minutes to help bring it closer to room temperature. Heat a large, dry saute pan over medium-high heat. Add all of the marinated pork mixture and evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn. However, don’t over stir in order to brown the meat perfectly. Serve immediately with lettuce cups and garnishes.

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Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken, Leftovers, meal plans, Mexican, sunday supper, tips

I’m not a huge fan of leftovers in their original form, but I enjoy making another meal with the remainders. My chicken enchiladas are a good example of this practice. By using leftover shredded Mexican chicken, I can throw together a meal that looks almost professional. Assembling the enchiladas is easy, and I like to serve them with some yellow rice. Start the rice just before you place the enchiladas in the oven and everything will be done at the same time. Enjoy!

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Supplies You Will Need

9×13 baking dish

 

Ingredients

1-2 cups leftover Mexican chicken

1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

10 oz. can of enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso)

6-8 tortilla shells from the night before

.5 oz. package of saffron yellow rice

 

Cooking

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray baking dish with cooking spray and spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom.

Carefully assemble the enchiladas by placing 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken in the center of each tortilla shell. Top with a little cheese and fold one side over the other. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat until the pan is full. The enchiladas should touch each other but not be crammed in.

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Bake for 15 minutes. Top with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup of cheese and cook for another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Feel free to top these with any of the traditional taco toppings. Serve with rice and enjoy!

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One Slow Cooker, Two Mexican Meals

Chicken, meal plans, Mexican, Slow cooker, sunday supper, tips

I like all different types of food and do my best to make a good variety of meals. My husband loves Mexican but it’s not always the best choice for our waistlines. However, I’ve found a quick way to make some delicious chicken that can be used in both tacos and enchiladas.

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This shredded Mexican chicken recipe is as simple as it gets, to me anyway. It’s not only easy but it’s pretty healthy. The chicken recipe only uses four main ingredients, so the majority of calories comes from the taco shells and toppings you choose.

This recipe works great on salads too. Add a little cheese, some canned black beans, corn, fresh tomatoes, avocado, a few crumbled taco chips and two tablespoons of salsa. For those of us who need to watch our portions, this is a hearty salad that doesn’t taste like you’re missing anything while the rest of the table gobbles down tacos.

One of the best parts of this recipe is its leftovers. This easily feeds six people and you should still have some remaining. Either eat tacos again the next night, or better yet, try my enchilada recipe. Check back tomorrow to see how to make restaurant-quality enchiladas with the leftover chicken and tortilla shells from the night before and only three more ingredients.

 

IngredientsIMG_0095

6 chicken breasts

1 large onion, quartered

1 jalapeno pepper, halved

1 cup of your favorite salsa (I prefer “hot” varieties)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cuminIMG_0116

(15-20) 8”-12” flour or corn tortillas

Taco toppings of your choice (I suggest shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocado, cilantro and shredded iceberg lettuce)

 

 

Cooking

Clean and trim chicken breast to remove any visible fat. Cut each breast in half. Place at the bottom of a greased slow cooker. Top with jalapeno pepper and onion. Sprinkle with salt and cumin. Cover with salsa. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours.

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Carefully remove the chicken and leave the sauce in the crock pot. Place the chicken on a cutting board and gently shred the chicken with two forks. Remove half of the cooking liquid. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix. Serve immediately or keep chicken warm until ready to assemble the tacos.

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*Tip: try heating the tortillas on medium-high heat in a dry pan for 30-45 seconds on each side but be careful not to burn them. This extra step helps keep the tortillas from getting soggy and also adds a nice crisp.

 

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