Celebrating Cinco De Mayo

Celebrating Cinco De Mayo... the Healthy Way!

Bring out the margaritas, chips and guacamole... it's the most celebrated holiday of Mexican culture in the United States. While Cinco de Mayo is not widely celebrated in Mexico, many people in the United States celebrate Cinco de Mayo with good food, drinks, family and friends.

If the thought of huge helpings of refried beans and cheesy enchiladas makes your health-conscious mind cringe, think of the fresher approaches that are available. Mexican food with vegetables, seafood, rice, and fruit is healthy, light, and full of flavor!

Eat healthy while celebrating your fiesta or just enjoying a nice, relaxing evening at home:

• Use salsa instead of guacamole
• Incorporate fruits and vegetables in your dishes
• Make brown rice instead of white rice
• Choose lean meats
• Rinse canned beans before using to remove excess sodium
• Choose non-fat dairy such as non-fat sour cream and non-fat cheese
• Reduce the use of animal fats, such as lard and butter, and choose liquid oils for cooking
• Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas

The American Diabetes Association offers several healthy recipes and cookbooks so you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo without packing on extra pounds. In conjunction with Por tu Familia and Latino Initiatives, a program aimed at spreading the message of diabetes in the Latin Community, Latin Flavor in the Kitchen was created to add some Latin flair to your kitchen, with a lot fewer calories. Order the booklet by calling 1-800-DIABETES. Get more tips and pointers on healthy eating by visiting www.diabetes.org/nutrition.

Enjoy the recipes below—they are sure to be full of fun and flair. Ole!

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Recipe: Fresh Salsa 
Prep time: 20-30 minutes
Serves: 14
Serving size: ¼ cup

Ingredients:
3 large tomatoes: peeled, diced
½ cup white onion, chopped fine
½ jalepeno pepper, seeded, deveined, chopped*
1 Anaheim pepper, seeded, deveined, chopped*
½ red sweet pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
½ tsp salt
fresh juice from ½ lime
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp water or tomato juice

1. Combine all ingredients in a glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bowl. Mix well. Let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Serve with baked tortillas, with meats or other main dishes.

The Chiles: There are a large variety of chiles, some are sweet while others are hot. Each person has a different tolerance for the pepper hotness. Use them with care, but experiment with them. Their flavors are exquisite. To control the hotness, remove different amounts of the seeds and "ribs."

Nutritional value per serving

Calories: 16
Calories from Fat: 2
Total Fat: 0 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 88 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 4 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 2 g
Protein: 1 g

Recipe: Red Snapper Veracruz
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Cook time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 8
Serving size: 4 oz fish

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and white vein removed
cut into strips, or ¼ cup canned jalapeno pepper
1 Tbsp capers
6 stuffed green olives, sliced
2 lb red snapper filets (or use any other white fish), cut into 8 4-oz pieces

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil is a medium skillet over medium high heat and sauté onion and garlic for about 3-4 minutes. Do not allow the garlic to brown.
2. Add tomatoes, cinnamon and cloves. Cook on low heat for 3 minutes. Add the jalapeno, capers and olives and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
3. Place fish in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray and cover with the sauce. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Nutritional value per serving
Calories: 151
Calories from Fat: 34
Total Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg
Sodium: 173 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 5 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 3 g
Protein: 24 g