Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo!  Oiy! 

I’ll admit, I love this holiday.  Why?  Because I love any and every excuse to eat Mexican food! (Seriously.  I love it, and could eat it all the time.) Yeah, I know it may very well be more of an American holiday than a Mexican one, but that’s not going to stop me from noshing on some fajitas and splurging with a little extra guacamole. However with all the delicious Mexican options it’s easy to go overboard with the chips, dips, and margaritas. 

Plan ahead! I don’t know if you know this or not, but Cinco de Mayo happens every year on May 5th, it’s kind of a thing (womp womp). The cool thing about that? You can prepare! If you know you have an event coming up when you’re going to splurge a little more than usual, plan ahead.  Be extra careful with what you’re consuming in the days leading up to the event.  Drink LOTS of water on the day of, and don’t swap your workout for the party.  Yeah, swinging blindfolded at a piñata may burn a few calories, but not quite as many as your HIIT workout (even if you do manage to “hit” it).

Bring a dish! There are oodles of flavorful dishes you can bring with you that are a bit lighter and easier on the waistline. I’ve included some of my favorites below, but of course, if there’s something you LOVE- eat it!  In my opinion, as long as you use moderation you can enjoy your favorite dishes (besides, nothing wants me to stuff my face more than telling me I can’t eat something).

Watch the drinks! I don’t need to tell you this; you've heard it a million times.  Not only are margaritas are calorie bombs in a glass, alcohol lowers inhibition, and that buffet line or those extra chips become more tempting the more you've indulged. That being said, I’ll be honest with you, there’s a high likelihood I’ll be sipping one of my skinnier margaritas as I laugh at whoever is blindly swinging at the piñata.

So, my friends, here’s to the preparing for and enjoying the deliciousness of the holiday; Salud!

(A Little Lighter) Layered Mexican Dip

So of course, if you want you can add more cheese, more avocado, more of any of the ingredients below that you like.  But honestly, this is a pretty solid recipe that I found on SparkRecipes.com that has all the flavor, but doesn’t set you back as much as your typical layered dip.  Serve with homemade (or store bought) tortilla chips, jicama, or other veggies (or just eat it with a fork… it’s pretty yummy “as is”).

1 lime, zested and cut in half
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetarian or fat-free refried beans
1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt 
1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheeses
3 green onions, chopped (both white and green parts)
1 tablespoon cilantro, washed and chopped
1/2 avocado, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 cup green leaf lettuce, shredded

Directions: Combine taco seasoning and lime zest with the Greek yogurt and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use. Combine chopped avocado with the juice of half of a lime and chopped cilantro, set aside. 
Spread refried beans into the bottom of a 10-inch pie plate. Layer Greek yogurt mixture, black beans, cheese, and green onions. Top with the tomatoes, lettuce and avocado. 
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat. 

Pico de Gallo

This is my mom’s basic recipe. It’s the bomb.com.  That being said, none of the Frick ladies follow (or write) recipes very well, so feel free to modify it to taste!

1 large clove garlic, minced                         
Juice from ½ lime
1 chili pepper or jalapeno, minced           
2 tbsp fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 tbsp green pepper chopped                   
Salt & pepper   
1 tbsp. Onion, chopped                                
4-6 plum tomatoes, quartered

Directions: Put all ingredients except tomatoes into a food chopper.  Process until fine.   Add pieces of tomato and process for 2-3 seconds, until tomatoes are in small pieces but not pulp. Empty container and continue with tomatoes.  Mix all together.

Homemade Lime Tortilla Chips

Of course you don’t have to use the lime and if you want, you can brush the tortillas with olive oil before baking. Consider this a basic “how-to” if you've never make homemade tortilla chips.

Tortillas
Salt
Lime

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice each tortilla into six wedges. Place on a baking sheet and spritz with cooking spray. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake for five minutes, or until crisp. Remove from the oven immediately and sprinkle with fresh lime juice. 

BONUS RESOURCES

Skinny Margaritas (Fresh)
Guacamole – Super (Bowl) Snack
Easy Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
Taco Salad Bar
Guilt-Free Cinco de Mayo