'The Mexican Food Diet': Healthy Spins On 4 Of Your Favorite Mexican Dishes

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a ‘Mexican food diet’
Cinco de Mayo often means a lot of high calorie margaritas, nachos and burritos, but one Chef says Mexican food can actually help you lose weight. Fox News’ Laura Ingle joins Chef Maru Davila in the kitchen to showcase healthy Mexican dishes from her volume “The Mexican Food Diet.”
Mexican food has become one of the world’s favorite foods, and it’s easy to see why: It’s delicious, fulfilling, arousing and affordable. However, some people may view Mexican food as fattening or unhealthy; I supposed the same thing, and during my 30 years of struggling with my weight, I avoided Mexican food.
The truth is that when you know how to prepare healthy Mexican food, you will have found the effortless and delicious route to maintain weight, and even feed a balanced diet while burning fat, regaining your energy and helping to prevent diseases.
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I was born and raised in Mexico City until I emigrated to the United State to attend Harvard Business School, graduating with an MBA.
I always had a busy life with no time to take care of my health. When I was stressed, I ate unhealthy food, and lots of it. The next day, I would feed nothing or very little until I could not defy my cravings for sugar and unhealthy foods.
For 30 years my weight was up, down, up, down, until diets stopped working and I received myself 60 pounds overweight. I also suffered from depression and health issues that no physician could help me overcome. One day, I decided to go back to school to learn how to eat to get healthy, lose weight and feel great again.
I was very excited to discover that healthy Mexican food, the kind I grew up with, was the best way overcome the two things that were keeping me fat, sick and sad: my uncontrollable cravings for unhealthy food and the many negative effects of all those years of unhealthy eating.
With this powerful discovery in hand, I began writing my volume, “The Mexican Food Diet.” I wanted to help people who wanted to lose weight or feel healthier without feeling hungry, deprived or borne with bland foods. This book is the perfect example of what I teach today in my programs: healthy eating that feels like cheating( tm ).
The Mexican Food Diet( tm) has two primary objectives. The first objective is to replace cravings for unhealthy foods with cravings for delicious, nutritious and satisfying foods. The second goal is to give the body the nutrients it needs to fight inflammation and keep people healthy and happy.
Our featured Cinco de Mayo feast was created for maximized detoxification and effortless weight loss.
Margarita Detox Shooters

Think of this as a healthier version of the traditional Margarita which uses a lot of sugar in the form of syrups and mixes. In my version, I use 1.5 ounces of tequila and mix in 3 ounces fresh lemon juice, 3 ounces of fresh orange juice, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds and 1 jalapeno( take out the seeds and the vein ). My shooters are also loaded with vitamin C from the lemon and orange juices( 25 percent of your daily requirements under 1 shooter) and antioxidants to boost the immune system and get healthier, younger-looking skin. I stimulated them even healthier by adding chia seeds to provide fiber and protein. This Mexican grown seed also helps reduce the impact on blood sugar and insulin, which can prevent fat gain and disease.
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients 😛 TAGEND 3 ounces fresh lemon juice 3 ounces fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon organic chia seeds 1.5 ounces tequila 1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia 1 jalapeno, without seeds or veins Sea salt for the glass rim 1 fresh lemon half Jalapeno slices for garnish Add first six ingredients to a blender and blend on high speed. Pour some ocean salt on a plate. Use a lemon half to moisten the rims of the shooter glasses, then dip the rims in ocean salt. Pour the blended mixture on the shooter glasses. Decorate with a slice of jalapeno and serve cold. 2 ancho chiles, dry 1 guajillo chile, dry 1/2 of a medium onion, cut into big chunks 1 garlic clove, peeled 1 tomato, organic 1/4 cinnamon stick 3 ounces blueberries 1/3 beaker chicken or vegetable stock( organic, reduced sodium) 1 ounce raw pecans 1 ounce raw almonds 1 clove 1/2 teaspoon ocean salt 2 ounces water 1 ounce extra virgin olive oil 6 ounces chicken or vegetable stock( organic, reduced sodium) 1 pound chicken thighs or chicken legs with thighs( organic, free range) Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F. Wash the chiles and remove the seeds and veins. Soak the chiles in water while you measure the rest of the ingredients. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Roast the chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes and cinnamon sticks. Turn them around inducing sure they are well roasted on all sides( not burnt ). Heat a small sauce pan over medium hot with the blueberries and the first 1/3 -cup of chicken or vegetable stock. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Place the roasted ingredients in a blender. Add the pecans, almonds, clove, sea salt and water. Add 1/2 beaker of the blueberry-stock mixture. Blend all ingredients in the blender on high speed for 30 seconds or until smooth. Heat a large sauce pan over medium hot. When hot, add the olive oil and the blended ingredients. Bringing to a simmer and then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the second chicken or vegetable stock and the remaining blueberry sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Pour all the ingredients into the blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Place the chicken thighs on an oven tray and cover with the mole. Cook until the internal temperature reachings 165 F. Serve the chicken with additional mole on top and garnish with almonds. 1/2 cauliflower, big 1 serrano chile 1/2 onion, small 2 garlic cloves 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro 1 tomato, big 1/4 teaspoon ocean salt Dash of black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder 1/4 teaspoon paprika 2 ounces tomato paste Fresh cilantro, for garnish Chop the cauliflower into florets and put in the food processor or blender. Pulse until the pieces are the size and shape of rice. Put aside. Take the seeds out of the chile, then chop and put aside. Chop onion, garlic, cilantro and tomato. Heat a medium-sized pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, onion and chile. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Add the cauliflower and stir. Add the salt, pepper, cumin and paprika. Stir and combine, cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, cilantro and tomato. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Garnish with cilantro. 11/2 avocados 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 can coconut milk, full fat 2-3 teaspoons of liquid stevia 1/2 cup strawberries, organic, chopped in small cubes 2 tablespoons coconut snowflakes, unsweetened 2 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped 1 ounce raw cashews, chopped Place a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. Place the avocado in a food processor. Add lemon juice and mix until smooth and creamy. Open the coconut milk can and, use a spoonful, take out the coconut cream, leaving behind the coconut water. Using an electronic mixer, whip the coconut cream in a bowl until it’s the consistency of a whipped cream. Add the blended avocado and stevia. Incorporate well. Put the ice cream in a freezer-safe dish and freeze for at least 4 hours. Remove from freezer and spoonful out into small bowls. If too hard to spoon out, leave at room temperature for a few minutes. Mix some strawberries, coconut flakes, mint and cashews into each small bowl. Garnish with some strawberries and fresh mint.
'The Mexican Food Diet': Healthy Spins On 4 Of Your Favorite Mexican Dishes
'The Mexican Food Diet': Healthy Spins On 4 Of Your Favorite Mexican Dishes
'The Mexican Food Diet': Healthy Spins On 4 Of Your Favorite Mexican Dishes
'The Mexican Food Diet': Healthy Spins On 4 Of Your Favorite Mexican Dishes
'The Mexican Food Diet': Healthy Spins On 4 Of Your Favorite Mexican Dishes