With Cinco de Mayo on Sunday, I wanted to give you a few great recipe options to serve!  Salsa, main dishes, and drinks are on the menu…and I even threw in a Tuesday’s Tip!  Read the recipes below and have a happy and safe Cinco de Mayo.

Here is your Tuesday’s Tip on a Friday.  I think a lot of my readers will find this tip useful because they will be heating up tortillas (or want warm tortillas)!

Set oven temperature for 200 degrees

Lay a sheet of tin foil down

Spray with cooking spray and place tortilla

Add tin foil, and repeat steps until all tortillas are layered

Top last tortilla with a sheet of tin foil

Fold over and seal all tin foil

Heat in oven for 5 minutes

Pita Nachos with Mango Salsa
Recipe by Chef Mareya Ibrahim
Mango-Tomato Salsa :
1 ripe mango, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, halved, seeded if desired, and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Nachos:
6 pieces reduced-carb whole wheat pita bread, such as Joseph’s
Nonstick cooking spray
2 teaspoons ground cumin (optional)
½ pound grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups reduced-fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

To prepare the salsa, in a mixing bowl combine the mango, tomato, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, zest, and salt

Toss to mix the ingredients together

Set aside to allow the flavors to come together

To prepare the nachos, preheat the oven to 300˚F

Halve each pita bread horizontally, to separate the top and bottom half of the pita, to make 12 rounds

Cut each round into 8 wedges

Arrange the pita triangles in a single layer on two baking pans

Lightly spray the pita with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with cumin

Bake until very lightly crisp, about 5 minutes.

Layer the cubed chicken and black beans on top of the toasted pita chips and sprinkle on the cheese

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese has melted

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, lime juice, zest, and salt

Set aside

To serve: Put the nachos on a serving platter and top with a dollop of the lime-yogurt sauce and a few spoonfuls of the salsa

Serves 6

(Per serving: 350 calories, 9 g total fat (5 g saturated), 41 mg cholesterol, 661 mg sodium, 28 g protein, 1 g fiber, 41 g carb)

Recipe courtesy RecipeRehab.com

Crispy Beef Tacos
Recipe by Chef Daniel Green

Tacos:
8 corn tortillas
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ pound 90 percent lean ground beef
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 (8-ounce)can low-sodium tomato sauce
½ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
4 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

Toppings :
2 cups shredded lettuce
½ cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 jalapeno, halved lengthwise, seeded if desired, and sliced
¼ cup fat-free sour cream

Preheat the oven to 300˚F

Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave on high for 30 seconds, until pliable

Discard the paper towels and coat the tortillas with nonstick spray

Fold the tortillas over the lip of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with handles

Bake until crisp and firm, about 15 minutes

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat

When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic

Cook and stir for a few minutes, until soft

Add the beef, breaking the meat up with the back of a spoon, until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes

Season with salt and pepper

Add the sun-dried tomato paste, red pepper flakes, oregano, and cumin, stirring to combine

Stir in the tomato sauce

Cook for another 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick

Remove from the heat and add the cilantro and scallions

To serve, put a couple of tablespoons of the meat mixture in a taco shell. Top with lettuce,
cheese, jalapeno, and sour cream.

Serves 4

(Per serving (2 tacos): 429 calories, 18 g total fat (6 g saturated), 67 mg cholesterol, 461 mg sodium,
26 g protein, 5 g fiber, 42 g carb)

Recipe courtesy RecipeRehab.com

George Duran’s Arroz con Pollo Mole (Mole Rice and Chicken)

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seed

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. mild chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

½ tsp. ground allspice

2 tsp. salt

6 chicken thighs, skin removed

½ C. flour

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

salt and pepper

6 slices bacon, chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped

2 red pepper, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 C. rice, uncooked

2 6-oz. can tomato paste

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

6 C. chicken stock

Curly parsley, finely chopped, for garnish

Preparation:

Mix first 6 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside

Dust chicken thighs with flour and season with salt and pepper

Heat vegetable oil in your IMUSA Non-Stick Caldero on medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned, about 3-5 minutes on each side

Set aside

Lower heat to medium and cook bacon until slightly browned

Add onions, red peppers and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes

Add rice, tomato paste, chocolate and dry spices and mix

Add chicken stock and mix again

Allow to come to a simmer, cover and turn heat to low

Simmer for 25 minutes

Uncover, and gently mix rice and add chicken thighs on top

Cover and continue simmering for 20-25 more minutes until thighs and rice are cooked

If needed, add more stock or water until rice is done

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving with finely chopped parsley

(recipe courtesy 5WPR)
Tequila Drinks: (all of the below drinks call for Milagro Tequila, but you can use

The Freshest Margarita

Ingredients:
2 parts Milagro Silver Tequila
0.75 parts Milagro Agave Nectar
1 part Fresh Lime Juice

Combine all three ingredients in a shaker

Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice

Garnish with a thin lime wheel

Salt optional

Veracruzana
(FYI:  This cocktail is an ode to Mexico’s oldest and largest port, and is also home of the sweet Veracruz pineapple)

Ingredients:
2 parts Milagro Reposado Tequila
0.75 parts Milagro Agave Nectar
1 part Fresh Lime Juice
4 Pineapple Chunks
2 Basil Leaves

Muddle pineapple and basil leaves in a Boston shaker glass

Add remaining ingredients and shake vigorously with ice

Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice and garnish with pineapple and basil

Carpe Dia
(This is an inspiration to “sieze the day” with this fruity and fresh cocktail)

Ingredients:
2 parts Milagro Añejo Tequila
0.75 parts Milagro Agave Nectar
1 part Fresh Lime Juice
5 Blackberries
2 Sage Leaves

Muddle fruit and herbs in a Boston shaker glass

Add other ingredients and shake vigorously with ice

Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice and garnish with blackberry and a sprig of sage

Have a great Cinco de Mayo and wear your big hats for the Kentucky Derby tomorrow!

Stay hungry!