7. Red Chile Chicken Enchiladas
As much as we would love to bag on restaurant-style enchiladas, the truth is, even in the worst Mexican chain restaurants, enchiladas are normally your safest bet on the menu. That is, as long they’re made with corn tortillas (lighter in fat than flour), filled with shredded chicken (better for you than ground beef), and covered in salsa and a layer of cheese (gentler than the battery of condiments that cover most Mexican dishes). Even healthier yet, is making your own enchiladas at home, as you are able to make these kinds of choices yourself and control the portions to boot. In this red chile chicken enchilada recipe, we follow the above blueprint. You can play with the filling as you see fit, but this is the truly the road map for true enchilada success.
NUTRITION: 375 calories, 12 g fat (5 g saturated), 630 mg sodium
SERVES 6
YOU’LL NEED
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, excess liquid poured off
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp chipotle pepper
1 tsp cumin
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1⁄2 Tbsp canola or peanut oil
2 cups shredded chicken, preferably from a store-bought rotisserie chicken
12 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Jack cheese
Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Combine the tomatoes, half the onion, the garlic, chipotle, cumin, and cinnamon (if using) in a blender.
- Puree until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Spread one-third of the sauce on the bottom of a 13″ x 9″ baking dish.
- Combine the chicken with another third of the sauce in a mixing bowl.
- Wrap the tortillas in a damp kitchen towel and microwave for 30 seconds, until hot and pliable.
- Arrange a few generous tablespoons of sauced chicken down the center of a tortilla and gently roll up.
- Place the filled tortilla seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken and tortillas.
- Cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and top with the cheese.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Top the enchiladas with the remaining onion slices and cilantro, if you like, before serving.
8. Sausage and Mushroom Frittata
These Italian open-faced omelets are lighter than their American cousins because they’re less likely to be loaded with cheese and more likely to be stuffed with vegetables. You’re going to want to make this mushroom and sausage frittata recipe all the time.
The more a restaurant manipulates an egg, the less healthy it’s likely to be. If you ever peek into the kitchen at a fast food breakfast place you may see eggs that come, literally in a cardboard carton and contain more additives than actual egg yolk. Omelets rarely contain fewer than 800 calories, and ambitious concoctions like Panera’s soufflé will swallow up an entire day’s worth of saturated fat. Frittatas, however, give us hope. These Italian open-face omelets are lighter than their American cousins since they’re less likely to be loaded with cheese and more likely to be stuffed with vegetables. You’re going to want to make this mushroom and sausage frittata recipe all the time.
NUTRITION: 300 calories, 18 g fat (5 g saturated), 450 mg sodium
SERVES 4
YOU’LL NEED
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 link cooked andouille sausage, diced (Andouille is a smoked, slightly spicy sausage popular in Cajun cooking. If you can’t find it, kielbasa makes a fine substitute.)
8 oz mushrooms (any variety—Creminis work nicely), stems removed, sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 eggs
1⁄4 cup crumbled goat cheese
12 chives or 3 scallions, chopped (optional)
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place a large oven-safe skillet or sauté pan over medium heat.
- When the pan is hot, add the oil and onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the andouille and mushrooms and continue sautéing, about 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Beat the eggs vigorously with a fork or whisk, then add to the skillet, along with the goat cheese and chives, if using.
- Place in the oven and bake until the eggs have fully set (a toothpick inserted into the middle will come out clean), about 20 minutes.
- Let cool and then slice into 4 portions, topping with more chives if you like.