Refried Bean Burritos

A refried bean burrito is a corn tortilla filled with a mixture of beans, and cheese. Classic bean and cheese burritos are made of refried beans, diced onions, and 2 types of shredded, melted cheese! These burritos are ready in just 30 minutes, so they’re great for prepping meals, making ahead, and even freezing for later.

Makes 4 burritos | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 14 ounces refried beans (could be fat-free)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 3–5 dashes of garlic powder
• Hot sauce
• 1 cup hot cooked rice, optional
• 4 (10 inch) corn tortillas
• 8 ounces cotija cheese
• Salsa verde, for serving

Direction

1. Put the beans into a microwave-safe dish
2. Add the next 5 ingredients. Mix well.
3. Turn on the heat in medium power mode for about 3 minutes or until it’s hot, and stir once halfway through.
4. Alternatively, you can heat over medium heat on the stovetop for 5 minutes.
5. Add some water in case the mixture gets too thick.
6. Add rice, if you want to use it.
7. The tortillas should be heating by now. To make them soft enough to roll out, heat them in a dry skillet over low heat for about 20–30 seconds per side. If you want them firmer, you can bake them at 350°F (177°C) for 10–15 minutes.
8. Spread about ⅓ cups of refried beans into each tortilla, add some cheese, salsa, and any other toppings you’d like, and roll.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 671, fat 29 g, carbs 78 g, Protein 25 g, sodium 2194 mg

 

 

Camarones a la Diabla

Love shrimp and spicy dishes? Well, the Camarones a la Diabla is the perfect Mexican dish for you! It’s low carb, gluten-free, and can be made within 30 minutes.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 dried guajillo chiles, rinsed, stems and seeds removed
• 3 dried chile de arbol chiles, rinsed, stems removed
• 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ medium white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ pounds large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tail-on
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Mexican rice for serving

Directions

1. In a bowl, add arbol chiles and dried guajillo. Pour boiling water, fully submerging the chiles. Cover and leave for 15 minutes, until soft.
2. In a blender, add the softened chiles, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and add salt, if needed. If too spicy, add more tomatoes.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil and shrimp. Cook for 1 minute per side or until shrimp is pink.
4. Add the blended sauce and coat the shrimp with it. Cook until the sauce bubbles.
5. Serve with Mexican rice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 279, fat 15 g, carbs 8 g, Protein 25 g, sodium 225 mg

 

 

Pork Carnitas Tacos

This is a very easy and delicious taco recipe that gives your taste buds the authentic taste of Mexican street tacos.

Serves 8 | Prep. time 7 hours | Cooking time 6 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 pounds pork butt or shoulder
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 limes, sliced
• 1 cup water
• 16 corn tortillas

Toppings (optional)

• Salsa or Pico de Gallo
• Chopped cilantro
• Sliced red cabbage
• Pickled red onions
• Sliced avocadoes
• Lime wedges

Directions

1. Mix the cumin, black pepper, oregano, chili powder, salt, and cinnamon.
2. Rub the pork meat with the spice mixture and then cook in a slow cooker with the limes, onions, bay leaves, water, and garlic for 6 hours on HIGH.
3. Heat the oven on the broiler.
4. Place the meat on a cutting board and shred it. Place meat on a baking sheet.
5. Broil the shredded meat in the oven for 2-3 minutes.
6. Assemble the tortillas by putting the meat and adding salsa or Pico de Gallo and your favorite toppings.
7. Enjoy with your favorite toppings.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 526, fat 26 g, carbs 34 g, Protein 36 g, sodium 694 mg

 

 

Chicken Enchiladas

These chicken enchiladas are easy to prepare and made like you were in Mexico!

Serves 6 | Prep. time 30 minutes | Cooking time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts or thighs
• ½ onion, cut into quarters
• 1 cup epazote leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 ancho chiles or guajillo or pasilla, stems and seeds removed
• 3 chipotle chiles, stems, and seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1 clove
• 1 garlic clove
• Coarse kosher salt to taste
• Canola oil
• 12 corn tortillas
• 3 cups cotija cheese

For serving

• Mexican crema
• Pickled red onion
• Thinly sliced radish

Directions

1. In a pot, add salt, onion, epazote leaves, and chicken breasts. Fill with water enough to cover the ingredients. Bring to boil and once boiling, reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 25 minutes until chicken is cooked. Let the chicken cool. Shred and set aside.
2. Roast chiles, be careful not to burn. Put a pot with water and simmer for 10 minutes until soft. Set aside without draining water.
3. In a blender, add chiles, garlic, onion, chicken bouillon, Mexican oregano, clove, and 1 cup chile water. Process until smooth. Add water if needed as the sauce needs to be thin. Strain the sauce.
4. In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil and add sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
5. To arrange, spread sauce over the tortillas and add shredded chicken.
6. Serve with the remaining sauce, cotija cheese, crema, and pickled onions.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 507, fat 26 g, carbs 34 g, Protein 32 g, sodium 918 mg

 

Mexican Street Corn

A staple dish during summer in Mexico, the Mexican Street Corn is so simple to make and a perfect side during a BBQ cookout.

Serves 6-8 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ears fresh corn
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 cup queso fresco, crumbled
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat a stovetop grill over medium heat.
2. In a bowl, combine the butter, mayonnaise, queso fresco, cilantro, lime juice, smoked paprika, and salt. Blend well.
3. Lay out eight pieces of aluminum foil, each one large enough to completely wrap around an ear of corn.
4. Spread equal amounts of the butter mixture along the inner two-thirds of each piece of foil.
5. Place an ear of corn into each and wrap securely.
6. Place the corn on the grill and cook for 20-25 minutes, turning frequently.
7. Unwrap to serve.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 175, fat 12 g, carbs 9 g, Protein 4 g, sodium 422 mg

 

 

Pastel Impossible

Also known as chocoflan, the impossible cake has been around since the early 1900s. It has a flan layer and a dense chocolate cake. It’s called impossible because the layers invert as the cake is cooking. How is that possible?

Serves 12 | Prep time 40 minutes | Cooking time 65 minutes

Ingredients

Bundt cake pan

• ¼ cup cajeta or dulce de leche or other caramel sauce
• Cooking spray or butter for greasing
• Flour for dusting
• Boiling water

Chocolate cake

• ⅔ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ cups buttermilk

Flan

• 1 (14-ounce) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Equipment

• 12-cup Bundt cake pan
• 1 large baking pan to set the Bundt cake in

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and place the oven rack in the middle position.
2. Brush or spray the Bundt cake pan generously with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
3. To make the chocolate cake, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy and pale yellow, about 5-6 minutes. Add the egg and continue beating until well combined.
4. In another bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and baking powder until well combined.
5. Alternating with the buttermilk, add the flour mixture in 3 increments. Beat until well combined and smooth.
6. To make the flan, beat the condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream cheese, eggs, and vanilla until well combined, about 1-2 minutes at medium-high speed.
7. Boil water in the kettle.
8. Transfer the cake batter to the Bundt pan over the caramel sauce. Smooth the batter with a spatula. Top with the flan mixture. Brush a foil paper with cooking spray. Cover the Bundt pan with the foil paper tightly, greased side down.
9. Transfer the covered Bundt pan to a large baking pan. Pour boiling water all around the pan to cover the sides of the Bundt pan with 2-3 inches of water.
10. Bake in the oven for 60-65 minutes, or until the cake is cooked through, a toothpick inserted in the make should come out clean.
11. Take the Bundt cake out of the water and let cool down completely before unmolding by reversing on a serving plate taking care to place the remaining caramel sauce from the pan on top.
12. Serve at room temperature with more caramel sauce if desired or refrigerate and serve.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 461, fat 21 g, carbs 59 g, Protein 9 g, fiber 1 g, sodium 218 mg

 

***These recipes and more are found in Sarah Spencer’s A Taste of Mexico: Traditional Mexican Cooking Made Easy with Authentic Mexican Recipes. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

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