If you think that Mexican cuisine is synonymous with calories and weight gain, it might be time to give it another chance. Many of the most typical and even street Mexican snacks are not harmful to health; on the contrary, they are light Mexican recipes without even trying. There is an anecdote that I remember very well. On a trip to Mérida with the then number one chef in the world, René Redzepi from Denmark, we stopped at the market to eat. His choice of snack was papadzules. After enjoying them, I asked him what he thought, and his response was wonderful: “…it’s the most elegant dish I’ve ever eaten. It’s balanced, fresh, healthy, and full of flavor. I’m surprised.” At that moment I realized that perhaps we viewed Mexican snacks with a bit of cynicism; we consider all that street and market food to be fattening and sometimes harmful, but the truth is that classic Mexican dishes can be very healthy and even “elegant”.

Papadzules Recipe

Ingredients: - 10 hard-boiled eggs - 3/4 cup of pumpkin seeds or pepita in recado (toasted and ground) - 1/2 kilo of tortillas - 2 habanero peppers - 5 tomatoes - 1/2 onion - 1 bunch of epazote Do you want to see how this recipe is prepared? Click here. Take the patriotic holidays as an example; a chile en nogada is nothing more than vegetables, fruit, good fat from the nogada, and protein from the filling. The most symbolic dish of September 16 is a balanced one, adorned with great flavors and low calories. Perhaps the secret lies in looking back; the true nature of Mexican food is actually extremely healthy. The pre-Hispanic diet was based on corn, beans, and chili, all packed with vitamins and nutrients necessary for humans. A recent study by UNAM tells us that in pre-Columbian Mexico, less than 1% of the population suffered from any type of overweight; in fact, it was almost unheard of.

Chiles en Nogada Recipe

Ingredients: - 12 poblano peppers ready to be stuffed - 1 kilo of pork meat - 1/2 onion sliced - 2 cloves of garlic - 6 tablespoons of lard - 1/2 onion finely chopped - 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped - 8 black peppercorns - 5 cloves - 1 stick of cinnamon - 3 tablespoons of raisins - 2 tablespoons of cleaned and chopped almonds - 1 cup of diced pear - 1/4 cup of diced peach - 2 tablespoons of salt - 25 walnut halves - enough milk (to cover the walnuts) - 1/2 cup of white bread without crusts, cut into cubes - FOR THE NOGADA - 125 grams of fresh cheese for the nogada - 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream - 1/2 teaspoon of salt for the nogada - 1/2 teaspoon of sugar for the nogada - a pinch of ground cinnamon for the nogada - red pomegranates - chopped parsley - 2 diced tomatoes To see the steps to prepare this recipe click here. Our perception of this food has changed due to the globalization of the concept. In Europe and North America, when one talks about Mexican food, it is understood as Tex-Mex, that fusion filled with fat and heavy ingredients. The reality is not that way; pure corn tortillas are a source of iron and calcium rather than a fattening product. The famous cazuelas filled with picadillo (protein and vegetables), rajas (vegetables), and Mexican-style rice (fiber and vegetables) are still a reminder that Mexican food is essentially healthy and not a sinful craving as we think. Another proof of this idea is the Mexican waters prepared with fresh seasonal fruit and almost no sweetener. These juices also come from past times when the Aztecs and Mayans already knew horchata and tamarind and used them to refresh themselves and as a daily drink to accompany their meals. You might say, but what about tacos and gorditas? It’s true; all food that goes through a fryer or a griddle full of fat has a high-caloric content, but let’s remember that those cooking methods are modern. In Mexico, the classic way is to cook on a comal, where the foods are browned and smoked without the need for external agents, and that’s why they are healthy.

Mexican Snack Recipes

Golden Chicken Taquitos Recipe

Ingredients: - green sauce - sliced lettuce - grated cheese - creams - 18 corn tortillas - 500 grams of chicken breast Click here to see the steps for this recipe.

Sopes with Chorizo Recipe

Ingredients: - 4 sopes - 30 milliliters of cream - 30 grams of fresh cheese - 20 grams of lettuce cut into strips - 80 grams of chorizo - 50 grams of hot refried beans - spicy red or green sauce, to taste To see the procedure for this recipe click here. Click here to see more Mexican recipes. The secret is to be old school; our ancestors taught us to eat deliciously and healthily. Let’s listen to them.

"What is your favorite Mexican snack?"