Maya Leon-Meis - Mayas Secrets: 100 Delightful Latin Dishes for a Healthier You

Published by the American Cancer Society/Health Promotions 250 Williams Street NW Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1002 USA Copyright 2013 American Cancer Society All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission to reprint any materials from this publication, contact the publisher at . Printed in the United States of America Photography: Priscilla Montoya/ArtAgent.com Cover Photograph: Brian Mark/ArtAgent.com Food Styling: Elizabeth Hawkins Design and Composition: rondaflynnwow, inc., Atlanta, GA Nutritional Analysis: Madelyn Wheeler, MS, RD Indexing: Bob Land 5 4 3 2 1 13 14 15 16 17 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Len-Meis, Maya. Mayas secrets : delightful Latin dishes for a healthier you! / Maya Len-Meis, Malena Perdomo, Martn Limas-Villers. pages cm Includes index. paper) ISBN 1-60443-028-1 (paperback : alk. paper) 1. paper) 1.

Cooking, Latin American. 2. Hispanic Americans-Food. 3. Health promotion. I.

Perdomo, Malena. II. Limas-Villers, Martn. III. Title. TX716.A1L445 2013 641.598--dc23 2012031382 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETYManaging Director, Content: Chuck Westbrook Director, Book Publishing: Len Boswell Managing Editor, Book Publishing: Rebecca Teaff, MA Senior Editor, Book Publishing: Jill Russell Book Publishing Coordinator: Vanika Jordan, MSPub Editorial Assistant, Book Publishing: Amy Rovere For more information about cancer, contact your American Cancer Society at 800-227-2345 or cancer.org. Quantity discounts on bulk purchases of this book are available.

Book excerpts can also be created to fit specific needs. For information, please contact your American Cancer Society, Health Promotions Publishing, 250 Williams Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1002, or send an e-mail to .About the Nutrition Information: The nutrition information shown for each recipe represents one serving. Optional ingredients and ingredients listed without measurement (such as salt and pepper) are not represented in the analysis. When two ingredient choices are given, the first was used in the analysis.

To my mom, Yolita, who taught me how to cook And to the three men in my life: my husband, Tom, and my two sons, Josh and Chris, who love and appreciate my cooking --Maya To my mom, Esther Lewis, whom I miss every day; my aunt, Irasema Lewis Epperson, whom I adore; my grandma, Olimpia Lewis, who taught me how to cook; and to my husband, Bill Daniels, and my two sons, Alexander and Max, who love my cooking --Malena With love to my parents, Heberto and Hortenca --Martn Latin cuisine encompasses a wide assortment of dishes that are influenced by highly diverse regional differences. While there are characteristic qualities and flavors to each region, Latin cuisine is distinctive for its intense flavors, colorful presentation, and variety of spices, which work to create appealing tastes and textures.

From the aromatic and sweet, to the tart and piquant flavors of Central and South America, this cookbook has something for everyone. Eating right doesnt mean that you have to sacrifice flavor. Mayas Secrets is all about adapting new and traditional Latin recipes with techniques that not only improve the nutritional value of the dishes, but also make them easy to prepare at home. In these pages, youll find recipes for appetizers, snacks, soups, sauces, salads, salad dressings, smoothies, sides, main dishes, and desserts, plus a special section featuring child-friendly recipes your kids will love. Theres even a section on the most common chilies used in Latin cooking (see ). Looking for healthy versions of traditional delights? Then dont miss our recipes for Pachamanca ().

And thats just the beginning of the delights youll find here. At the bottom of each recipe, youll find nutrition information. Use this information to make healthy, informed, and balanced choices throughout the day. We all want to lower our risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Here are the most important ways to improve your health and reduce your risk of these chronic diseases: dont smoke, watch your weight, stay active, and make healthy food choices. The American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention on provide important information on the choices everyone can make to improve their overall health.

We know youre busy and that time for cooking is frequently at a premium. Most of the recipes in the book can be prepared quickly, and a number can be made ahead of time or prepared in a slow cooker. To help guide your choices, each recipe includes the time you will need to prepare the ingredients, as well as the total time youll need to prepare the dish from start to finish. You will already have some ingredients for these recipes in your cupboard. However, keeping basic Latin ingredients on hand can make a huge difference. See How to Stock Your Kitchen to Promote Healthy Eating on for more help in planning ahead, so you can make a great Latin meal fast.

No matter what youre cooking, there are ways to cut calories and increase nutrients. Take a look at Recipe Makeovers 101: Three Steps to Healthier Meals, on , for specific tips on making over almost any recipe and ways to incorporate more healthy foods into your life. These delicious recipes are designed to motivate, captivate, encourage, and inspire. They come from places like Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Panama, and Brazil; some are infused with Mediterranean influences from France, Spain, Italy, and Greece. Some are new, and some are treasured, secret family recipes that have been passed down from one generation to the next. Enjoy!

Chilieshot or mild, sweet or smokedare an important ingredient in many cuisines in the world and are very important in Latin cooking. Enjoy! Chilieshot or mild, sweet or smokedare an important ingredient in many cuisines in the world and are very important in Latin cooking.

Take time to learn about them and experiment with them to add unique flavors to your cooking. The words chili and pepper are often used interchangeably. Hot peppers can be called chilies, peppers, or chili peppers, whereas mild peppersbell peppers, for exampleare typically just called peppers. If in doubt, just call it a pepper!

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