Jim Peyton - Naturally Healthy Mexican Cooking: Authentic Recipes for Dieters, Diabetics, and All Food Lovers

Aguachile-Style Ceviche

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PRESS, AUSTIN

Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Series in Latin American and Latino Art and Culture

Copyright 2014 by the University of Texas Press

All rights reserved

First edition, 2014

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Peyton, James W.

Naturally healthy Mexican cooking : authentic recipes for dieters, diabetics, and all food lovers / by Jim Peyton.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-292-74549-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. DiabetesDiet therapyRecipes. 2. Low-calorie dietRecipes. 3. Reducing dietsRecipes. 4. Mexican cooking. I. Title.

RC662.P49 2014

641.5'6314dc23

2014018327

ISBN 978-0-292-75866-7 (library e-book)

ISBN 978-0-292-75867-4 (individual e-book)

doi:10.7560/745490

This book is not intended as a medical manual. It contains information that can help readers make informed decisions about their health, but it is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Readers with a health condition are encouraged to seek competent medical care.

Preface

I USED TO STRUGGLE with keeping my weight and cholesterol in check, especially when I indulged my passion for Mexican fooduntil I learned how to do it with no loss of pleasure and satisfaction! The first step in solving the problem was to understand why I enjoyed food so much. I realized that a good meal, besides the obvious answer of great taste, has the power to banish stress to a distant memory and that I unconsciously relied on that. Since then I have discovered that countless others use food as a way to deal with the pressures of daily life. I also learned that many will not give up their favorite foods, even after dire warnings from their physicians.

It followed that, for food lovers, the key to dieting and eating healthily could have nothing to do with blanket approaches to things like fat and carbohydrates, and certainly nothing to do with eating food they disliked. The more logical road to health through diet would be to eat meals with good nutrition profilesnot too many calories or too much fat, sugar, and unpronounceable chemicalsbut that food must be so delicious that it provides the all-important reward. Only then would we welcome it as a permanent part of our lifestyle as opposed to a barely tolerated diet to be abandoned at the first sign of success.

I soon discovered another important truth: it doesnt matter how healthy your food is if you eat too much of it. Fortunately, foods that are nutritious, delicious, and made with high-quality ingredients are so satisfying that most people are content with smaller portions. The simple and rewarding approach I envisioned and now use can be summed up as eating food that is delicious and healthy in moderate portions.

At first I wondered if it would work with Mexican food. Were there enough healthy and truly delicious recipesrecipes good enough to be served in restaurantsthat didnt take all day to prepare? It did work, even better than I thought possible. I quickly discovered that there are more delectable, easy-to-prepare Mexican dishes with exceptional nutrition profiles than I imagined when I began this exploration over forty years ago. This book contains the commonsense advice and outstanding recipes that have been successful for me, and there is no reason they cannot work for everyone who loves good food!

Acknowledgments

TO ALL THOSE WHO provided advice and help, including Bill Lende, Candace Andrews, Elena Hannan, Lucinda Hutson, Elizabeth Johnson, Lewis and Mary Fisher, Dr. Donald and Judy Gordon, Dr. Jerald Winakur, Linda Thoennes Farr, Diana Barrios, Angela Shelf Medearis, and, above all, my ever-supportive wife, Andrea. I also want to thank the too-numerous-to-mention cooks who, over so many years, have chronicled Mexicos cuisine, providing invaluable reference material for those who follow them. Finally, I want to thank the professionals at UT Press who did such an amazing job of turning my scribbles into something to be proud of, most especially Casey Kittrell, Leslie Tingle, and Kathy Bork.

Swordfish Shish Kebab

Steak Combination Plate

Pollo Agridulce

Potato Gorditas

Santa Mariastyle Tri-tip Steak with Pinquito Beans

Salsa Ingredients in Molcajete

Breakfast Corn Cakes

Grilled Nopal and Mexican Street Corn

Grilled Quail

Roasted Tomatoes

Steak Served with Enchiladas

Stuffed Button Mushrooms

Orphans Rice (Arroz Hurfano)

Fresh Corn Tamales

Cheese Crisp and Mexican Pizza