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

258 Pages·2014·5.88 MB·English

by  Jim Peyton

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
Requests for permission to reproduce material from this work should be sent to: Permissions
University of Texas Press P.O. Box 7819
Austin, TX 78713–7819
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Design by Lindsay Starr 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. Diabetes—Diet therapy—Recipes. 2. Low-calorie diet—
Recipes. 3. Reducing diets—Recipes. 4. Mexican cooking. I. Title.
RC662.P49 2014
641.5'6314—dc23
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.
Contents
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Introduction
Diet and Healthy Eating
Diabetes and Diet
Mexican Cooking and Nutrition
Ingredients
Cooking Techniques
Cooking Equipment
Introduction to the Recipes
Drinks
Tortillas
Salsas & Relishes
Botanas
Rice, Beans, and Other Side Dishes
Soups
Salads
Egg Dishes
Antojitos Mexicanos
Poultry Entrées
Beef Entrées
Pork Entrées
Lamb Entrée
Seafood Entrées
Vegetarian Entrées
Desserts
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEXES
Preface
I USED TO STRUGGLE with keeping my weight and cholesterol in check,
especially when I indulged my passion for Mexican food—until 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 profiles—not
too many calories or too much fat, sugar, and unpronounceable chemicals—but
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 doesn’t 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 recipes—recipes good enough to be served in
restaurants—that didn’t 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 Mexico’s 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.

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