Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo and the beginning of a season of holidays and vacations where we can tend to overdo it. This may come in the form of overeating refined sugar and processed foods, imbibing in a little too much booze that can be filled with lots of additives, or simply overeating in general which happens a lot in social situations.
Later this month, I'll share more about my tips for how to balance participating in these celebrations without compromising your wellness goals. But for now, I'm sharing a few favorite recipes for your weeked celebrations!
To Drink
Avoid the neon green margarita mixes you see as they're loaded with sugar and artificial dyes. Here are two tasty options for less processed margaritas, should you choose to drink.
Photo from Lexi's Clean Kitchen
Easy, delicious appetizer
Lexi's Clean Kitchen Sweet Potato Sliders
You may have noticed on my Instagram stories that I've been making a version of these every time we have people over (which has been a lot since moving into a new house!) and it's always a hit.
I keep it pretty basic and just cut and roast the sweet potatoes and make my own guac:
Mash 2 ripe avocados
½ a lime
Himalayan sea salt (has 84 minerals your adrenal glands need!)
Lots of cumin
Some turmeric
Some onion and some garlic powder
I don't measure anything and just season to taste and it works every time!
For grazing
...or if you need another vehicle for taking guacamole to the face, we can't get enough of the Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips. The sea salt and lime flavors are amazing as well, and I find the nacho flavor doesn't need any dip/guac and stands on its own. Be careful, for me, these are a "once you pop you can't stop" situation!
Fish Tacos
This is a staple in our house, as it takes very little time to prepare and can easily be tweaked to be vegetarian. If that's of interest to you, just pick a few veggies you'd like in the mix and sautee them in their own pan (let me know if you don't know how to sautee and I'll teach you!). Mushrooms and onions are our go-to's.
The rest is also super simple! We take wild cod (or another white fish- always wild caught), season it with old bay, and then cook it in our cast iron skillet in coconut oil or ghee. If you're super rushed, you can stop there.
We use bibb or romaine lettuce as our "wraps," or if we've thought far enough in advance the Siete tortillas are delicious and are the only non-processed wraps that I've tried that actually hold the fillings without flaking and cracking. You can find these, and the chips, at Whole Foods.
We then add any of the following:
Kimchi for crunch, spice, and probiotics (find this in the refrigerated section of the grocery store)
Avocado or guac
Mixed greens/spinach and/or microgreens to add extra nutrients
Salsa (make sure it's sugar free) or Cholula for more kick
Plain 2% (fat helps you absorb the other nutrients) greek yogurt instead of sour cream or Kite Hill plain cheese for a dairy-free option
Meat-Free
This Slow Cooker Mexican Quinoa could not be any easier - I sometimes use sweet potato instead of squash since there are some picky eaters in this house.
Dessert
Photo from NomNom Paleo
MEXICAN CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRÈME (DAIRY-FREE!)
I've been meaning to try this one, but Nom Nom Paleo is one of my favorite spots to find really flavorful recipes, so I'm confident this will be a winner! Let me know if you try it.
I love helping people find ways to take the foods they love and make them healthier. Life is full of celebrations and food is often at the center of these events. Why shouldn't we celebrate with real foods that make us feel good and still taste great? If you're interested in talking more about how to do this, reach out for a free consult.