Healthy Cinco De Mayo

Posted Tue, Apr 24, 2007, 4:17 pm PDT

Plain tomato salsa is almost as passé as Ricky Martin. What really rocks: Salsas made with a mix of fruits or veggies to kick up the flavor and health quotient. So on Cinco de Mayo -- it's the best excuse yet for a pre-Memorial Day bash -- have a salsa tasting. Guests will think you’re so creative. We've included start-from-scratch recipes and supermarket speed-ups for each plus some healthier-than-average chips for dipping.

AVOCADO SALSA from Chef Rick Bayless
Mixing guacamole and salsa together is an idea made in nutrition -- and flavor -- heaven. Avocados are packed with vitamin E and good fats, but high in calories: 35 per tablespoon. Tomato salsa is low-cal and loaded with cancer-fighting lycopene but no fat, which lycopene needs to get into your body. Combine the two and your body absorbs four times more lycopene. Plus you cut guacamole’s calories by a third.

This break-out-the-grill recipe is from PBS chef and cookbook author Rick Bayless, owner of Chicago’s famous Frontera Grill.

Roast 2 medium-large ripe tomatoes until blistered and blackened, about 6 minutes per side. Cool. Peel tomatoes, saving the juices.
Meanwhile, roast two large fresh jalapeno chilies and three unpeeled garlic cloves until soft. Peel garlic cloves.
In a blender or food processor, blend chilies, peeled garlic, and 1/4 tsp. salt to a coarse paste. Add peeled tomatoes and blend again into a coarse-textured puree.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in half a white onion, finely chopped; 1/3 cup chopped cilantro; and 6 coarsely mashed avocados.

Supermarket speed-ups: Look for ready-to-go AvoClassic Pico de Gallo style guacamole in the refrigerated section (35 calories, 3 1/2 g fat per 2 Tbs). Or, for a really quick version, just mash avocados and stir in Frontera tomato salsa to taste.
Dip with: Garden of Eatin' Guacamole Tortilla chips (140 calories, 6 g fat per 9 chips) or Madhouse Munchies Blue Corn Chips (140 calories, 6 g fat per 9 chips)

BLACK BEAN SALSA
The black beans give this spicy salsa great texture and about a gram of heart-healthy fiber per tablespoon. Click for the recipe.
Supermarket substitute: Just open and serve Newman's Own Black Bean & Corn Salsa (20 calories, 0 g fat per 2 Tbs.)
Dip with: Kettle Black Bean Tortilla Chips (140 calories, 7 g fat per oz.) or Terra Mediterranean Veggie Chips (150 calories, 9 g fat per oz.)

WATERMELON-LIME SALSA
If watermelon tastes so great in margaritas, it ought to be good in salsa too, right? Right. Plus you get a nice hit of potassium and vitamin C. Plus, depending on the variety, watermelon has as much or more lycopene as tomatoes (seedless red varieties have the most). Click for the recipe.
Supermarket speed-up: Save lots of prep time by buying pre-cut watermelon.
Dip with: Kettle Chili Lime Tortilla Chips (140 calories, 7 g fat per oz.) or Snyder's Multigrain Lightly Salted Tortilla Strips (130 calories, 5 g fat per oz.)

Leave a comment | View All 32 Comments »

32 Comments

1. Posted by Charles B on Tue, Apr 24, 2007, 4:33 pm PDT

Party at my house on Cinco de Mayo!!
Report Abuse
2. Posted by whataboutMe? on Sun, Apr 29, 2007, 5:32 am PDT

Cinco de Mayo is more than just salsas..Hello?? Hola?!? There are "OTHER" healthy foods you know.
Report Abuse
3. Posted by cincyross on Sun, Apr 29, 2007, 12:24 pm PDT

I like taco bell. those stuffed buritos are real good. fire sauce is good too.
Report Abuse
4. Posted by ybuckun on Tue, May 01, 2007, 1:46 pm PDT

hi guys
Report Abuse
5. Posted by holmes6118@sbcglobal.net on Tue, May 01, 2007, 1:48 pm PDT

THIS IS GOOD EATING!!!
Report Abuse
6. Posted by trootildeth on Tue, May 01, 2007, 1:50 pm PDT

I will let you guys know what my co-workers think of my recipes.
Report Abuse
7. Posted by Nancy V on Tue, May 01, 2007, 1:50 pm PDT

I have no idea why people from U.S make a big deal out of the cinco de mayo. Cinco de mayo is celebrated in Mexico but the real party is September 15, 16 "El Grito" and "Independence Day". I think people should know this.
Report Abuse
8. Posted by gibby g on Tue, May 01, 2007, 2:00 pm PDT

anybody can do salsa healthy. how about the ret of dinner
Report Abuse
9. Posted by dscendingangel04 on Tue, May 01, 2007, 2:33 pm PDT

Americans are always looking for an excuse to get excessively inebriated. St. Patrick's Day in the United States is FAR from what it's supposed to be. St. Patrick actually despised drinking and debauchery. Same for Cinco de Mayo. We're not celebrating their holidays, we've turned them into our own.
Report Abuse
10. Posted by sara g on Tue, May 01, 2007, 2:47 pm PDT

i was known for making the best salsa in my family,but recently found a jarred salsa at our local heb store.called JOE T.GARCIA SALSA,ITS THE BEST IN TEXAS
Report Abuse
11. Posted by rusdon233 on Tue, May 01, 2007, 4:27 pm PDT

To all those very enlightened people accusing Americans of stealing others holidays for our own - GET OVER YOURSELVES!!!!!! Yes, we Americans love to party, we have millions of Mexicans, and Irish for that matter, leave us alone to party! Ya self-hating whiners. Again, GET A LIFE!!
Report Abuse
12. Posted by skylarsmom0305 on Tue, May 01, 2007, 4:48 pm PDT

for those of you who keep emphasizing about us making cinco into a drinking fiesta....you are not entirely correct....i am a social drinker but when it comes to cinco i am most looking forward to the food...nothing better than a celebration surrounding delicious foods...happy eating to all
Report Abuse
13. Posted by hiwi8989 on Tue, May 01, 2007, 6:14 pm PDT

again, you make me sick, lady. RESEARCH REAL MEXICAN!
Report Abuse
14. Posted by hm... on Tue, May 01, 2007, 7:16 pm PDT

its food, jeez! not a political controversy! let it go, and eat. we all know that americans americanize everything, and since we've accepted that, lets just in, in true american style.
Report Abuse
15. Posted by OnTheToilet on Tue, May 01, 2007, 7:44 pm PDT

I celebrated Cinco de Mayo last year and I'm still on the toilet.
Report Abuse
16. Posted by brdmn56401 on Tue, May 01, 2007, 8:05 pm PDT

True, we've Americanized Cino de Mayo...let's celebrate...in American Style.
Report Abuse
17. Posted by Chavez on Tue, May 01, 2007, 10:05 pm PDT

Ole'!
Report Abuse
18. Posted by Chavez on Tue, May 01, 2007, 10:06 pm PDT

CINCO DE MAYO IS GOOD BUT CINCO DE SEIZ IS BETTER!
Report Abuse
19. Posted by reyesduenas@sbcglobal.net on Fri, May 04, 2007, 1:52 pm PDT

MEXICAN FOOD HERE IN THE U.S IS NOT REAL MEXICAN FOOD!!! ITS U.S AND ITS NOT AUTHENTIC!!! IF YOU GO TO MEXICO THEN YOU'LL FIND THE REAL MEXICAN HEALTHIER (HEALTHIER THAN MOST OF THE FOODS IN THE WORLD)FOOD THERE!!! IT IS WHAT EUROPEANS (WHITE PEOPLE) LIKE JUNK FOOD!!! IN AMERICA YOU'LL JUST FIND ALL JUNK FOOD! WE KNOW BETTER ABOUT OUR FOOD, AND ONLY IN U.S. YOU'LL FIND THE MOST OBESSE PEOPLE AND OVER 300 POUNDS, SO DONT SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE IF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT TO SAY THEN DONT SAY IT!!!! WE KNOW BETTER!
Report Abuse
20. Posted by Homegrown on Fri, May 04, 2007, 1:56 pm PDT

One time I drank so much tequila on cinco de mayo that I threw up all over the place. Can't wait to do it again this year. Party on!
Report Abuse
21. Posted by reyesduenas@sbcglobal.net on Fri, May 04, 2007, 2:02 pm PDT

yeah i agree with "pancho villa's" comment i thought you guys wanted us to leave from the u.s. why dont you guys leave form where you came from.... europe...
Report Abuse
22. Posted by Homegrown on Fri, May 04, 2007, 2:09 pm PDT

How about we stay right here and party whenever the hell we want to. Pass the Cuervo.
Report Abuse
23. Posted by Nelli on Fri, May 04, 2007, 2:17 pm PDT

we're adding karaoke (feauturing Ricky Martin music) as well as some margaritas (both a and na) to the mix for our work party!
Report Abuse
24. Posted by kirsten r on Fri, May 04, 2007, 2:32 pm PDT

yumm! great ideas!
Report Abuse
25. Posted by rosa g on Fri, May 04, 2007, 3:46 pm PDT

Cinco de Mayo is a date of great importance for the Mexican and Chicano communities. It marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Althought the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. With this victory, Mexico demonstrated to the world that Mexico and all of Latin America were willing to defend themselves of any foreign intervention. Especially those from imperialist states bent on world conquest. Cinco de Mayo's history has its roots in the French Occupation of Mexico. The French occupation took shape in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. With this war, Mexico entered a period of national crisis during the 1850's. Years of not only fighting the Americans but also a Civil War, had left Mexico devastated and bankrupt. On July 17, 1861, President Benito Juarez issued a moratorium in which all foreign debt payments would be suspended for a brief period of two years, with the promise that after this period, payments would resume. The English, Spanish and French refused to allow president Juarez to do this, and instead decided to invade Mexico and get payments by whatever means necessary. The Spanish and English eventually withdrew, but the French refused to leave. Their intention was to create an Empire in Mexico under Napoleon III. Some have argued that the true French occupation was a response to growing American power and to the Monroe Doctrine (America for the Americans). Napoleon III believed that if the United States was allowed to prosper indescriminantly, it would eventually become a power in and of itself. In 1862, the French army began its advance. Under General Ignacio Zaragoza, 5,000 ill-equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indians defeated the French army in what came to be known as the "Batalla de Puebla" on the fifth of May. In the United States, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to be known as simply "5 de Mayo" and unfortunately, many people wrongly equate it with Mexican Independence which was on September 16, 1810, nearly a fifty year difference. Over, the years Cinco de Mayo has become very commercialized and many people see this holiday as a time for fun and dance. Oddly enough, Cinco de Mayo has become more of Chicano holiday than a Mexican one. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on a much larger scale here in the United States than it is in Mexico. People of Mexican descent in the United States celebrate this significant day by having parades, mariachi music, folklorico dancing and other types of festive activities. So that is what Cinco the Mayo is AMERICANS! And NO Mexicans are NOT the most overweight people by far. AMERICANS or should I say..." EuroAmericans" the only true americans are the Native People! By the National Food and Drug Administration Americans are far more OBESE than any OTHER COUNTRY! Not Mexicans!!!! Go to Mexico and look at real Mexican food, the food that is cooked food is not real Mexican food. Its Anglo food wana be Mexican. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Obesity is the No. 1 health threat in the United States today, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. While much of her time is spent preparing to fight anthrax, smallpox, and biological threats, and diseases like SARS and West Nile virus, the CDC's Dr. Julie Gerberding said Americans are much more likely to die from cancer, heart disease, and diabetes caused by smoking, eating too much and exercising too little. "Unfortunately, poor diet and a lack of exercise have almost caught up with tobacco as being the leading cause of death in the United States," Gerberding on Tuesday told a meeting of
Report Abuse
26. Posted by Homegrown on Fri, May 04, 2007, 3:52 pm PDT

shut your yaps about obesity and all this history crap. Cinco de mayo (as we all know) is a day for Americans to pretend that they are in Mexico and having a great time with all of the wonderful alcoholic drinks that Mexicans make, like Corona, and enjoy Mexican food like double-decker tacos.
Report Abuse
27. Posted by ajohan2o on Sat, May 05, 2007, 11:02 am PDT

Thank you, thank l;you, thank you recipes very delicioso, fabuloso, fantástico. Have one suggestion. If you are collecting recipes from all over the world, please include the name in the original language. This would help a lot, especially for people speak the language and know the traditions. thanks, adam
Report Abuse
28. Posted by svhetta on Mon, May 07, 2007, 4:40 am PDT

Rosa g, Thanks for the history. Like many American's I don't know about Cinco de mayo. Much more constructive than the other comments.
Report Abuse
29. Posted by sunshine on Fri, Jun 08, 2007, 11:32 am PDT

Ricky Martin is NOT passé!
Report Abuse
30. Posted by CAROLYN L on Sat, Jun 16, 2007, 2:32 pm PDT

I love cooking with fresh vegetables. Thanks for the salsa recipes.
Report Abuse