6 Popular Latin Foods Minus the Calories

By Ariel Nagi

We Latinos love our cuisine, but you have to admit pupusas and arroz dulce are not the healthiest options. Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dished out what ingredients and methods to use to turn a fat-packed recipe into a low-cal one (less than 500 calories each to be exact). We picked six of our faves.


Oven-Fried Yucca

Ingredients
1 pound fresh yucca (cassava), cut into 3-inch sections and peeled (or 1 pound peeled frozen yucca)
Nonstick cooking oil spray

1. In a kettle, combine the yucca with enough cold water to cover it by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil, and slowly simmer the yucca for 20 to 30 minutes or until it is tender.
2. Preheat oven to 350° F.
3. Transfer the yucca with a slotted spoon to a cutting board, let it cool and cut it lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges, discarding the thin woody core.
4. Spray cookie sheet with the nonstick cooking oil spray. Spread yucca wedges on cookie sheet, and spray wedges with cooking oil spray. Cover with foil paper, and bake for 8 minutes. Uncover and return to oven to bake for an additional 7 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings (1 piece, about 2 ½ inches long)
Calories: 91
Total fat: Less than 1 g
Saturated fat: Less than 1 g

Related: The Best Tequila Cocktails

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients
6 tomatoes, preferably Roma (or 3 large tomatoes)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 serrano or jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro
chopped juice of 1 lime
1/8 teaspoon oregano, finely crushed
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 avocado, diced (black skin)

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a glass bowl.
2. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve within 4 to 5 hours.

Yield: 8 servings (1/2 cup each)
Calories: 42
Total fat: 2 g
Saturated fat: Less than 1 g


Pupusas Revueltas

Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken breast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound low fat mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium green pepper, seeded and minced
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups instant corn flour (masa harina)
6 cups water

1. In a nonstick skillet over low heat, sauté chicken in oil until chicken turns white. Constantly stir the chicken to keep it from sticking.
2. Add onion, garlic, green pepper and tomato. Cook until chicken mixture is cooked through. Remove skillet from stove, and let mixture cool in the refrigerator.
3. While the chicken mixture is cooling, place the flour in a large mixing bowl and stir in enough water to make a stiff tortilla-like dough.
4. When the chicken mixture has cooled, mix in the cheese.
5. Divide the dough into 24 portions. With your hands, roll the dough into balls and flatten each ball into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Put a spoonful of the chicken mixture in the middle of each circle of dough and bring the edges to the center. Flatten the ball of dough again until it is 1/2-inch thick.
6. In a very hot, iron skillet, cook the pupusas on each side until golden brown.
7. Serve hot with Curtido salvadoreño.

Yield: 12 servings (2 pupusas each)
Calories: 290
Total fat: 6 g
Saturated fat: 3 g

Related: The Epic Tacos vs. Pupusas Debate

Arroz Con Pollo

Ingredients
6 chicken pieces (legs and breasts), skinned
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 cups water
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup celery, diced
1 medium carrot, grated
1/4 cup corn, frozen
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 ounces Spanish olives
1/4 cup raisins

1. In a large pot, brown chicken pieces in oil.
2. Add water, tomatoes, green and red peppers, celery, carrots, corn, onion, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done.
3. Remove chicken from thechicken pot, and place in the refrigerator. Add rice, peas and olives to the pot. Cover pot and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes until rice is cooked.
4. Add chicken and raisins, and cook for another 8 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings (1 cup of rice and 1 piece of chicken)
Calories: 448
Total fat: 7 g
Saturated fat: 2 g


Caribbean Pink Beans

Ingredients
1 pound pink beans
10 cups water
2 medium plantains, finely chopped
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 small red pepper, finely chopped
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1. Rinse and pick through the beans. Put the beans in a large pot and add 10 cups of water. Place the pot in the refrigerator, and allow the beans to soak overnight.
2. Cook the beans until they are soft. Add more water as needed while the beans are cooking.
3. Add the plantains, tomato, pepper, onion, garlic and salt. Continue cooking at low heat until the plantains are soft. Option: Serve with rice.

Yield: 16 servings (1/2 cup)
Calories: 133
Total fat: Less than 1 g
Saturated fat: Less than 1 g

Related: Seduce Him With This Date-Night Dessert: Flan and a Godiva Cocktail

Rice Pudding

Ingredients
6 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup rice
3 cups skim milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Put the water and cinnamon sticks into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. Stir in rice. Cook on low heat for 30 minutes until rice is soft and water has evaporated.
3. Add skim milk, sugar and salt. Cook for another 15 minutes until it thickens.

Yield: 5 servings (1/2 cup)
Calories: 372
Total fat: Less than 1 g
Saturated fat: Less than 1 g


Read More at CosmoForLatinas.com!

The Perfect Latin Backyard BBQ in 5 Steps

6 Delicious Blueberry Cocktails and Treats

4 Rum Cocktails You've Got to Try

Fiesta-Ready Empanadas in 3 Simple Steps