HG's Cinco de Mayo Survival Guide

Hungry-Girl

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo? Here are a few quick tips and recipes from Hungry Girl, so you can get in on the fiesta without all the fat.



Don't drink the whole pitcher!

Cinco de Mayo means "the 5th of May," not National Down an Entire Pitcher of Margaritas Day. Nobody's saying you have to miss out on the fun, but mind your margaritas, people! Better yet, sip sangria. While ONE average margarita has around 350 calories, an average glass of fruit-filled sangria only contains 150.






Dip wisely. If you're at a Mexican restaurant, there will likely be a large (magically refilling) bowl of chips.DON'T inhale it. And DO realize that all dips are not created equal. Salsa wins over guacamole in the Mexican battle of guilt-free dips. Yes, avocados are a source of healthy fat. But too much healthy fat still translates to too much fat -- and too many calories (Especially when you're doing your dipping after a few sangrias!) If you're splurging on the chips, stick with salsa. It's super low in calories and packed with fruits and veggies.





Don't forget that Mexican food can be healthy.

Make sure to keep your entrée on the good-for-you side. Say sí! to soft tacos, grilled chicken, and fajitas. Say no! to chimichangas, chile rellenos, and any other fried or smothered-in-cheese options.





Bring the fiesta to your casa. If you really want to enjoy a guilt-free Cinco de Mayo, prepare your own feast! This way, you can have your taquitos and eat 'em, too! Check out this Mexi-licious swap, ripped right from the pages of our very latest cookbook, Hungry Girl 1-2-3: The Easiest, Most Delicious, Guilt-Free Recipes on the Planet.




Exploding Chicken Taquitos
PER SERVING (2 taquitos): 197 calories, 2.5g fat, 594mg sodium, 22.5g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g sugars, 20.5g protein

Ingredients:
One 9.75-oz. (or 10-oz.) can 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast in water, drained and flaked
1/2 cup salsa
1/3 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix
Eight 6-inch corn tortillas
Optional dips: red enchilada sauce, additional salsa, fat-free sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and salsa, and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Remove chicken mixture from the fridge, and drain any excess liquid. Add cheese and taco seasoning, and mix to combine. This is your filling. Set aside.

Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with nonstick spray, and set it aside.

Dampen 2 paper towels, and place tortillas between them. Microwave for about 1 minute, until tortillas are warm and pliable.

Take 1 tortilla (keep the rest between the paper towels), spray both sides lightly with nonstick spray, and lay it flat on a clean dry surface. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto the tortilla. Spread it evenly across the entire surface, and roll tortilla up tightly, so that you have a cigar-shaped tube. Secure with toothpicks and place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Bake in the oven for 14 - 16 minutes, until crispy. Let cool for 5 minutes. If you like, dunk in enchilada sauce, salsa, or sour cream!

MAKES 4 SERVINGS


More Fiesta-Friendly Recipes

Freezy-Fresa Strawberry Margarita - Forget about forbidding frozen margaritas. Just whip up this easy, freezy strawberry thirst-quencher!

Amazing ATE-Layer Dip - We've one-upped the traditional, fat-laden 7-layer dip with this guilt-free 8-layer favorite! Packed with cheese, beans, and sour cream --and it's good for you?! Dip away, people!

Cheesy Beefy Quesadilla - So you want CHEESY and low-guilt?! Done and done!



Hungry for More? Our Latest Cookbook's a New York Times Best Seller!

Our brand-new cookbook, Hungry Girl 1-2-3: The Easiest, Most Delicious, Guilt-Free Recipes on the Planet, features entire chapters of crock-pot recipes, foil-pack recipes, and made-in-a-microwave recipes! There are also recipes with FOUR ingredients or less, and so much more! The book's in stores everywhere and can be ordered online by clicking here!

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