When it comes to parties and celebrations, I always tend towards Mexican cuisine. As my dad likes to say "Mexican food is fun." He says that because he knows it is not always the healthiest and is often greasy, something you would eat with a drink at a bar or a party. There is time for pleasure food, and then there's the other time to eat healthy.
I decided to make some healthy Mexican appetizers and snacks for the upcoming Super Bowl. I know a lot of people, especially in California, love eating spicy food and would be happy with some good hot salsa, guacamole, and chips. So, I gotta make it spicy. These recipes have a kick with the jalapeño I added, but you can control the heat by adding less or substituting green bell pepper instead. I have made Naked Sliders, Fajita Skewers,
Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips, and
Guacamole for you. I have also added a link to my previous post on
Pico de Gallo salsa here if you would like to add that at your party too.
My idea was to make something quick and easy so you could prepare it a day in advance if you needed too, but ultimately spend the most time watching the game and hanging with friends instead of cooking. I also wanted to give you the option to grill outside because it just seams right for the Super Bowl. Cheers to a great Super Bowl and halftime show!
Naked Sliders (18 mini sliders)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1/2 medium onion, small chop
- 1 jalapeño, small chop
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, small chop
- 1-2 teaspoons oil for cooking, or spray
Combine all the ingredients except the oil. Form into patties and cook on a nonstick skillet for 5-8 minutes, or until core temperature reads 165 F.
*Chef's secret: to check doneness, stick the tip of a parring knife into the center of the slider and leave for 10-15 seconds. Then touch the knife to your bottom lip carefully for a brief second, flat side of course. If it's really hot, the slider is done. But be careful not to burn yourself.
Top with guacamole, tomatoes, and chopped yellow bell pepper. You can also use ketchup, more jalapeño, or grilled onions. Make it your own.
Fajita Skewers (8 skewers)
- 1 lb chicken breast, chopped to 1 inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
- 1 jalapeño, sliced
- 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon grapeseed or vegetable oil
- 4 whole wheat lavash
1. Place all the ingredients in a ziploc bag and seal. Move the bag around to make sure all pieces are coated well with the spices. Leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Ideally, I would marinate for just 2 hours.
2. You can use wood or metal skewers. If using wooden, soak skewers in water for 10 minutes to prevent burning in the grill.
Skewer the chicken and vegetables evenly on the skewers. I averaged 4 chicken pieces per skewer.
3.
Grill or cook on nonstick skillet, turning often. Cook until the chicken is firm to touch and no longer pink inside. This takes about 10 minutes on a medium heat. I like to cover the pan with foil once all the chicken has nice color on its exterior to further cook the inside. If you cover with foil, turn to a low heat.
4.
Serve with guacamole and warm lavash. Use the lavash like a mitt to un-skewer the hot fajitas.
Guacamole (About 2 cups)
Ingredients:
- 2 avocados
- 1/4 medium chopped onion
- 1/2-1 jalapeño, minced
- 1 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- handful of cilantro, chopped (optional)
1. Slice the avocados in your hand if you feel comfortable to do so. It makes it easier to mash up. Use a fork to mash the avocado in a bowl. Mash to you desired consistency, I like a lot of texture.
Cross-hatch the avocado in your hand to make mashing easier. Only if you feel comfortable.
2.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. I highly recommend adding cilantro, I just didn't have it on hand.
3.
Serve with blue corn chips. Its healthy to eat the rainbow, so I like to embrace the colors of food!
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