Recipe By :Nathan from Spain & California
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :1:30
Categories : Fish And Seafood Main Dish
Mexican Recipe Contest

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder — optional
4 roma tomatoes — diced small
4 small cucumbers — diced small
1/2 onion — diced small
4 Serrano chili peppers finely minced teeny (optional)
1 cup minced cilantro
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (for later)
salt — to taste

(1)Toss thinly sliced or ground tilapia in a bowl with 1 Cup freshly squeezed lime juice, add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover and refridgerate 1-2 hours to get cooked in the acid of the limes
(2)Mean while prepare the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, Serrano chilies, cilantro, cut some fresh limes if necessary and have salt set aside everything for when fish is done cooking in acid 1-2 hours later.
(3)When fish is cooked toss with everything else. Taste to see if it needs more salt and lime juice adjust to your taste.
(4)Serve over “tostadas” (lightly fried corn tortillas, you can buy them pre-packaged, deep-fry the corn tortillas at home or as Randy suggested to me microwave a corn-tortilla with a paper towel on high 1 minute and let cool to make them hard)

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 128 Calories; 1g Fat (8.3% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 77mg Cholesterol; 330mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Fat.

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Recipe By :Nathan from Spain & California
Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :0:20
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
5 Hass Avocadoes (cut in half flesh removed, save the seeds)
3 freshly squeezed limes
1 teaspoon or more salt to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Roma tomatoes diced into small cubes
1/4 onion diced into small cubes
1/2 cup cilantro — chopped fine
2 Serrano chili peppers minced finely into super tiny pieces (optional but for me it’s a must) — (2 to 4)

(1) Mash the avocado in a large bowl with a fork to a puree. Add lime juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir well

(2) Add the rest of the ingredients on the ingredient list, mix well and bury on top the avocado seeds to preserve freshness of Guacamole.

(3) Serve as a side for any Mexican meal. As a spread for a “Tostada” or as a dip for vegetables or chips.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 360 Calories; 31g Fat (70.3% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 459mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 6 Fat.

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Recipe By :Nathan from Spain & California
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Meats & Poultry Mexican
Recipe Contest

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 pound ground beef (USE A REALLY LEAN ground beef for this I recommend it)
2 cups freshly squeezed LIME juice (about the juice of 13 juicy limes)
4 small tomatoes, red ripe — chopped
1/2 onion — chopped
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 Serrano chili peppers (minced VERY tiny seeds and all)
1 salt and pepper — to taste
2 teaspoons garlic powder (optional but for me it makes a HUGE difference)
16 tostada shells

(1) Mix ground beef with lime juice in a bowl. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and refridgerate for about 3-4 hours or until beef loses all it’s pink color and if grey or cooked. Some people rather leave it overnight to cook like 6-12 hours. Honestly for me 3-4 is enough.

(2) When beef is cooked mix well with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

(3) Then add the rest of the ingredients and incorporate. Taste it to adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

(4) ENJOY as a spread over your “Tostada” (lightly fried Corn Tortilla buy it pre-package, deep fry it, or as Randy told me you can microwave a corn tortilla with a paper towel on high 1 minute then cool to harden) on a HOT DAY!

Start to Finish Time:
“4:00″
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 458 Calories; 25g Fat (47.2% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 47g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 43mg Cholesterol; 792mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 4 Fat.

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Recipe By : Sherry from Massachusetts
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:40
Categories : Side Dish Vegetables

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
6 Medium Red Potatoes — scrubbed and sliced
7 small Peruvian Purple Potatoes — scrubbed and sliced
1 large Red Onion — thinly sliced
1/2 pint Grape Tomatoes — ends cut off and halved
3/4 cp. Feta Cheese
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Black Pepper — to taste
Garlic Salt — to taste

Bread Crumb Topping
3 Multi Grain Bread
1 teaspoon fresh Basil — chopped
1 teaspoon fresh Parsley — chopped
1 teaspoon fresh Oregano
2 finely chopped cloves of Garlic
1 tablespoon Smart Balance Buttery Spread

BREAD CRUMB TOPPING
The first thing to do in this recipe is to Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees
Butter your slices of bread, sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs and rub on the garlic.
Put them on a baking sheet and bake until they turn a slightly golden color.
Take them out of the oven, tear them into pieces and set aside.

In a large Bowl combine the potatoes and evenly coat them with Olive Oil.
Season with Black Pepper and Garlic Salt.
In a small skillet saute the thinly sliced Red Onion. It will be done when it is a crispy golden brown.
Take a 13×9 in. pan and layer, first the red potatoes, followed by the purple potatoes, on top of that evenly spread out the onion and in the same manner the tomatoes. Sprinkle with Feta Cheese and finish it off with the bread crumb topping.
Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Start to Finish Time:
“1:00″
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 300 Calories; 11g Fat (32.5% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 43g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 17mg Cholesterol; 347mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat.

NOTES : I hope you like this one. It’s a favorite at my house.

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Recipe By :Nathan from Spain & California
Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :1:00
Categories : Mexican Recipe Contest
Salads

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
Water — to boil
salt for boiling water
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 onion
2 pounds Cactus Pads, cleaned, spines removed, edges trimmed, sliced REALLY THINLY as thin as humanly possible
1/3 cup lime juice (or the juice of 3 limes)
3 tomatoes — diced small
1/2 onion — minced
1/2 cup cilantro
2 avocados, diced — optional
1/3 cup queso fresco (Mexican farmer cheese), crumbled — optional
granulated garlic, to taste — optional
salt and pepper — to taste

In a large pot put ½ cup whole cilantro, palm full or more salt, and ½ whole onion with plenty water to bring to a boil.

Meanwhile prepare the cactus (cleaning it, removing spines by scraping with a knife, cutting off all edges, then slicing thinly etc.) then add it to boiling water UNCOVERED if you cover it will overflow and turn to a GOOEY mess. The cactus well release pectins and YOU’LL RUIN IT.

Drain the liquid, discard cilantro, onion, and garlic (the garlic discarding is optional I like it many don’t no one wants to bite into a whole clove of boiled garlic)

Let it cool to room temperature.

Now combine with rest of ingredients. And it’s ready you can leave it in the fridge to chill. Eat at room temperature or cold. Your choice.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 215 Calories; 13g Fat (53.1% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 3427mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 2 1/2 Fat.

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Recipe By :Nathan from Spain and California
Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :0:10
Categories : Recipe Contest Smoothies

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 medium cantaloupe (cleaned peeled and cubed) — peeled and cubed)
Water (enough to dilute to desire and blend)
1/4 cup Sugar to taste

Blend everything in a blender. Maybe in batches depends.
Put in a pitcher with ice and cool in the fridge.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 39 Calories; trace Fat (6.4% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 10mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit.

NOTES : This is not suppose to be like some thick fruit shake. It’s meant to be like a juice. Always stir in pitcher before serving.

You could use Stevia or Splenda as a sweetner.

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Recipe By :Nathan from Spain and California
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:40
Categories : Main Dish Recipe Contest
Seafood

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 1/2 “Jaiva” (immitation crab meat) — shredded
1 1/4 medium Shrimp — cleaned
1 Cup thinly chopped celery
1 Cup onion minced
2 Cups tomatoes
3 large Cucumbers (deseeded and chopped into small bite size cubes)
2 Cups Cilantro minced
2 Cups Tomato Cocktail Juice (Clamato brand)
1 1/2 freshly squeezed LIME juice
1/2 cup Ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste

In a pan DO NOT HEAT oil just throw in shrimp at high heat, salt and pepper and toss them around until fully cooked, set aside

Toss all minced vegetables together set aside

Shred all the imitation crab meat/ Jaiva.

TOSS ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER NOW, vegetables, Jaiva, Cooked Shrimp, Ketchup, Salt, Pepper, Tomato Cocktail, Lime Juice.

Taste to see if it needs more of something and you are done.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 98 Calories; 1g Fat (7.3% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 523mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : This recipe MAKES A LOT so you may want to cut it in half this gave us about 10 generous servings or more, it also refrigerates really for a couple days. If you are rich you may use real CRAB MEAT but hey this is about Mexican cooking and here in California when we think of this salad it’s usually “Jaiva” no crab.

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Recipe By :Nathan from Spain and California
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :12:00
Categories : Recipe Contest Side Dish
Spanish

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 cabbage head (shredded by slicing thinly with a knife)
2 serrano chili peppers (liquified with 1/2 cup water)
1 1/2 cups White Distilled Vinegar
1 Cup Water
1 tbsp. Salt
1 cup tomatoes — diced small
1 cup minced onions
4 extra serrano chili peppers minced finely (optional because we really like chili peppers at home)

Put cabbage in a large bowl

Add vinegar, water, salt, and blended serrano chilies. Mix well. Let it rest in the refridgerator covered in plastic wrap atleast 3 hours or overnight. Toss every 1 hour is possible

After pickled DRAIN excess juices and toss with the tomato, onion, and serrano chilies.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 63 Calories; 1g Fat (6.4% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1099mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Vegetable; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : I learned this dish from a Nicaraguan friend it was a huge hit in a get together I went to and me and my mother asked for the recipe.

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Recipe By :Nathan from Spain and California
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:40
Categories : Recipe Contest Side Dish
Spanish

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 head cabbage
12 cloves garlic — peeled
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil — (1/4 to 1/2)
2 teaspoons salt — to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano ground up with hands (optional usually it’s completely not used by my grandmother)
1/4 an onion thinly sliced (optional we typically dont add onion when it’s with cabbage)

Cut the cabbage into 6 large wedges leaving the hard thick bottom root on each piece (this will prevent it from falling apart.) you do this by first cutting the cabbage head in half. Then cutting those halves in half. Then cutting those halves in half from the center. Lined up with the hard bottom stem so each one will keep a hard bottom stem to not fall apart.

Put back together like a puzzle inside a medium pot. Fill with enough water for the cabbage to be filled 1 inch deep in water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat 30 minutes. Stab with a knife to make sure it’s fully cooked.

While the cabbage is steaming use a mortar and a pestle to crush garlic to a paste with salt or use a “garlic press” then add salt. After wards add freshly squeezed lime juice mix well and add dried ground oregano (optional) and thinly sliced onions(optional). Put these contents into a glass bowl or a marble bowl.

This is the part you gotta careful with and you’ll see why. Heat in a pan extra-virgin olive oil to the point that it is just about to smoke., turn off heat and immediately pour into garlic lime mixture and whisk vigorously.

You gotta be careful because the oil will just because hot oil and a liquid like lime juice or water will make it jump. So what I was taught was to place the bowl of garlic lime mixture in a clean sink and stand far while pouring oil in an angle that I wont get splattered then mix it after while it’s still bubbling.

Now that the cabbage is cooked take out and arrange in a plate. Spoon over mojo sauce on each cabbage slice making sure you get it in between the leaves and such. Reserve some of the garlic lime sauce “Mojo” for when serving people can spoon over some on their cabbage.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 100 Calories; 9g Fat (77.5% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 715mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat.

NOTES : this is a very garlicky, pungent, sour sauce not suitable for everyones pallet so be aware. This sauce can be used to pour over steamed/ boiled or simmered “Cassava/Yucca”, “Malanga/ Taro”, “Boniato”, “Sweet Potato”, “Yams”, “ñame”, “Green or Yellow Plantains”, “Calabaza/ other winter squashes”, and raw salads of cucumber and tomato.

Also it is good for marinading pork butt or chicken 24 hours and roasting in the oven (when using as a marinade usually we add peppercorns and include the oregano. Also with meats it can be done with freshly squeezed “Bitter/ Seville Orange” or half freshly squeezed lime juice and orange juice.)

When done with bitter orange this is “Mojo Criollo” also “Mojo” is pronounced “Mo-ho”

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Recipe By :Samantha in Australia
Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:05
Categories : Recipe Contest Smoothies

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 cup watermelon
1 cup pineapple chunks — crushed
1 cup mango — chopped
1 cup strawberries
1 cup juice ( i like coconut, pineapple, guava, apple , or orange)
2 cups crushed ice

Place all ingredients in blender on high speed untill smooth.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 118 Calories; 1g Fat (6.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 8mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Fruit.

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