Imagine a blend of Mexican flavors with roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, sweet corn, and gooey cheese, all harmonizing in a sensational roasted tomatillo salsa. This flavor fiesta gets the VIP treatment as it's generously ladled onto tender masa dough, then steamed to perfection inside a cozy corn husk.

But wait, there's more! These wholesome tamales ditch the lard for heart-healthy oil and can effortlessly moonlight as vegan delights by simply skipping the cheese. Whether you're savoring them for dinner, indulging in a snack, or starting your day with a tamale breakfast, we believe there's never a wrong time for a tamale!

And the excitement doesn't stop there - this traditional tamale recipe is your ticket to a Mexican culinary adventure. Make them ahead, freeze for future fiestas, and reheat like a pro. We've sprinkled in loads of recipe hacks to ensure each tamale is a masterpiece. While our crowd-pleasers like Carnitas burritos and chicken enchiladas have their charm, this tamale recipe steals the show, bringing loved ones together to cook and feast. So, let the tamale party begin!

Essential Masa Ingredients

Instant Masa (Instant masa harina flour): This is a special type of flour used to make tamale dough.We used Maseca Gluten Free Instant Corn Masa for this recipe. Instant harina flour is the best choice because using fresh masa, made from freshly ground corn, is a very labor-intensive process.

You can purchase instant white masa harina made from dried white corn at Walmart, Aldi, and many regular grocery stores or on Amazon. There is also a "blue corn" instant masa flour. (Just thinking out loud but how fun would it be to have a gender reveal tamale party. You could use blue corn instant masa for the boys and use a little pink beet root powder in the white corn masa for the girls)

Oil - Swap traditional lard for a softer, tender masa dough using light-flavored or neutral oils like canola, vegetable, corn, or avocado oil. Maintain the delicate corn flavor without any overpowering flavours.

Baking Powder - A gluten-free leavening agent that creates a light and fluffy masa dough for vegetarian tamales.

Vegetable Broth (gluten-free) - Adds flavor and moisture into the masa dough to achieve that perfect spreadable texture similar to hummus.

Spices -Season the masa dough with salt and cumin to enhance the corn flavor.

Dried Corn Husks - Functioning as both a practical and flavorful element, dried corn husks hold the masa dough and fillings in place during steaming. While you won't consume them these husks simplify the steaming process in an eco-friendly manner. Find them in Mexican grocery stores, specialty shops, or conveniently order on Amazon. As a substitute you can use fresh banana leaves like we used in our Banana Leaf Wrapped Coconut Fish for the dried corn husks.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde Ingredients (Green Sauce)

Tomatillos (Spanish for "little tomato"): Meet the star of our show - the humble tomatillo, a distant cousin of the tomato. While raw tomatillos are delightfully sour, some time in the oven transforms them into slightly sweet, tangy, and fruity. Peel away their little green tops, and you're left with bright green flesh. Look for tomatillos in the veggie aisle of your regular supermarket, and if needed, a green tomato can step in as a close substitute.

Jalapeños (or green chili peppers): Spice things up with roasted jalapeños! We toss in two roasted and one raw jalapeño to achieve that perfect balance of sweetness and heat. Adjust the quantity to dance to your preferred spice level.

Onions and Garlic: A classic combo, but our twist lies in roasting them to caramelized perfection. The sweet notes of roasted onions and garlic play a delightful counterpoint to the tomatillos and lime. Opt for a yellow onion to avoid an unintentional brown hue - because, mixing purple and green results in a cheeky shade of brown (wink).

Fresh Cilantro (Coriander): Infuse a burst of freshness into our roasted tomatillo salsa with vibrant cilantro. It's the finishing touch that elevates the flavor profile.

Spinach: Psst... our secret weapon for sneaking in extra veggies! Don't tell the family, but fresh spinach not only enhances the green hue of the salsa but also brings a boost of iron, vitamins, and minerals. Toss those spinach leaves right into the blender and watch the magic unfold.

Vegetarian Filling for Tamales

Get ready to wrap up a burst of flavor with this vibrant vegetarian tamale filling:

• Sweet Potatoes: Peel and dice a couple of large, sweet potatoes to bring a touch of natural sweetness to your tamale.
• Corn: Whether fresh, canned, or frozen, corn adds a delightful crunch and sweetness to the filling.
• Black Beans: Amp up the protein with black beans or switch it up with pinto beans for a wholesome twist.
• Cheese (optional): Choose from a variety like Colby jack, cotija, cheddar, or explore vegan cheese options for a dairy-free delight. Feel free to skip the cheese for a healthy vegan tamale.
• Roasted Garlic: Because, really, is it even a tamale without the aromatic goodness of roasted garlic?
• Tajin Seasoning (optional): Kick it up a notch with a sprinkle of Tajin seasoning for an extra burst of flavor.
• Fresh Lime Juice: Squeeze in lime juice to taste, adding a zesty kick that balances the sweetness of the filling.
• Other: For a delightful twist, toss in some Mexican rice to enhance the texture and flavor.

Pro Tip: Hosting a party with meat lovers? Elevate your tamale game by preparing a batch of stove-top pull-apart chicken and generously ladle the green tomatillo salsa over it for an optional "Tamales de Pollo con Salsa Verde" (Chicken Tamales with Verde Salsa). It's a carnivore-friendly alternative that keeps everyone smiling!

How to Make Vegetarian Tamales

Crafting the perfect Vegetarian Tamales Verde is a 5-step labor of love, akin to creating an Italian Timpano Pasta Dome. Follow these steps for a memorable meal meant to be shared:

Prep and Roast: Dice and roast sweet potatoes, garlic, corn, tomatillos, onions, and jalapeños to set the stage for flavor-packed fillings.

Verde Salsa Magic: Blend tomatillos, jalapeños, onions, roasted garlic, cilantro, and spinach for a vibrant green salsa explosion.

Soak & Toss: Soak the dried corn husks in hot water. In a separate bowl mix roasted sweet potatoes, corn, black beans, squeeze in ½ the roasted garlic bulb and pour in half of the salsa verde and toss. Save the remaining green salsa verde to serve with the steamed tamales.

Masa Mastery: Mix instant masa with oil, baking powder, vegetable broth, and spices for a perfect, fluffy foundation.

Folding Tamales: Spread masa on soaked corn husks, layer on flavorful fillings, wrap and tie them up .

Steamy Perfection: Let your tamales steam to perfection that is usually around 1.5 to 2 hours or until the corn husk easily peels away from the masa. No steamer? No problem! Check out our  favorite ways to steam fish without a steamer.

Pro Tip: Spread culinary tasks over days or host a tamale-making party. All the steps to make homemade tamales can be completed up to 3 days in advance, excluding the soaking of corn husks and stuffing the tamales.  Raw uncooked prepared tamales can be stored for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Whether solo or a group affair, making tamales is a culinary adventure worth savoring.

Tamale Troubleshooting 101: And Fixes

Troubleshooting made easy - ensures a flawless tamale experience!

Why Are My Tamales Sticking to the Husk?

Fear not, here's a quick guide to troubleshoot and how to fix and prevent your vegetarian tamales verde from sticking to the corn husk while steaming:

Undercooked Tamales:

• Make sure your pot used to steam the tamales has a tight-fitting lid.
• Check the doneness at the 60-minute mark and assess.
• Tamales are ready when the husk easily peels away from the masa. Adjust steam time in 15-30-minute increments. Many times, the tamales just need more time to steam.
• Larger batches take longer, wetter dough requires more time, and thicker masa layers extend steaming time.

Not Enough Fat:

• Confirm the correct amount of oil in your recipe for that perfect tamale texture.

Water Splashing Issues:

• Excessive boiling water can splash onto tamales, causing stickiness and a mushy texture.
• To avoid, cover tamales with hydrated corn husks and a tea towel before the lid.
• Start with a boil, then reduce heat to low or medium-low for steaming.

Secret Steaming Hack: Place a clean coin in the pot; it rattles when there's water and stops when it evaporates. Keep a peephole for water levels and replenish during stove-top steaming.

Why are my Tamales Mushy?

Discovering a mushy texture in your tamales? - Here are a couple of reasons and simple fixes:

Excessive Vegetarian Broth:

• Check if you added too much broth to the masa dough.
• Aim for a hummus-like consistency; too much liquid can lead to mushiness.

Post-Steaming Rest Period:

• After steaming, let tamales sit in the steamer basket with the lid on for 10 to 15 minutes.
• This resting period helps them firm up, ensuring a perfect texture.

How to Reheat Cooked Tamales?

Whether it's a tamal or a bunch of tamales, reheating them is a breeze. Here's how:

1. Microwave Magic (Quick Option):
2. Place individual or a couple of tamales on a plate.
3. Cover with a damp cloth.
4. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute until soft and warm.
5. Note: Frozen tamales will take a bit longer. Beware, they may firm up and not stay warm after 10 minutes.

• Steaming Perfection (Preferred Method):
• For a few extra minutes, opt for re-steaming, especially for refrigerated or frozen tamales.
• Steam tamales for 15 to 20 minutes until thoroughly warm.
• Allow them to set for a few minutes.
• If reheating cooked frozen tamales, add an extra 10 minutes of steaming.

What to serve with Tamales?

Depending on how large your tamales verde are, you can plan on approximately 2 tamales per person. Maybe 1 or 2 more for the big eaters This recipe makes approximately 16 tamales.

• Extra tomatillo verde salsa, hot sauce or our easy mango salsa
• Make a plate with chopped jalapenos, tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, cilantro, fresh lime wedges, or even sour cream to allow your guests to put their own personal twist on the tamales.
• Tortilla chips and guacamole
• Cheesy roasted poblano peppers, tortilla soup or Chicken Fajitas Sliders
• Add some fun appetizers like taco lettuce wraps
• Mexican rice
• A light green salad or a layered taco salad.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Mexican Cuisine

Print

Vegetarian Tamales Verde (Gluten-Free)

Healthier Mexican Party Food: Try our gluten-free, vegetarian tamales verde with oil, not lard, and a zesty green roasted tomatillo salsa.

Course Appetizers/ Snacks, Breakfast and Brunch, Mains

Cuisine Tex Mex

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 16 tamales

Calories 236kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• steamer pot with lid or deep pot with steamer basket or deep pot with aluminum foil and a plate with a lid
• mixer or can use hands

Ingredients

• 1 package corn husks dried - (you will need 16 corn husks for the tamales + extra to line and cover the steamer basket)

Vegetarian Filling

• 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced
• ½ whole garlic cut in half
• 2 tablespoons oil neutral oil like canola, vegetable, avocado, etc.
• 1.5 cups corn either frozen, canned or removed from the cob
• 1 cup black beans canned rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon lime juice optional
• salt and pepper to taste or 1 teaspoon Tajin Seasoning
• cheese optional

Tomatillo Verde Salsa

• 6 medium tomatillos peeled and cut in half or in half moons
• ½ medium onion peeled and sliced into half moons
• 3 jalapenos or to your desired heat level. (We roasted 2 jalapenos and added one raw to the verde salsa)
• ½ whole garlic head
• 2 tablespoons lime juice or to taste
• salt to taste
• ½ cup cilantro (coriander) fresh or to taste
• 2 cups spinach fresh (optional) but so good and gives it a vibrant pop of green color.

Gluten Free Masa

• 2.5 cups instant masa harina flour gluten free
• ½ teaspoon baking powder gluten free
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin optional
• ¾ cup oil neutral tasting oil like canola, vegetable, corn, avocado, etc.
• 1 and ¾ to 2 cups vegetable broth gluten free (You may need more or less vegetable broth depending on the humidity so just add a little at a time) Goal is consistency of hummus.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Soak the Corn Husks

• Place the dried corn husks into a large bowl. Cover them completely with hot water for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until softened. Place another bowl or something heavy to keep them submerged. Rinse them and keep them submerged in water until you start filling the tamales.

Roast the Vegetables for filling and Salsa Verde

• Peel and dice sweet potato and cut whole garlic head in half. Season with oil, salt and pepper and bake at 400 degrees F (204degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oven- set aside.
• Add sliced tomatillos, onions, jalapenos on the baking sheet with the sweet potatoes and continue baking for 20 minutes. Then broil x 5 minutes or until just lightly browned.
• In a large bowl, add the roasted sweet potato, ½ roasted garlic (squeezed from the bulb - reserve the other half for the salsa), roasted corn, black beans, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Stir and set aside. Later you will be adding ½ of the salsa verde to the vegetable mixture.

Blend the Tomatillo Verde Salsa

• Blend together the cooled roasted tomatillos, onion, ½ of the roasted garlic head, roasted jalapeños and/or fresh, lime juice, salt, and cilantro. If you want to add a pop of bright green color and extra vitamins, add in a couple handfuls of fresh spinach.
• Stir in ½ of the verde salsa into the roasted vegetable filling mixture from above and reserve ½ for garnish and serving.

Prepare the Masa

• Mix the dried Gluten Free Instant Corn Masa (Instant harina flour) with baking powder, salt, and cumin if desired. (Remember to gently spoon the instant harina flour into the measuring cup for accurate measurements.)
• Add the oil to the instant masa mixture and mix well. The result should feel and look like wet sand.
• Pour, a little at a time, the vegetable broth into the masa dough mixture. You can use your hands or a mixer to do this. The goal for texture of masa dough is to have a consistency like hummus. Mix around 8 minutes. The gluten free masa needs to be easy to spread but sticks to the softened cornhusk. Add more vegetable broth if it is too thick or add more instant masa flour to make the consistency thicker.

How to Fold Tamales

• Place a softened corn husk in either your hand or counter. Add about 2- 2.5 tablespoons of masa dough to the smooth side of the corn husk - depending on the size of the corn husk. Use a spoon or spatula to apply a thin masa dough layer to the bottom ⅔rds of the corn husk. The thickness is about a ¼ inch thick and spread it even so that the masa to filling ratio is perfect. It is best to leave a ½ inch space on the ends to make the folding process easier.
• Spoon approximately 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of roasted vegetable filling with the verde salsa on to the prepared cornhusk with masa dough. Add cheese, if desired. Do not overfill.
• Fold lengthwise one side of the prepared cornhusk with masa over the vegetarian filling. Next, fold the other side of the cornhusk over and seal well with your fingers.
• Bend horizontally the small end of the tamal upon one end leaving the other side open.
• Tear strips of softened corn husk lengthwise and tie the bent end of the tamale together with the body of the stuffed tamale verde. Repeat this process with the remaining ingredients.

Steaming

• Prepare a steamer basket. No steamer basket? No problem! Review our favorite ways to steam fish without a steamer.
• Line the steaming device with softened cornhusks, place the tamales upright in the steamer. Place more corn husks on top of the tamales and a tea towel over the top before putting on the lid.
• Steam tamales for 1.5 to 2 hours on stove top until they easily peel away from the corn husk.
• Please allow the freshly steamed tamales to sit for 10 - 15 minutes with the lid on before serving. Serve warm with reserved salsa verde and toppings of choice.

Video

Notes

How Long Are Tamales Good in the Fridge?

Tamales, snugly wrapped in plastic wrap, a baggie, or a storage container, can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Ensure a tight seal to prevent exposure to air and maintain their delectable moisture.

Can You Freeze Tamales?

Indeed, you can freeze the tamale love! Whether raw or cooked, follow these steps:

• If cooked, let the tamales cool completely.
• Individually wrap each tamale with plastic wrap.
• Place wrapped tamales verde in a freezer-safe baggie or container.
• Frozen vegetarian tamales can be stored for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Cooked Tamales?

Microwave (Quick Option):

• Place individual or a couple of tamales on a plate.
• Cover with a damp cloth.
• Microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute until soft and warm.
• Note: Frozen tamales will take a bit longer. Beware, they may firm up and not stay warm after 10 minutes

Steaming (Preferred Method):

• For a few extra minutes, opt for re-steaming, especially for refrigerated or frozen tamales.
• Steam tamales for 15 to 20 minutes until thoroughly warm.
• Allow them to set for a few minutes.
• If reheating cooked frozen tamales, add an extra 10 minutes of steaming.

Can you Steam Uncooked Tamales in the Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)?

Yes, you can! However, it is our least favorite way as you cannot check to see if your tamales are cooked until after the pressure is released. Here is how you do it...

• Put 1 cup of water into the instant pot and place in the trivet rack. Place a few softened corn husks on top of the trivet.
• Place your prepared tamales upright and lean them up against the side of the instant pot. Place a few of the softened corn husks on top.
• Seal the pressure cooker and set it on high heat and press the steam function and steam for 25 minutes and then let naturally release for at least 10 minutes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1tamal | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 269mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4567IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Vegetarian Tamales Verde appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Cornbread Hacks

Are you ready to learn some quick and easy Jiffy cornbread hacks? We can't wait to share them with you because there is nothing worse than biting into a dry and crumbly piece of corn bread.

By adding applesauce, homemade dairy free buttermilk, and oil to this cornbread recipe, it makes it extra moist and irresistible. However, we did not stop there! We added a little fresh corn for a fun pop of sweetness along with a drizzle of honey. For heat, we added a chopped jalapeno pepper to make this this budget friendly side dish a home run.

Standard Ingredients

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix - 8.5-ounce size. You can use either the regular or the Vegetarian corn muffin mix. Using a boxed corn meal mix is a great cost saving hack. If you decide to make cornbread from scratch, you will have to buy cornmeal. That alone is more expensive than a sixty-cent box of Jiffy corn muffin mix that has all the dry ingredients required.

Milk - we used almond milk to keep it dairy free. If you do not have a dairy sensitivity, you can use regular milk or buttermilk.

Vinegar - to turn the milk or dairy free milk into buttermilk. We used apple cider vinegar, but you can also use white vinegar or even lemon juice. Just add the vinegar to the milk or dairy free alternative and let it sit for 5 minutes and you will have butter milk. Buttermilk makes cornbread more tender and rich in flavor.

Egg - helps bind the cornbread mix.

Apple Sauce - provides 3 functions. First, it adds moisture. Secondly, it also acts like a binder to properly cook the corn bread in the air fryer. Lastly, adding applesauce to cornbread makes it lightly sweet. You will want to use plain applesauce without any cinnamon. You will only need ⅓ cup apple sauce so we used the rest to make a batch of apple pie cookies. Alternatively, you can substitute with a little creamed corn.

Oil - just like apple sauce, adds extra moisture to the air fryer cornbread. A light flavored oil works best. If you do not have a sensitivity to dairy, you could replace it with melted butter.

Optional Ingredients

Honey - or sweetener of choice like maple syrup.

Cooked Corn - if you have fresh corn in the summer, it is extra sweet and delicious. Alternatively, you can add frozen or canned corn to this air fryer cornbread recipe. This addition is optional of course.

Jalapeno - is optional but it adds just a little heat to complement the sweetness of the corn.

Special Equipment

Air fryer - We have a COSORI Air Fryer Toaster Oven, 12-in-1 (32QT/32L) countertop convection oven. Every air fryer brand and model can cook differently. Please don't use a clock to judge when this is done. Instead, when a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the cornbread is golden brown - it's done.

Pan - A 9-inch round cake pan was used in this easy cornbread recipe. You'll have to determine what size pan will fit in your model of air fryer. There are some things to consider when choosing a pan to cook in.

• Pick a thin cake pan. If you choose a thick pan, it will take a long time to air fry and the center may come out raw whilst the edges may be dry.
• Choose a wider pan instead of a deep and narrow pan. The reason being is that it will take too long to cook. It may end up being raw in the center. There are 7-inch bucket air fryer pans made just for the air fryer that work well too.
• Try using a disposable aluminum pan. They are thin and work great to transport your delicious cornbread dish to pass at your next function.
• Best not to use the baking sheet pan that fits inside the Cosori air fryer as this will make your cornbread too flat. If you choose to do this, you may want to double the recipe.

How to Make Jiffy Cornbread in the Air Fryer?

• Pre-heat air fryer to 325 degrees F or 162 degrees C.
• Stir in the vinegar into the milk or non-dairy of choice and allow to sit for 5 minutes. This will make buttermilk or dairy free buttermilk.
• In the meantime, crack the egg into a medium- large bowl and beat. Then add the apple sauce, oil, honey, homemade dairy free buttermilk, or regular butter milk and mix.
• Add the box of Jiffy Corn muffin mix and stir. It will be slightly lumpy and that is okay.
• If desired, add corn and chopped jalapeno to the mix and stir.

• Grease pan and pour in the prepared cornbread batter. We like to add sliced jalapenos on top, but this is optional.
• Air fry cornbread for 15 to 20 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Recipe Tips

• Grease your pan well on the bottom and sides so the corn bread does not stick.
• Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes while you are making the batter. This will ensure consistency in the cooking process.
• Choose the correct size pan for your air fryer model. It needs to be big enough to hold the batter. However, it also needs to have room around the sides for the air to flow as this is how a convection oven works.
• Don't over mix the cornbread batter as this can make your cornbread dense.
• If you have toaster oven style air fryer with 3 racks, place the cornbread on top of the middle rack to cook.
• Cook times are an estimate because each brand and model of air fryer is different. In addition, you may be using a different sized baking pan and that can be thicker or thinner. These factors may affect the cooking time.
• Don't rely on time to determine when the corn bread is cooked. Instead, place a toothpick in the center of the cornbread and access. If the toothpick comes out relatively clean and the top of the cornbread is golden brown, it is done.
• Our air fryer sometimes cooks a little uneven. It is best to turn it at the 15-minute mark to make sure it cooks evenly and browns on all sides.
• After you remove the cornbread from the oven, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

How to Serve?

We think cornbread is best served hot out of the air fryer with a little drizzle of honey. You may want to add a little pat of butter or non-dairy margarine while it is still hot. However, these are optional. Sometimes, we eat cornbread at room temperature too.

How to Reheat Cornbread?

Cornbread can be reheated in many ways.  Choose the option that works best for you.

Air Fryer - 325 degrees F (162 degrees C) for about 5 minutes or until toasty warm.

Oven - 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil until heated through. Make sure your corn bread slices are in a single layer and not touching.

Microwave oven - cover the cornbread slice with a paper towel or microwave safe cover and microwave for about 15 to 30 seconds or until toasty warm. This is our least favorite method as the edges of the cornbread will no longer be crisp.

Toaster Oven - Brush the tops of the cornbread slices with a little oil or butter and toast uncovered for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Pan fry - Add a little oil or butter to the pan and pan fry on medium- low heat for approximately 2 minutes on each side or until toasty warm.

Variations or Additions

Kickup this ultimate air fryer Jiffy cornbread recipe to suit your preference.

• If you do not have an issue with milk or milk products, add in real buttermilk or milk instead of almond milk for a richer cornbread.
• Try adding a tablespoon of sour cream or add a little grated cheese.
• Add in a dash of Tajin seasoning or lime zest to the batter before air frying. This is so good.
• Make everyone happy and add in a little crispy bacon, scallions, or cooked crumbled chorizo sausage.

If you add in a lot of cheese, try adding in a little extra milk to create a cornbread batter that is thick but pourable.

Troubleshooting: How to Fix It?

Why is my cornbread flat?

There are many reasons why your air fryer jiffy cornbread is flatter than you expected. First, check the expiration date on the Jiffy mix. If it is expired or not stored properly, sometimes the baking soda can lose its efficiency. Secondly, adding too many add ins can make your cornbread in the air fryer flat. Lastly, if your pan is larger than a 9-inch cake pan, it will result in a flatter cornbread. Not that there is anything wrong with a flatter cornbread, it is just something to take note of.

Why is it taking so long to cook?

The time is takes for cornbread to cook is highly dependent on the type and brand of air fryer. Some air fryers cook faster or slower than other makes and brands. Maybe the pan you used was too thick. Did you remember to preheat the air fryer first?

How to remove cornbread from the pan?

Guess what? You do not need to even remove the cornbread from the pan unless you want to. The reason is cornbread is tender and it tends to form little crumbs. You may prefer to cut and serve it right from the pan like we did.

If you are keen on removing the cornbread from the pan before slicing, line your pan with parchment paper. Leave enough extra parchment paper at the top so you can easily grab it and pull it out- just as we did with our flourless orange cake. Don't forget you will still need to grease the parchment paper before adding the Jiffy cornmeal batter.

What to Serve with Cornbread?

Although cornbread is mighty tasty with a steaming bowl of hot chili, it is delicious all year around and in every season.

In the summer we love making cornbread in the air fryer because it does not heat up the whole house. Our family loves cornbread with grilled pork chops, tea smoked chicken legs or a side to a summer salad.

Crisp fall weather calls for a big pot of lentil and hap soup with a side of cornbread. Tailgating days are more delicious with BBQ ribs, wing dings and a basket of Jiffy cornbread slices.

What to do with Leftovers?

Did you know that you can cut air fried cornbread into cubes, toss them in oil and seasonings and air fry to make into croutons? Cornbread croutons are delicious on top of our roasted butternut soup or as an exchange for bread in Grandpa's Canadian meat stuffing recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Bread Recipes

More Air Fryer Recipes

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Air Fryer Jiffy Cornbread

Upgrade your cornbread game with our dairy free ultimate Air Fryer Jiffy Cornbread recipe. We've made it extra moist, sweet, and spicy for a sensational twist.

Course Appetizers/ Snacks, Sides

Cuisine American

Diet Low Lactose

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 slices

Calories 245kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• air fryer

Ingredients

Dairy Free Buttermilk

• ⅓ cup almond milk
  or dairy or non-dairy of choice
• 1 teaspoon vinegar We used apple cider vinegar but you can also use distilled white vinegar or lemon juice.

Air Fryer Jiffy Cornbread

• 1 whole egg
  
• ⅓ cup apple sauce
  natural plain
• 2.5 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• dairy free buttermilk from above
• 8.5 ounces Jiffy Corn Bread Mix
• 1 jalapeno chopped - optional (also 1 jalapeno sliced for the top garnish)
• ¼ cup corn cooked and taken off the cob (can also used canned or thawed frozen corn) - optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Pre-heat air fryer to 325 degrees F or 162 degrees C. Choose a thin pan that will fit inside your air fryer and grease well on bottom and sides.
• Make dairy free buttermilk: Add almond milk and vinegar into a small bowl, stir and set aside for 5 minutes.
• In the meantime, crack the egg into a medium-large bowl and beat. Then add the apple sauce, oil, honey and homemade dairy free buttermilk and mix.
• Slowly add in the box of Jiffy corn muffin mix and stir. It will still be slightly lumpy and that is okay. If desired, add corn and chopped jalapeno to the mix and stir.
• Pour the cornbread batter into the prepared pan. We like to add sliced jalapenos on top, but this is optional. Air fry cornbread for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
• Wait 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy hot with honey and butter or dairy free butter, if desired.

Video

Notes

Storage: 

To store leftover cornbread, let it cool down first. Then, wrap in plastic wrap, place in a sealable plastic bag or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cornbread can be frozen for up to 3 months.  For the best results, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then place in an airtight container or a freezer safe baggie.

Recipe Tips:

• Grease your pan well on the bottom and sides so the corn bread does not stick.
• Choose the correct size pan for your air fryer model. It needs to be big enough to hold the batter. However, it also needs to have room around the sides for the air to flow as this is how a convection oven works.
• Don't over mix the cornbread batter as this can make your cornbread dense.
• If you have toaster oven style air fryer with 3 racks, place the cornbread on top of the middle rack to cook.
• Cook times are an estimate because each brand and model of air fryer is different. In addition, you may be using a different sized baking pan and that can be thicker or thinner. These factors may affect the cooking time.
• Don't rely on time to determine when the corn bread is cooked. Instead, place a toothpick in the center of the cornbread and access. If the toothpick comes out relatively clean and the top of the cornbread is golden brown, it is done.
• Our air fryer sometimes cooks a little uneven. It is best to turn it at the 15-minute mark to make sure it cooks evenly and browns on all sides.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 93IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Ultimate Air Fryer Jiffy Cornbread appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

We have a thing for Tex-Mex flavors like our Shrimp Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce and Cheesy Roasted Poblano flavors. However, if you need something you can just pick up and eat (without the need for flatware), you need these crispy carnitas burritos.

Pork is cooked in the pressure cooker (instant pot) in a zesty and sweet citrus pineapple sauce until it is pull apart tender and juicy - without using any lard or sugar. Then, its placed under the oven broiler to get those addictive little crispy ends. Wrap carnitas up in a tortilla with all your favorite toppings and a little pineapple jalapeno coleslaw. It's sure to please.

We know you can't wait to get started. This recipe includes how to make the best 'healthyish' pork carnitas, topping ideas, what to serve them with and how to roll up a burrito. We have also included slow cooker instructions in case you need these too. So, Let's get started!

Carnitas Ingredients & Substitutions

Do you know that "carnitas", in Mexican cuisine literally means "little meats".  The pork meat is usually braised in lard (rendered fat of a pig) until tender.  However, we are all about making cuisine from around the world healthier.

Here are the ingredients we used to replace fat with healthy flavors.

Pork - Pork butt (also known as pork shoulder) is the best cut of pork for carnitas because it is fatty and tender. However, all we had available were 2 pork tenderloins and guess what? They turned out even better- very tender, less time to cook and a little leaner. Win-Win!

Citrus Juice - Lime and orange juice are used to make traditional pork carnitas. They give a lovely flavor and natural sweetness to the pork. Of course, we did not have oranges but did have mandarin oranges. Just like in our recipe for Hot and Spicy Mandarin Orange Chicken, mandarin oranges are sweeter, have a more intense flavor and worked out well. You can also use prepared orange juice or lime juice from the little squirt bottles in a pinch.

2 large regular oranges = ¾ cup juice

5 mandarin oranges = ¾ juice

Pineapple juice - we used the juice from our 20-ounce canned pineapple with 100% fresh fruit juices no added sweeteners. It was approximately ¾ cup. We used ½ of the pineapple slices to make our delicious pineapple slaw.

Chicken Broth - The goal is to end up with approximately 2 cups of liquid total. Between the citrus fruits and pineapple juice we had 1.5 cups of juice. We used about ½ cups of gluten free chicken broth to make a total of 2 cups of sauce. You can also use bone broth.

Garlic - ok a lot of garlic! We used approximately 6 to 8 large cloves because, well, that is how we roll! You can replace with about 2 teaspoons of dried garlic powder.

1 clove of fresh garlic = ¼ teaspoon of dried garlic powder

Spices - Don' skip the cumin, dried oregano, or chili. We used Tajin seasoning which is a traditional Mexican spice with mild chili, lime, and sea salt. However, you can also use regular chili powder as well. Be sure to season (salt and pepper) your pork well before putting it in the pressure cooker.

Flour tortillas - you can even choose gluten-free or low carb options. If your guests are following a keto diet, lay out lettuce leaves so they can make themselves a pork carnitas lettuce wrap instead. There are no special rules to follow.

Pineapple Slaw Ingredients

This pineapple slaw for pulled pork is not a mandatory ingredient. However, if you already have a can of pineapple open, why would you skip this delicious topping? Pineapple jalapeno coleslaw without mayo adds that much needed bit of freshness to the burrito. The sweet and salty combo is extra delicious.

Coleslaw mix with carrots (pre-mixed). Makes preparing this slaw super easy. We like the shredded cabbage and carrots in a convenient package available in the refrigerated vegetable section of the grocery store. Sometimes, it will have both red and green cabbage. Do-it-yourselfers, can finely shred their own cabbage and carrots in a food processor as well.

Canned or fresh pineapple - it adds a pop of natural sweetness.

Jalapeno pepper - just a bit to taste. Canned green chilis also work. If you do not like it spicy, you can leave it out.

Cumin - gives it that nice earthy flavor.

Cilantro - for us this fresh herb makes the best carnitas burrito.

Onion - freshly chopped. We choose to put a little in the slaw instead of a topping for the burritos. A purple onion would even add more color.

Olive oil - extra virgin is best or oil of choice.

Apple cider vinegar - adds a splash of acid to the pineapple slaw.

Step by Step Basic Overview

• Cut pork into cubes and season with salt and pepper.
• Make the citrus sauce to cook the pork in. Add orange juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, chicken broth, garlic, Tajin or chili powder, cumin and oregano and mix.

• Place oil in pressure cooker (Instant Pot) and turn on the sauté function. Sear pork cubes in batches and brown on all sides.
• Add all the pork back into the pressure cooker with the citrus sauce and pressure cook on high 35 minutes with 15 minutes natural release for pork tenderloins. For pork butt, pressure cook on high for 45 minutes with 15 minutes natural release.

• Make the pineapple slaw. Add the coleslaw mix, pineapple, jalapeno, cumin, onion, cilantro, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper and toss well.
• While the pork is cooking, gather and prepare all your carnitas toppings and supplies.

• Remove the pork from the instant pot. Turn the Instant pot function back on to sauté and reduce the reserved citrus sauce liquid to ½ with the lid off.
• Shred pork with forks.

• Place cooked pork on a sheet pan, drizzle some of the reduced citrus sauce drippings over the pork and broil in oven for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the edges are crispy.
• Serve pork carnitas with all the of the toppings to make delicious burritos.

Toppings

There are no right or wrong topping but just delicious ones that you enjoy. Pick and choose your favorites.

• Beans - black beans or refried beans (frijoles refritos). If you have leftover black beans, try our Baked Skinny Tex-Mex Fish.
• Guacamole or avocados
• Cheese - grated cheddar, Colby jack or even crumbled cotija cheese are all delicious on a carnitas burrito.
• Chopped tomatoes
• Fresh salsa or pico de gallo.
• Taco sauce
• Fresh limes wedges to sprinkle on a little juice
• Mexican or cilantro lime rice
• Pineapple Slaw - but of course!
• Cilantro
• Jalapenos
• Roasted sweet potato cubes
• Cooked sweet corn cut off the cob
• Red or white finely chopped onion
• Sour cream or avocado crema (choose light sour cream if watching the fat intake)

How to Wrap a Burrito?

• Warm up your tortilla to help it stretch and lay flat on your work surface.
• Layer on all your favorite toppings in a line down the center of the wrap. I know you will be tempted but don't overfill the burrito wrap. It will be difficult to close and may tear. Try to keep the filling about 2 inches away from the edges.
• Fold over the two sides over the filling in the middle.

• Then, carefully roll up the burrito going away from you. You will need to push the ingredients inward to tuck them inside the burrito.
• Fold over again until all wrap is sealed and lay the burrito seam side down.
• Cut the burrito in half, if desired, or eat whole and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Soften the tortillas in the microwave before serving to make it easier to wrap burritos.  You can also soften tortillas in a 300 degrees F (148 degrees C) oven in aluminum foil for about 10 minutes or until softened.
• Keep tortillas warm in covered container or in aluminum foil.
• Pork shoulder (pork butt) is the best cut of pork to make pork carnitas due to its high fat content, but it takes longer to pressure cook. However, due to contrary belief, pork tenderloin also makes a delicious carnitas in less time.
• To save some time, use the natural release for 15 minutes before doing a quick release on the pressure cooker.
• First sear or brown your pork on the sauté function BEFORE pressure cooking. You are locking in all that extra flavor. Do not crowd the Instant pot. Make sure there is room so that it can brown on all sides. You might need to sauté the pork in batches to prevent overcrowding.
• Don't throw away those delicious citrus sauce juice that the pork was cooking in. Reduce it to half to intensify the flavor. Then, drizzle some of that sauce on the pork before broiling it.
• To keep your burrito from getting soggy, make sure your fillings are all at room temperature before filling
• Spray oil on the pork before broiling to get extra crispy edges.  

Hosting a Gathering or Tailgating Party?

1. Make your pork carnitas in the pressure cooker the day before and then just oven broil in oven before your guests arrives.
2. You can prep all your ingredients, except for the guacamole the day before to save time.
3. Make the pineapple slaw the day you are serving because the enzymatic enzymes of pineapple will start to soften the cabbage and vegetables. 
4. Wrap your burritos in aluminum foil. This way your guests can just peel one end and eat the burrito. Any drippings will go into the foil instead of on your white sofa. (Just saying - smiling)
5. You can also assemble the burritos before your guests arrive and then air fry or pan sear to heat up and make crispy. This method is extra delicious. A little extra work but seriously a MUST try.

Variations

• Leftover pork carnitas can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days in a sealed container and are fantastic in our Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowls.
• Try serving in crispy taco shell or Taco Salad Bowl, instead of a four tortilla.
• Make a carnitas bowl and serve on top of Mexican or cilantro lime rice with all the fixings.
• To keep the recipe keto or low carb serve it up in a lettuce wrap or keto wrap and hold the rice and beans.
• Burritos can be made vegan or vegetarian if you leave all the toppings separate and let everyone make their own.
• Gluten-free wraps are available to serve up burritos.
• After you assemble your carnitas burrito, air fry or pan fry to make crispy or to reheat.

Side Dishes

These delicious pork carnitas burritos with pineapple slaw are delicious all on their own with your favorite beverage of choice. However, you may like to make our Best Chicken Tortilla Soup or Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps to start.  Not required, but what is a party without chips and salsa.  Have you tried our Cherry Ginger Salsa? It's amazing with pork.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Delicious Tex Mex Recipes

Creamy Chipotle Chicken Skillet

Tomatillo Key Lime Chicken Sizzle

Chicken Enchiladas with Fire Roasted Poblano Peppers

Stove Top Chicken Fajitas Sliders

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Carnitas Burritos with Pineapple Slaw

Make these tender Mexican pork carnitas burritos topped with a spicy sweet pineapple slaw for the ultimate game day, Cinco de Mayo, or party idea.  

Course Mains

Cuisine Tex Mex

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Instant Pot Natural Release 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10 burritos

Calories 206kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• Pressure cooker multi-function Instant Pot

Ingredients

Pork Carnitas

• 2 pounds pork tenderloin 2 tenderloins - or 2 pounds cut up pork butt.
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Citrus Sauce

• ¾ cup orange juice fresh from about 2 large oranges or 5 to 6 mandarin oranges.
• 2 tablespoons lime juice or juice from 1 fresh lime
• ¾ cup pineapple juice from 20 ounce canned pineapple - no added sugar
• ½ cup chicken broth we used gluten-free
• 2 teaspoons Tajin Mexican Seasoning or chili powder
• 2 teaspoons oregano dried
• 1 teaspoon cumin dried ground
• 6 to 8 cloves garlic peeled and minced or 2 teaspoons dried garlic powder

Pineapple Slaw (optional)

• 16 ounces coleslaw mix thinly sliced cabbage and carrots plain
• ¾ cup pineapple sliced (we used canned) ½ of 20 ounce can of pineapple
• 2 tablespoons jalapeno finely chopped or to your desired spice level.
• 1 tablespoon onion finely chopped
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• salt and black pepper
  to taste
• 2 tablespoon cilantro
  roughly chopped

Tortillas

• 8 to 12 flour tortillas
  burrito size - (regular, gluten free or low carb)

Burrito Toppings (optional) - Pick and choose the ones you like

• guacamole or chopped avocado
• black beans
• cheese shredded cheddar, Colby jack, Cotija Cheese or other.
• Mexican or Cilantro lime rice or plain
• tomatoes
• salsa or taco sauce
• cilantro, jalapeno
• fresh lime wedges

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pork Carnitas Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)

• Cut up 2 pork tenderloins into 2 inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. (You may also want to use ~ 3 pounds of pork butt (pork shoulder) for this recipe - weight (~3 pounds ) after cut into cubes)
• Make the Citrus sauce. In a large measuring bowl, add orange juice, lime juice, and pineapple juice. Then, add chicken broth to make a total of 2 cups liquid. Add Tajin Mexican Seasoning or chili powder, oregano, cumin and garlic to the juice and broth mixture and stir well. Set aside.
• Place olive oil in Instant Pot (multi- function pressure cooker) and turn on sauté function. Sear the pork cubes in batches on all sides. Turn off the instant pot.
• Add all the seared pork back into the Instant Pot (pressure cooker) and pour in the citrus sauce. Close the lid of the pressure cooker. Make sure the nozzle is set to seal and NOT vent.

  If using pork tenderloins - set to pressure cook on high for 35 minutes.

  If using pork butt (pork shoulder) set to pressure cook on high for 45 minutes.

  Allow natural release for 15 minutes and then carefully release with manual pressure from the pressure cooker. Its also okay to allow for full natural release as well. Remove pork from instant pot.

  Leave the leftover citrus juice in the instant pot and turn it on to sauté function. With the lid off, allow the juices to reduce to about half. Then, turn off the instant pot and set the juices aside.

Pineapple Slaw

• While your pork is cooking, prepare the pineapple slaw and your favorite toppings. Add the coleslaw mix (finely sliced cabbage & carrots), pineapple, jalapeno, cumin, onion, cilantro, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to a large bowl and toss well. Set aside.
• Gather and prepare all of your favorite burrito toppings like beans, cheese, guacamole, rice, salsa, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno and fresh lime wedges for serving.

Oven Broil Carnitas (To Make Crispy)

• Shred the cooked pork with 2 forks into little pieces.
• Preheat oven to broil. Line a baking tray and spray with oil to prevent sticking.
• Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the reduced citrus sauce over the pork. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes or until the edges are crispy.

How to Wrap a Burrito (Let your guests make their own with their favorite toppings)

• Warm up your tortilla to help it stretch and lay flat on your work surface.
• Layer on all your favorite toppings (don't forget your pineapple slaw) in a line down the center of the wrap. I know you will be tempted but don't overfill the burrito wrap. It will be difficult to close and may tear. Try to keep the filling about2 inches away from the edges.
• Fold over the two sides over the filling in the middle.
• Then, carefully roll up the burrito going away from you. You will need to push the ingredients inward to tuck them inside the burrito.
• Fold over again until all wrap is sealed and lay the burrito seam side down.
• Cut the burrito in half, if desired, or eat whole and enjoy!

Video

Notes

The nutritional reading are based on 1 carnitas burrito per person with only the pineapple slaw and fresh lime juice as a topping.  

Storage

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in covered containers.

If you have leftover assembled burritos, air fry them at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for about 4 minutes or until toasty and crispy. We have to tell you this is so good and highly suggested. 

Recipe Tips

• Soften the tortillas in the microwave before serving to make it easier to wrap burritos. You can also soften tortillas in a 300 degrees F (148 degrees C) oven in aluminum foil for about 10 minutes or until softened.
• Keep tortillas warm in covered container or in aluminum foil.
• Pork shoulder (pork butt) is the best cut of pork to make pork carnitas due to its high fat content, but it takes longer to pressure cook. However, due to contrary belief, pork tenderloin also makes a delicious carnitas in less time.
• To save some time, use the natural release for 15 minutes before doing a quick release on the pressure cooker.
• First sear or brown your pork on the sauté function BEFORE pressure cooking. You are locking in all that extra flavor. Do not crowd the Instant pot. Make sure there is room so that it can brown on all sides. You might need to sauté the pork in batches to prevent overcrowding.
• Don't throw away those delicious citrus sauce juice that the pork was cooking in. Reduce it to half to intensify the flavor. Then, drizzle some of that sauce on the pork before broiling it.
• To keep your burrito from getting soggy, make sure your fillings are all at room temperature before filling
• Spray oil on the pork before broiling to get extra crispy edges.

How to freeze pork carnitas?

After you cook pork in the pressure cooker (instant pot), allow to cool and then place the pork with the juice in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to use, thaw pork. Place pork on a baking sheet with a little of the juices and oven broil for 4 to 5 minutes or until toasty hot with nice crispy ends.

Slow Cooker (crockpot) Directions - Slow cook pork and citrus sauce for 8 hours on low. 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1burrito | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Carnitas Burritos with Pineapple Slaw appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Whether you are hosting a gathering or tailgating before the game, these spicy pepper poppers are a huge crowd pleaser. These cheesy salami wrapped jalapeños have only a handful of ingredients and take about 6 to 8 minutes in the air fryer. What is not to like about that?!

If you are loving your air fryer as much as we are, you might like to also try our low carb recipe for Air Fryer Ribs (Chinese Style Garlic Ribs) or our Extra Crispy Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Jalapeños are a mild pepper, and they rank at 2500 to 8000 on The Scoville scale. This scale is a measurement of the heat of chili peppers and other spicy foods.  To put this in perspective a sweet bell pepper has zero on the Scoville heat units. However, a Ghost Pepper is 1,000,000 + on the Scoville scale. If you do not want the heat, exchange Jalapeños with sweet mini peppers like our keto appetizer for Feta Stuffed Mini Peppers.

• Cream cheese- we used a light cream cheese. If, you have dairy issues or need to keep it vegan there are many vegan cream cheeses on the market. We have tried the brand Violife Just Like Cream Cheese before, and it is not too bad for a vegan option.

• Grated cheese of choice - we used a Colby Jack, but a cheddar, Gouda, fontina, asiago or even a mozzarella all work well. I think any good melting cheese would work fine in here because the cream cheese is so mild. If dairy gives you tummy trouble, try exchanging out the grated cheese for a sprinkle of nutritional yeast instead.

• Salami - yep, we did it! Air fryer salami wrapped Jalapeño poppers rock. So much better than bacon wrapped Jalapeño poppers. Bacon takes a long time to get crispy and let the fat render down. Salami is quick to cook, gets crispy and adds a delicious flavor to this hot appetizer.

• Seasonings are optional but add a nice herb flavor to the mix. Green onions, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.

When and How to Pick Jalapenos?

When choosing Jalapeño peppers, try to pick ones that are straight, so they are easier to cut and stay flat during the air frying process. Jalapeños should be firm, green and smell fresh just like in the Autumn Kale Salad with a Jalapeño maple dressing recipe. Avoid peppers that have white lines on the pepper.

Do you see the jalapeno in the wooden bowl with white lines? Did you know these white lines are indicative that the plant has been under stress during the growing process? These lines may mean that the Jalapeño is older, and it will be hotter and spicier than you may want.

Chili Pepper Do's and Don'ts

When working with chili peppers, it is best to wear gloves, especially if you have sensitive skin. We find that even if we wash our hands well, there sometimes can be residual chili pepper oil on your hands. Then, you go and wipe your eye or someplace lower (much lower) and oh my word, ayaaah - the burn! Just wear gloves and you can avoid this whole mishap. Do not be touching your face or eyes after touching chili peppers.

Jalapeños are pretty mild peppers but when we are cutting up Thai Chili peppers for our Thai Hot and Sour Prawn Soup or our Prik Nam Pla, we also ventilate the room.

How to Prepare

• Slice Jalapeños in half
• Remove the seeds and the white pith inside to reduce the spice and heat level.

• Mix the cream cheese herby filling

• Slice the salami
• Stuff herby cream cheese mixture into the cavity of the Jalapeño

• Wrap salami slices around stuffed Jalapeño

• Air fry for 6 - 8 minutes on 375 Degrees F (190 degrees C) or until toasty, crispy, cheese is melted, and the Jalapeño is tender.

Is an Air Fryer a Convection Oven?

An air fryer is actually a mini convection oven that can fit on your counter. There is no frying that actually goes on. However, the very hot air is circulated by a fan and this speeds up the cooking process.

We have a have an original Cosori air fryer toaster oven and can fit approximately 10 air fryer Jalapeño poppers on our baking tray. Yours may be different. However, we lined the baking tray with parchment paper for easy cleanup. In addition, we chose the baking tray instead of the air fryer tray as the cheese can start to ooze out over the edges an on to the air fryer. The last thing we want to be doing is more cleaning!

Differences in Equipment

Every brand of air fryer is a little different. Some may only hold a few pepper poppers at a time, and some can hold many. Also, the temperature and cooking time may vary according to your model. Our suggestion is to set the air fry temperature at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) but start checking on them after 5 minutes. Keep a close on them as they can go from cold to done in a matter of minutes.

We made a couple of batches. Both batches were both done between the 6-to-8-minute mark. The goal is for the salami to get crispy, cheese to get melty and the Jalapeño to get tender.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Crowd Pleasing Appetizers

Air fried Jalapeño poppers are quite simple to throw together. If you are hosting a gathering, be sure to also try our Honey Hot Wings , Venison meatballs with Asian zing sauce, Traditional Baba ghanoush or consult our appetizer section to see if something suits your fancy.

Keto Appetizer Recipes

Our air fryer has been life changing. It does not take long to heat up and you don't heat up the whole house like you do with an oven. It's fast and the best part you can make everything healthier and without deep frying.

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

These ultimate crispy Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers are stuffed with a cheesy herb filling, then wrapped in salami and air fried for a toasty hot keto snack.

Course Appetizers/ Snacks

Cuisine American

Diet Diabetic

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 20 poppers

Calories 44kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• air fryer

Ingredients

• 5 whole Jalapeños cut in half and seeds and pith removed
• 4 ounces Cream Cheese light
• ½ cup Colby jack or shredded cheese of choice
• 2 green onions sliced green parts only
• 1 teaspoon Oregano dried (optional)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder dried (optional)
• salt to taste
• 10 slices Salami cut in half
• ground black pepper to taste (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Air Fryer Instructions

• Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Prepare the Jalapeno Poppers

• Wear gloves! Cut each jalapeno in half. Scoop out the seeds and white pith. (If you want to make sure they are mild, go the extra step and rinse and dry well too to remove any excess chili oils).
• In a medium bowl, add cream cheese, Colby Jack or shredded cheese of choice, green onions, garlic powder, oregano and salt to taste and mix well. Set Aside.
• Stack a few slices of salami together. Cut off a small portion of the edges on either side (these are little snacks for the chef). Then cut each salami slice in half to make it easier to place on the poppers. You should have a total of 20 cut in half slices or 2 salami rectangular slices for each jalapeno. You can just leave the salami slice whole but we found this difficult to wrap around the popper.
• Stuff each halved jalapeno with a little of the cream cheese mixture to fill. Do not overfill as this can cause a big mess while cooking. Wrap 2 of the pieces of sliced salami around each stuffed jalapeno pepper. Wrap tightly, so that they cross over in the back and no toothpicks are needed.
• Place prepared poppers in a single layer in the air fryer basket or a lined baking tray (with parchment paper) for the air fryer. Season with freshly ground pepper if desired.

  We have a Cosori air fryer oven toaster style model. We used a lined baking tray (to minimize any cheesy mess) and could fit 10 jalapeno poppers on the sheet at a time.

  (As you can see in our recipe video, we actually doubled this recipe and air fried in 2 separate batches. The first batch was gone in a nanosecond. BOYS! - need we say more)
• Air Fry jalapenos for 6 to 8 minutes or until the cheese is melty, the salami is crispy and the jalapeno is tender. Every air fryer cooks a little differently. We highly suggest you start looking at your poppers at the 5 minute mark and keep a close eye on them because they go from cold to cooked in a matter of minutes. Some air fryers may need longer time to cook as well. Your goal is toasty melty cheese, crisp salami and a tender jalapeno.
• Enjoy while toasty hot!

Oven Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 176 degree C
• Line baking sheet and or spray with non-stick spray. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until jalapenos are fork tender.

Video

Notes

Leftover appetizers can be stored in the refrigerator covered for 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months.

Can you make air fryer Jalapeño poppers in advance?

You sure can! There are 2 different ways to do this. You can stuff and wrap your Jalapeño poppers with salami and then store them in the refrigerator covered for up to 3 days. Then, just air fry when your guests arrive so they are toasty hot. 

Alternatively, prepare and air fry your Jalapeño popper appetizers in advance. Then, allow them to cool and then freeze if a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. You will want to lay them flat and not touching so they do not stick together.

How to cook frozen Jalapeños in the air fryer?

Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Then, place the prepared frozen Jalapeño poppers in your air fryer basket or linen air fryer baking tray (if you don’t like a lot of clean up). Air fry Jalapeños between 6 to 8 minutes or until the cheese is melty and the topping is crisp. Some air fryers may take longer or less time so keep and eye on them starting at the 5 minute mark. 

How to prepare Jalapeños to remove the heat?

First make sure you are wearing gloves as chili peppers can cause skin irritation. Next, slice in half and remove all the seeds and the white pith as this is where all the heat is. Additionally, you can rinse the Jalapeños well to get any remaining oil off the chili pepper. Allow them to dry well before using in your recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 44kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Table of Contents

• Are you stuck in a breakfast rut?
• Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowls
• Rise and Shine!
• Avocado bean salsa
• How to cook a sunny side up egg?
• Healthier crispier tortilla strips
• More Breakfast and Brunch Ideas

Are you stuck in breakfast rut?

Eating cereal, oatmeal or scrambled eggs every single day, like a broken record? Switch things up. Have a little fun! You need a breakfast overhaul. Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowls are a delicious breakfast, brunch or really anytime bowl when you want something a little different for a change.

Variety is the spice of life. Try something new. This may be a hearty cowboy breakfast but it is lightened up and moms like it too. Surprise mom on Mother's Day with this delicious Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowl.

Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowls

You are going to love this breakfast because each bite packs on the flavors with loads of fun textures from the creaminess of the avocado to the crunch of the corn to the crispiness of the toasted tortilla strips and don't forget about that drippy sunny side up egg porn. We just love that!

This recipe is a great recipe to use up that homemade pico de gallo or homemade salsa or guacamole you may have made from the day before. We are all about waste not want not and reducing food waste.

Rise and Shine!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Filling your body with the right kinds of fuel in the beginning of the day jump starts your metabolism, keeps your weight in check, and keeps you going strong all day long. Be sure to check out our Breakfast recipe category for more breakfast ideas.

Avocado Bean Salsa

This 10-minute chopped salsa could not be easier. Feel free to add or include whatever you like due to dietary preferences. If you need to watch your carbs or on a diabetic diet, you may wish to hold the corn and the black beans. Maybe you are not big on spice so either reduce or hold the jalapeño. If you happen to have left over salsa, be sure to try it over our Stove Top Chicken Fajitas Sliders or our Chicken Enchiladas with Fire Roasted Poblanos.

If you are on the, "I hate cilantro group" be sure to just hold that. We happen to love cilantro, but we know some people just despise it as they say it tastes like soap or something like this. That just leaves more for us… LOL

• Black beans
• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Lime juice
• Jalapeño
• Avocado
• Corn
• Cilantro
• Cumin
• Salt and pepper

How to cook a sunny side up egg?

Now you do not have prepare your eggs sunny side up. Maybe you would prefer them over easy, poached or even scrambled. Eggs, anyway they are prepared are delicious in this recipe. To cook a sunny side up egg, we prefer to use a non-stick pan. You can use either butter or olive oil to grease your pan.

• Get your pan medium hot
• Add a little butter or oil to your pan and allow to melt.
• Crack the egg gently on a flat surface. Don't use the end of the pan or otherwise you will have a drip mess to possibly clean up. Some people like to first break their egg being careful to not poke the yolk in a small bowl first to make sure that everything is okay before transferring to your pan. That is fine too.
• Add your egg carefully into the pan and allow it to fry on low medium heat. Salt and pepper as desired.
• Your egg is done with the whites of the egg are set and not wiggly. You can check by touching the whites gently with your finger. The whites turn from a translucent color to white.
• Remove your fried egg from your pan and place on top of your Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowls.

Healthier crispy tortilla strips

Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowls is like a deconstructed huevos rancheros recipe.  The salsa on the bottom of the bowl and the crispy tortilla on the top instead. We love texture in our dishes. How about you?

We used a tiny bit of oil in a non-stick pan and cut up gluten-free flour tortillas thinly and gently pan seared for about 10 minutes until crispy. Of course, you can use regular flour tortillas, low carb tortillas, corn tortillas or whatever you like. We are all about using what we have on hand.

Did you know that you can also bake these in the oven too? You sure can. Just preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake for about 20 minutes until crispy and toss halfway through the baking process. We season them with a little chili powder and salt after removed from the pan. These crispy little tortilla make a very fun little crunch.

More Breakfast and Brunch Ideas

• DIY Ultimate Bagel Bar Brunch
• Sautéed Asparagus and Mushrooms with Poached Eggs
• Stovetop Parmesan Leek Frittata
• Healthy Vegan Matcha Pancakes
• Baked Matcha Lemon Glazed Donuts
• Baked Eggs in Toast
• Feta Egg Rollups
• Blackberry Lemon Drop Biscuits

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowls

Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowls are a lightened-up but substantial complete cowboy Mexican breakfast with black bean wrangler salsa, bronco-buster turkey sausages, rancher fried eggs and crunchy tortillas.

Course Breakfast and Brunch

Cuisine Tex Mex

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 354kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

• 15 oz black beans
  canned rinsed and drained
• 4 tomatoes
  chopped
• ½ cup onion
  chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
  minced
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
  
• 1 jalapeno
  or to desired heat level
• 1 avocado
  chopped
• ½ cup corn
  thawed frozen or cooked fresh
• ⅓ cup cilantro
  chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• cooking spray
• 4 patties turkey sausage
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 flour or corn soft tortillas can use gluten-free or low carb ones too (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder optional
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder optional
• garnishes like cheese, hot sauce, etc. optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Make the Black bean wrangling salsa: In a medium bowl combine black beans, tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime, jalapeños, avocado, corn, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper and stir to mix well.  Set aside.
• Cook the turkey sausage patties in a nonstick pan with a little cooking spray for about 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked. Set aside and keep warm
• Slice your soft tortillas into thin strips and cut into thirds. Place 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil into pan and add the tortilla strips. Gently shake your pan every few minutes to make sure that they brown evenly on all sides.  Fry until golden brown. Remove and place on a plate with a napkin. Sprinkle with garlic and chili powder. Set aside. (Alternatively, you may also bake your tortilla strips in a 375 F degree (190 C degree) oven for 20 minutes and stir halfway though to ensure browning on a sides.
• Pan fry eggs. Place oil or butter in non-stick pan and break egg whole into pan being careful not to break the yolk. Let the egg cook for about 30 seconds to a minute or until the white is no longer translucent and when you touch it is firm to touch. My boys do not like runny eggs and prefer them cooked all the way through with the yolks broken. However, I know many people like it when the egg runs over their sausage and then can dip into egg. Cook to your desired effect.
• Assembly: In a medium bowl, place a layer of salsa, add 2-3 sausages on top, then place the fried egg on top, then on the very top garnish with crunchy fried tortillas. As an extra colorful and tasty touch, add grated cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream or hot sauce splash to garnish.

Notes

If you want to make this recipe low carb, skip the fried tortilla chips on top and remove the black beans and corn from the salsa. 

You can cook your egg any way you like. Scrambled, over easy or sunny side up. We love that drippy egg.

To cook a sunny side up egg, we prefer to use a non-stick pan. You can use either butter or olive oil to grease your pan.

Get your pan medium hot

Add a little butter or oil to your pan and allow to melt.

Crack the egg gently on a flat surface. Don’t use the end of the pan or otherwise you will have a drip mess to possibly clean up. Some people like to first break their egg being careful to not poke the yolk in a small bowl first to make sure that everything is okay before transferring to your pan. That is fine too.

Add your egg carefully into the pan and allow it to fry on low medium heat. Salt and pepper as desired.

Your egg is done with the whites of the egg are set and not wiggly. You can check by touching the whites gently with your finger.

Feel free to use gluten-free or low carb flour or corn tortillas in your recipe. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 1011mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1463IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Healthy Tex Mex Breakfast Bowls appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

One bite of the light and creamy shrimp and rice mixture smothered in creamy poblano sauce and cheesy goodness and you will be hooked.

What We Love

Can be made in advance and then reheated

Freezes well

Gluten-free

Can be made dairy free by using vegan cheese

Taco Tuesdays elevated ten times over

Spicy but not too spicy

Hearty and filling

Keto and low carb options

Left over Rice Rocks

Do you have leftover rice in your refrigerator? You are in luck! Don't throw it away as it makes a delicious Shrimp Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce or try one of these recipes below…

Chorizo and Shrimp Fried Rice

Middle Eastern Rice Lentils Mujadara

Vegan Chickpea Lemon Rice

Vegan Curried Rice

Pantry Fried Rice

Kimchi Pantry Brown Rice

Hawaiian Luau Rice

Japanese Crispy Rice Onigiri

Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle

Green Magic Sauce

We highly suggest you double the recipe for our creamy poblano sauce. This magic green sauce rocks over eggs, in carnitas burritos, stir fried Mexican rice and many other recipes. It is dairy free and will last for at least 3 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer. If you decide to freeze this sauce, you may want to place in the food processor for a moment just to get it mixed well again.

Burrito vs Enchilada?

The difference between a burrito and an enchilada is the type of tortilla used. Most generally speaking, burritos use a flour tortilla. However, enchiladas use soft corn tortillas. We used both low carb tortillas and also gluten-free flour tortillas from Mission and they are soft and easy to wrap.

Traditional Ingredients

Have you ever had a burrito at a Mexican restaurant? Then you may have had one stuffed with ground beef, rice, beans, corn, cheese, onion and many different ingredients with a red chili sauce. This is the more traditional version of a burrito.

However, with our Shrimp Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce we are breaking all the rules. We are stuffing our burrito with shrimp and rice slathered with delicious creamy poblano sauce.

Toppings

Traditionally you may see melted cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cotija cheese and avocado to name a few. We chose to keep it simple and topped with a few chopped tomatoes and avocados for the perfect savory bite.

Taco Seasoning

If you want a delicious recipe for homemade taco seasoning, just add the following ingredients together and store in a sealed container. Check out The Foodie Affairs Taco Seasoning Mix Recipe for details.

chili powder

teaspoon paprika

onion powder

garlic powder

cumin

oregano

sea salt

ground black pepper

cayenne pepper

red pepper flakes

However, we know life is just crazy busy so using a pre-made taco seasoning packet from the store is okay and we won't tell a soul.

Step By Step Assembly

Do not worry about making your burritos perfectly wrapped as these delicious burritos will need to be eaten with a fork. the only hint is try not to overstuff them too much. You might have a little leftover stuffing and that is one happy accident as then you lunch sorted for the next day.

Can you make this recipe low carb?

You most certainly can! There are 3 changes that you will make to the recipe.

• Use cauliflower rice instead of day old cooked rice in your recipe.
• Be sure to make your own taco seasoning mix as the store bought in a package generally add sugar and corn starch or other thickeners.
• Lettuce cups instead of tortilla
• Do not bake your burrito. Instead just top your lettuce cup with a scoop of your delicious seasoned shrimp and cauliflower rice and place on top of your lettuce cup. Top with a little shredded cheese if desired. Finally drizzle on a little of that creamy poblano sauce and inhale.

Maybe one would call this the unbaked burrito or Tex Mex shrimp and cauliflower rice lettuce cups with a killer good creamy poblano sauce. We made something similar using Italian ingredients that you may enjoy called Parsley Lemon Pesto Shrimp Wraps.

Gluten Free

The 2 things you need to do to confirm that your recipe is gluten free if you have a celiac issue is to use gluten- free tortillas and make your own homemade taco seasoning mix with gluten free spices. If you are looking for more gluten free Mexican recipes, be sure to try our vegetarian tamale verde.

More delicious TEX MEX Meals

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)

Cheesy Roasted Poblano Peppers

Chicken Enchiladas with Fire Roasted Poblano Peppers

Baked Skinny Tex Mex Fish

Do not panic when you see the length of the ingredients list as many items are listed twice as they are used in different parts of the recipe and many are optional garnishes. Have a super week ahead.

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Shrimp Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce

Shrimp Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce is an easy gluten-free creamy and spicy tex mex dinner ready in under 30 minutes.

Course Mains

Cuisine Tex Mex

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 burritos

Calories 436kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

Creamy Poblano Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 onion
  peeled and chopped (Reserve ½ of the sautéed onion and garlic mixture for rice)
• 2 cloves garlic
  peeled and minced (Reserve ½ of the sautéed onion and garlic mixture for rice)
• 2 poblano peppers
  seeds removed and roughly chopped
• 1 cup coconut milk
  (full fat)
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
  (homemade or store bought)
• 1 cup cilantro
  
• Salt and pepper
  to taste

Shrimp and Rice Mixture

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• Reserved ½ of the sautéed onion and garlic mixture from above
• 1 pound shrimp
  
• 2 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
  
• 2 cups cooked rice (we used jasmine rice but can use any type you have on hand including brown)
  
• 2 tablespoon coconut milk
  
• ½ cup Cilantro
  
• Salt and pepper
  to taste
• 6 Flour tortillas
  (we some low carb wraps and some gluten-free wraps)
• 1 cup mozzarella Cheese
  grated (as that is all we had on hand but can use cheddar or dairy free cheese if lactose intolerant)
• Tomatoes
  garnish (optional)
• Avocado
  garnish (optional)
• Cilantro garnish (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to broil.
• Make your taco seasoning mixture from scratch. https://www.thefoodieaffair.com/taco-seasoning-mix-recipe/ If using taco seasoning in a packet, skip this step.

Creamy Poblano Sauce

• In a large skillet add olive oil, onion and garlic and sauté until slightly golden. Remove from the burner and set aside. You are going to use ½ of the onion garlic mixture in your creamy poblano sauce and the other half in your shrimp and rice mixture.
• In a food processor, add ½ of the cooked onion and garlic mixture. Leave the other half of the onion garlic mixture in the pan as you will use this for frying together your shrimp and rice mixture. Also, add to your food processor poblano peppers, coconut cream, 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning mixture, handful bunch of cilantro (about 1 cup NOT chopped) and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until thick rich and bright green in color. Set aside.

Make Shrimp and Rice Mixture

• Place the skillet with the sautéed onion and garlic mixture back on the stove top and turn on medium meat. Add in the peeled, deveined and tail removed shrimp and sauté for about 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and no longer translucent. Next add in the cooked rice, 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add in 2 tablespoons of coconut cream to make it rich and creamy. Then, add in chopped cilantro and stir well. Set aside.

Assemble your Shrimp Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce

• Gently spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with a little spray oil on the sides and bottom of pan.
• Put 3 tablespoons of the Creamy poblano sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
• Place about 3 tablespoons of your prepared Shrimp and rice mixture into each flour tortilla and a little bit of the creamy poblano sauce. Start on one side and fold over and then fold over the edges and roll up. Do not worry these do not have to be perfect.
• Put the wrapped shrimp and rice burritos inside the prepared 9 x 13 pan that has a little of the creamy poblano sauce on the bottom. Drizzle the rest of the creamy poblano sauce over the burritos. Top with the grated cheese.
• Broil your Shrimp Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce for about 2-3 minutes or just until the cheese gets all melty and slightly golden. Remove from oven.
• Garnish if desired with chopped tomatoes, cilantro and avocado if desired and enjoy.

Notes

We used coconut milk and dairy free cheese only because we are lactose intolerant. However, feel free to use half and half or heavy cream and dairy cheese of choice. A cheddar, Colby jack or cotija cheese are all delicious in the recipe as well.

Feel free to roast and peel your poblano peppers before putting them in the creamy poblano sauce, if you desire. Poblanos are just as delicious not roasted but if you have the time, go for it.

You can use any leftover rice your little heart desires in this recipe. We just happen to use jasmine rice as we had been making a Chinese recipe the day before. Brown rice, basmati, short grain rice are all delicious in this recipe.

Gluten Free: If you are celiac or need to make your recipe gluten free, exchange your flour tortillas with gluten free tortillas. We used the Mission brand and they were very soft and delicious. In addition, we recommend making your own taco seasoning mix with gluten free spices from your pantry.

Low Carb Options: Diabetic and low carb friends, we have a work around for you. You will need to make 3 changes to this recipe to make it low carb. First, you will need to exchange the rice for cauliflower rice. Secondly, you will not be baking this recipe. Lastly, you will be using a crispy lettuce wrap and putting a dollop of the prepared shrimp and cauliflower rice mixture. Then , you are going to top it with a dollop of the creamy poblano sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. You can thank us later.

Have fun with your toppings. We chose to top with a few diced tomatoes, cilantro and avocado. However, maybe you would like a little crispy lettuce, corn or fresh salsa. Take Care

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 205mg | Sodium: 1021mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Shrimp Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Soup for Dinner

This is a busy time of the year and with a little planning you can have some wonderful dishes for those busy work weeks. We double up on soup and stew recipes and freeze half for later. When you have had the world's worst day at work, you can get dinner on the table in a flash.

More Nourishing Soups

Immune Boosting Chicken and Rice Soup

Instant Pot Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

Creamy Thai Sweet Potato Chicken Soup

Thai Hot and Sour Prawn Soup

Golden Spiced Noodle Soup

French Beef Vegetable Mushroom Onion Soup

Cozy Chicken Curry Soup

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Best Chicken Tortilla Soup

Best Chicken Tortilla Soup is a super easy dump and go time saving recipe made in the pressure cooker (instant pot), slow cooker or stove top. (Stove top cook time - 20 minutes, Instant pot cook time - 14 minutes, Slow Cooker cook time - low 8-10 hours or high 4-6 hours)  

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 561kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

Best Chicken Tortilla Soup

• 1 tablespoon oil (for stove top version only)
• 1 small red onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium carrot chopped
• 1 large bell pepper chopped (optional)
• 1 stalk celery chopped
• 1 whole jalapeno or red chili pepper finely chopped (optional or use less as more as desired for level of heat)
• 1 pound chicken breasts boneless, skinless (You can also use left over grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken or leftovers from Savory Herb roasted Whole Baked Chicken)
• 28 ounces canned tomatoes fie roasted (I puree mine in blender)
• 4 cups chicken broth (gluten free and low sodium)
• 2 whole bay leaves (optional)
• 1 teaspoon oregano dried
• 2 teaspoons cumin dried ground
• 2 tablespoons chili pepper dried ground
• 1 teaspoon sugar (or sugar substitute)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 ounces corn frozen canned or fresh cut off the cob
• 12 ounces black beans canned (drained and rinsed)

Tortilla Strips (optional)

• 3 whole Tortilla soft (regular, gluten free or lower carb soft flour or corn tortillas all work well)
• Olive oil spray or ¼ cup oil if you wish to fry tortillas
• 1 teaspoon chili powder for tortillas

Garnishes

• ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded (optional)
• ¼ cup cilantro fresh chopped (optional)
• Lime zest and lime juice optional
• Avocado (1 sliced optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Directions

• In your pressure cooker (instant pot), add chopped onion, garlic, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, jalapeno, Whole chicken breasts, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, chili pepper, sugar or sugar alternative, salt and pepper to taste, corn and black beans. Stir.
• Close lid of the pressure cooker and make sure the steam release button is placed on NO VENTING. Set your pressure cooker to high pressure and time for 14 minutes. Allow to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes and then can manually vent carefully by using an oven mitt or towel and turning the vent knob safely away from your face. Be careful. When the button collapses, you can remove the lid.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and shred. Add the chicken back into the instant pot and stir. Chicken Tortilla soup if now ready to be served with garnishes as desired.

Slow Cooker (Crock Pot) Directions

• In your slow cooker (crock pot), add chopped onion, garlic, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, jalapeno, Whole chicken breasts, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, chili pepper, sugar or sugar alternative, salt and pepper to taste, corn and black beans. Stir.
• Set your slow cooker (crockpot) on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Remove the chicken from your slow cooker and shred with a fork. Add the chicken back into the slow cooker and stir. Chicken Tortilla soup if now ready to be served with garnishes as desired.

Stove Top Directions

• Put oil in large pot and add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers and cook until aromatic and slightly tender. Add chicken, if using precooked chicken, you can move through all the steps sequentially. If using uncooked chicken, cook chicken first with seasoning until juices no longer run pink. Add oregano, cumin, salt and pepper, chili powder and sugar.
• Next, add canned tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, corn and black beans and simmer for about 20 minutes over medium heat until flavors have a chance to mingle.

Make Crunchy Tortilla Strips (While the soup is simmering, make the garnishes).

• In a small bowl add the cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro and lime zest and mix. Set aside.
• Cut up the corn or flour tortillas into thin strips and cut into thirds.

Baked option:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Cut the tortillas into slices. Then, we spray the lined baking pan with a little oil spray and place the tortillas single layered on the baking tray. Just spritz the tortillas with a light spray of olive oil and sprinkle on chili powder, salt and pepper and you are good to go. Bake for about 5-10 minutes and then toss. Then, Bake again for another 5-10 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.

Pan Fried Option:

• Place oil in pan and add your cut tortilla strips to the pan and fry over medium low heat for about 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Toss periodically and keep a close eye on them so they do not burn. After you remove the fried tortilla strips from the pan, place them on an absorbent paper towel lined dish and season with chili powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Putting It All Together

• Ladle chicken tortilla soup into bowls, drizzle with a little fresh lime juice and top with cheese topping and fried tortillas. If you like sliced avocados, add a few of those as well. Enjoy!
• Best Chicken Tortilla Soup can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days without garnishes. You can freeze the soup for up to 2 months in a freezer safe container. Store garnishes separately in the refrigerator.

Notes

• If you are using precooked chicken, you can decrease the time down to 8 minutes for pressure cooker (instant pot).
• To keep this recipe gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free chicken broth and gluten-free tortillas.
• If you are feeling too lazy to bake or fry tortilla strips, you can exchange with a bag or your favorite tortilla chips from the grocery store.
• When using the instant pot, note that depending on the temperature of your chicken broth it can take up to 20 minutes to warm up and come to pressure and start cooking.
• We used gluten-free nourishing chicken bone broth for this recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 591mg | Potassium: 1971mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 4982IU | Vitamin C: 92mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 7mg

The post Best Chicken Tortilla Soup appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

You are just going to love this tomato noodle soup because it is super easy to throw together. It has only 6 ingredients and can be on your table in under 30 minutes. Kids just love this recipe too! You got to love that.

What is Sopa de Fideo?

In Spanish, Sopa means soup and Fideo is noodles. Sopa de Fideo loosely translates to noodle soup. However, it is not just any noodles, it is usually made with fideo noodles.

These are super fine noodles usually made with durum wheat and water, rolled, cut into about 1.5 to 2-inch pieces and dried. However, the part that makes this Mexican Noodle Soup authentic is toasting the fideo noodles first before putting them in the soup.

Substitutions: Mexican Noodle Soup

It may be difficult to find fideo noodles. However, angel hair pasta noodles like we used in our creamy kale pasta, work great as a substitution. Angel hair pasta is what we used for the Mexican noodle soup. Just be sure to break the noodles up before toasting. This makes the soup easier to eat.

We have made the sopa de fideo recipe vegetarian with the addition of a vegetable broth and added little topping of crumbly cotija cheese. However, you can make the recipe completely vegan just top with a little chopped avocado and extra cilantro.

Feel free to make this recipe with chicken broth or bone broth. If you want to add chopped chicken, ground beef or other protein just be sure to fry that up before adding the broth.

Gluten - Free Options

Need this recipe gluten free, no problem. Choose gluten - free vermicelli noodles from the store and toast them on the stovetop. Then, add to the soup broth after the soup base had a least 20 minutes to cook and mingle the flavors. Follow the directions on your gluten free pasta for cooking direction.

Recipe Tips

• Your sopa de fideo ( Mexican Soup Recipe) will thicken as it sets. If you want to reheat the leftovers you will need to add a little more broth and re-season to serve again.
• We like to use fire roasted tomatoes. We used the ones in a can as this time of the year, fresh tomatoes are not in season. If tomatoes are in season, feel free to fire roast your own Roma tomatoes, peel and add to the soup base.
• Fresh Cilantro (coriander) really makes this recipe delicious. However, we know that some individuals have an aversion to cilantro. You can exchange with a teaspoon of dried oregano.

Budget Friendly Mexican Recipe

Angel hair noodles - $1.50
Fire roasted tomatoes - $2.50
Vegetable broth 2 (32 ounces) - $2.88
Cilantro - $0.99
Jalapeno - $0.50
Onion - $0.75
Garlic - $0.30

Total - $ 9.42 to feed 4. That is only around $2.35 a plate. Pretty frugal no matter where you are in the world. You may actually have some of these items already in your pantry.

We hope you enjoy this quick and easy weekday Mexican Noodle Soup Recipe.

More Nourishing Noodle Soup Recipes

Easy Beef Pho with Oodles of Noodles,

Spicy Tomato Glass Noodle Soup

Golden Spiced Noodle Soup

Best Chicken Tortilla Soup

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)

Sopa de Fideo is a delicious budget friendly Mexican Noodle Soup made with a vegetable tomato spicy broth with aromatics, herbs and pan-fried angel hair noodles.

Course Mains, Sides

Cuisine Tex Mex

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 207kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

• 8 oz Angel hair pasta
  
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  
• 28 oz Tomatoes canned fire roasted
• 1 Onion
  peeled and chopped
• 1 Jalapeno
  seeds removed and sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic
  peeled
• 6 cup Vegetable broth
  
• salt and pepper
  to taste
• ½ cup cilantro
  roughly chopped
• fresh lime
  garnish (optional)
• avocado
  garnish (optional)
• Cotija cheese garnish (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Break your angel hair pasta in 1.5 to 2inch sections.
• Add olive oil to your pan and over a medium heat saute angel hair pasta until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
• In a food processor, add canned fire roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno and blend until well mixed.
• In a large soup pot, add your tomato mixture from your food processor, vegetable broth, salt and pepper to taste and cook over medium heat simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Add your toasted sautéed noodles to the soup broth and cilantro and simmer for about 7-8 minutes or until aldente. Do not boil.
• Garnish with a drizzle of fresh lime juice, avocado and crumbled cotija cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Your sopa de fideo ( Mexican Soup Recipe) will thicken as it sets. If you want to reheat the leftovers you will need to add a little more broth and re-season to serve again.

We like to use fire roasted tomatoes. We used the ones in a can as this time of the year, fresh tomatoes are not in season.

If tomatoes are in season, feel free to fire roast your own roma tomatoes, peel and add to the soup base.

Fresh Cilantro (coriander) really makes this recipe delicious. However, we know that some individuals have an aversion to cilantro. You can exchange with a teaspoon of dried oregano.

Storage and Reheating: Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 951mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1718IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup) appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Spanish Empanadas are the perfect one handed tapas to serve at a gathering. You are just going to love that first bite into the flaky crust and the hearty savory beef mixture. We love serving our beef empanadas hot out of the oven and with a side of our Spicy 5 Minute Chimichurri Sauce. Your guests are going to love you and your homemade empanadas too!

Spanish Tapas Party

It is Spanish Tapas Night here at Healthy World Cuisine. Pour yourself a tall fruity sangria and come and join the fun. Last week, we started our fun Spanish night with the Best Orange Almond Flourless Cake dessert.

Hey, why not right? Life is short- Eat Dessert first for a sweet ending to your party! Coming soon to a monitor near you will be our fast and easy chimichurri sauce recipe, baked Spanish mushroom tapas. Be sure to check out our recipe for our Spanish Meatballs with Peppers and Tomato Wine Sauce is a hit at any gathering.

History of Empanadas

Empanada treats are prevalent in Spain, Portugal, Latin America, Argentina, Philippines and Caribbean and other places around the world and are a type of stuffed pastry. These delicious stuffed treats are often served at parties or festivals either as a starter or as part of the main meal.

In addition, they have many different fillings depending on where they are originated from. Did you know that they can be either baked or fried. To keep this recipe a little healthier we will be baking them.

Fillings

Traditional fillings include beef, raisins, olives, hard boiled eggs and such. When you are cooking for 25 guests with 25 different taste palates, it is best to exclude those questionable filling like raisins and hard boiled eggs. Instead, we added in red bell pepper and it was a hit. If you like the idea of a hand pie, be sure to try our Easy Pumpkin Empanadas as a dessert option.

Argentina Recipe

We have a very dear friend from Argentina. She makes the most wonderful ground beef empanadas you have ever tasted. A recipe passed on to her from generation to generation is like gold.  You are so lucky.  She has shared her beef filling recipe with us today.  We have never tasted anything that has even come close to it since.

Simplify Your Party Hosting Strategy

We thought about making our own flaky empanada crust for our beef empanadas from scratch as we have done numerous times before. Actually, this beef empanada recipe was first posted back on September 20, 2011 and since then we have learned many lessons along the way.

First important lesson when hosting a gathering is to delegate.

Second important lesson is to do as much as possible in advance.

Third is to simplify everything you can. For example, if you are not feeling up to make individual hand pies, try our simple cheeseburger puff pastry rolls instead.

If you have been following Healthy World Cuisine you may have remembered that we made the empanada dough from scratch. Crazy! Right? Hosting 25 people and making everything from scratch. Actually, that might be referred to as insane. We took a very easy and delicious short cut and used store bought refrigerated pie dough. Yes, we did and no one was the wiser.

Helpful Hints for Making Empanadas for a Crowd

• Buy pre-made pie crusts - you can thank us later
• Make your beef mixture in advance and allow to cool completely before stuffing your empanadas.  We did this the day before and refrigerated the beef filling. The reason being is that the dough will become soggy and your empanadas will be difficult to seal and work with.
• Keep your pie dough refrigerated until just ready to use. If your pie dough gets warm, it becomes difficult to work with and sticks on things and more apt to tear.
• Do NOT over stuff your empanadas. You want to keep about ½ inch away from the sides. If the beef mixture gets on the section you are trying to seal, then it could pop open during the baking of the empanadas.
• You can use the edge of the fork to seal or use the same fold over crimp like you do for a dumpling or pie crust. The edge of the fork is easiest and quickest method. The fold over method is a little more complicated.
• We used egg wash to seal the edges of our beef empanadas and also brushed on top to give a beautiful golden color when baked.
• Make sure you poke a little fork hole near the edge of the empanada to allow the steam to escape, just like you would with an apple pie.
• Pre fill and crimp edges of your beef empanadas and store uncovered in the refrigerator until ready to bake later that day. You can store like this up to 8 hours in advance. As a matter of fact, you will have better results with the baking process if your beef empanadas are chilled 30 minutes before baking. Less likely to pop open during the baking process.
• You can stack up your baking sheets in the refrigerator if you place 2 little tiny bowls that are deeper than your empanadas on each of your baking sheets. (Rocking awesome idea from the hubby!)
• Alternatively, you can stuff your empanadas and crimp. Then, you can place on a baking sheet uncovered and freeze until firm and then place in a freezer safe container up to 3 months. You can then bake directly from the freezer, making sure to give them a quick egg wash before you put them in the oven.
• Beef empanadas can be baked before your guests arrive and eaten at room temperature but we really like them hot out of the oven.
• Once your guests arrive, pour them a fruity sangria and pop your beef empanadas in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and enjoy. Repeat process until your guests are full or you run out of empanadas.
• This beef empanada recipe makes 34 medium sized empanadas. We used about a 5.5 inch bowl to make our pastry circles from the pre-made pie crust. By the time you fold them in half and then crimp, it is the perfect hand held size beef empanada.

Be prepared to be hunted!!!

You may be asking, "What the heck?" Yes, be prepared to be hunted down and stalked like a wild animal once your guests hear the timer for the oven and freshly baked empanadas are coming out of the oven. We have an island in the center of the kitchen and the oven on the opposite side.

As it was quite crowded in the kitchen and living room area, we placed the freshly baked beef empanadas and placed them on a serving platter with a bowl of chimichurri sauce and walked around offering our guests a taste. Little did we know we had a parade of followers trying to catch up to the beef empanadas tray to grab another taste.

Step By Step Beef Empanadas

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Appetizer Recipe Ideas

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Beef Empanadas

Easy Beef Empanadas are made with pre-made light and flaky pie crusts stuffed with seasoned ground beef, olives and spices and baked to perfection.

Course Appetizers/ Snacks

Cuisine Spanish

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 34 empanadas

Calories 227kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced finely
• 1 pound ground beef
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons water or beef broth or red wine - 3 tablespoons to thin out the tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 cup green pitted olives sliced
• 8 pie crusts 4 pre-made packages (8 unbaked pie crusts)
• 1 egg beaten
• oil spray to prevent sticking on tray
• Spicy 5 Minute Chimichurri Sauce optional

Instructions

• Place oil in frying pan and heat up to medium heat. Add onion and garlic and fry until aromatic. Add ground beef and salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 3-5 minutes until browned. If excess oil, drain the fat from the pan.

  Add chopped red bell pepper, tomato paste, (water, broth or wine to thin out a little), paprika, oregano, cumin and green pitted olives and cook for 2 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.. You want the mixture to be slightly saucy but not wet as you do not want the empanadas to leak from the crust. Allow Beef mixture to cool.
• Remove the pre-made pie crust from the carton and lie flat on your counter or cutting board. Use a 4 inch bowl to cut out round circles. (We were feeding a huge crowd so we made 34 empanadas). Place a little egg wash or water around the edge of each pie crust circle.

  Place 2 tablespoons cooled beef mixture into each circle on one side. Close the empanada in half. Press your fingers around the edges. Then you can either use a fork to go around the edges to press and seal or crimp the sides by folding over the edges. Take a fork and place a couple of little holes near the crimped edges to allow the steam to escape during the baking process. Continue this same process with the remaining empanadas.
• Place your prepared empanadas in the refrigerator for 30 minutes prior to baking. Pre-heat oven for 375 degree F (190 degrees C) Brush your empanadas with egg wash. Bake Empanadas for 18- 20 minutes uncovered or until golden brown.
• Serve beef empanadas hot out of the oven with an chimichurri sauce if desired. enjoy!
• You can make your beef empanadas up to the point of baking up to 8 hours in advance and store in the refrigerator until your guests arrive and then bake when your guests arrive.

  You may also freeze unbaked beef empanadas on the baking sheet. Once the empanadas are frozen solid you can place in a freezer bag or plastic sealed container up to 3 months. You can then bake directly from the freezer. Do not unthaw.
• Empanadas can also be eaten at room temperature but they are absolutely fantastic hot out of the oven.
• You may wish to add raisins or hard boiled eggs slices to your empanadas if desired.

Notes

Helpful Hints for Making Empanadas for a Crowd

• Buy pre-made pie crusts - you can thank us later
• Make your beef mixture in advance and allow to cool completely before stuffing your empanadas.  We did this the day before and refrigerated the beef filling. The reason being is that the dough will become soggy and your empanadas will be difficult to seal and work with.
• Keep your pie dough refrigerated until just ready to use. If your pie dough gets warm, it becomes difficult to work with and sticks on things and more apt to tear.
• Do NOT over stuff your empanadas. You want to keep about ½ inch away from the sides. If the beef mixture gets on the section you are trying to seal, then it could pop open during the baking of the empanadas.
• You can use the edge of the fork to seal or use the same fold over crimp like you do for a dumpling or pie crust. The edge of the fork is easiest and quickest method. The fold over method is a little more complicated.
• We used egg wash to seal the edges of our beef empanadas and also brushed on top to give a beautiful golden color when baked.
• Make sure you poke a little fork hole near the edge of the empanada to allow the steam to escape, just like you would with an apple pie.
• Pre fill and crimp edges of your beef empanadas and store uncovered in the refrigerator until ready to bake later that day. You can store like this up to 8 hours in advance. As a matter of fact, you will have better results with the baking process if your beef empanadas are chilled 30 minutes before baking. Less likely to pop open during the baking process.
• You can stack up your baking sheets in the refrigerator if you place 2 little tiny bowls that are deeper than your empanadas on each of your baking sheets. (Rocking awesome idea from the hubby!)
• Alternatively, you can stuff your empanadas and crimp. Then, you can place on a baking sheet uncovered and freeze until firm and then place in a freezer safe container up to 3 months. You can then bake directly from the freezer, making sure to give them a quick egg wash before you put them in the oven.
• Beef empanadas can be baked before your guests arrive and eaten at room temperature but we really like them hot out of the oven.
• Once your guests arrive, pour them a fruity sangria and pop your beef empanadas in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and enjoy. Repeat process until your guests are full or you run out of empanadas.
• This beef empanada recipe makes 34 medium sized empanadas. We used about a 5.5 inch bowl to make our pastry circles from the pre-made pie crust. By the time you fold them in half and then crimp, it is the perfect hand held size beef empanada.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1empanada | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 199IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Beef Empanadas appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

The Sauce

You are going to just love how quick and easy this recipe is to throw together and just one pan for easy cleanup. However, you are just going to go wild over this sauce. It is so good you are going to want to do shots of it. Really!

SMOKY
SAVORY
SPICY
YUM!

This Creamy chipotle chicken skillet sauce is fantastic over rice, noodles or even low carb cauliflower rice. Just dreamy. With a cooling and fresh Heirloom Tomato Cucumber Salad , just perfect.

If you are hosting a gathering, be sure to try our Baked Cheesy Salami Wrapped Jalapeños or Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps to start with to stay on the Tex Mex theme.

Cinco de Mayo is coming up very shortly. When you are short on time and ingredients, this is the perfect dish. Make sure to check out all our TEX MEX Recipe collection for more inspiration.

Type of Chicken

We used trimmed chicken breasts cut in half horizontally to reduce the amount of cooking time. However, you could also use chicken tenderloins. Bone in chicken thighs, breast and legs are also delicious but they add a great more time to the cooking process. If you are looking for another speedy less than 30 minute chicken recipe, be sure to try our Feta Baked Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes. 

Dairy or Non-Dairy

We like to use cream or half and half to balance the heat of the spicy adobo chipotle peppers. You could also use a splash of coconut cream, if you wanted to keep dairy free. In addition, we have found this super easy delicious Homemade Chipotle Adobo Sauce from The Organic Dietician which is sugar free, oil free and gluten free.

Of course, all this delicious creamy sauce is fabulous over rice or noodles or even cauliflower rice to keep it lower carb. It is quite addictive.

Chipotle Peppers

We used 2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce and it was medium spicy. I would suggest 1 chipotle pepper for extra mild, 3 for real spicy.

A good dose of sautéed onions and fresh garlic for natural sweetness and depth of flavor. We garnished with a little freshly squeezed lime and cilantro to finish the dish for a bit of freshness.

Have you noticed we have been on a spicy chili kick lately on HWC Magazine? Out of our last 6 recipes 4 of them had chilis in it. When the weather is in between seasons and damp, there is nothing like chili peppers to warm you up and get you sorted.

More Easy SPICY Recipes

Vietnamese Shrimp Vermicelli Salad

Spicy Holy Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) 

Spring Time Thai Beef Buddha Bowls

Authentic Thai fish Salad 

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Creamy Chipotle Chicken Skillet

Creamy Chipotle Chicken Skillet is a one pan spicy, smoky and savory 30-minute dinner with just 7 little ingredients that you will love on your menu plan.

Course Mains

Cuisine Tex Mex

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 496kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 4 chicken breasts
  skinless boneless breasts cut lengthwise to make thinner to reduce cook (or can use chicken tenderloins)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Onion chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic
  minced
• ½ cup Fire roasted tomatoes
  
• ¾ cup Full fat dairy cream (or coconut cream for dairy free)
• 2 Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  with 2 tablespoons of sauce (adjust for your desired heat level)
• 1 tablespoon Lime juice
  optional
• 2 tablespoon Cilantro to garnish (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a large frying pan, add one tablespoon of olive oil. Turn on your stove burner to a medium heat. Season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper on each side. Add your chicken into the frying pan. Cook uncovered over medium heat until golden brown or about 3-4 minutes on each side or until the juices run clear. Set aside and keep warm. (Do not wash your pan!)
• Add another tablespoon of olive oil into the pan. Add the onions and sauté for about 10 minutes until translucent and slightly golden. If you have the time and want to caramelize the onions, then this is even better. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until translucent. Add the fire roasted tomatoes to the pan and break up a little with your wooden spoon. Loosen up all the little tasty bits on the bottom of the pan from the cooking chicken. Add your cream or nondairy coconut cream, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Add your cooked chicken back to the pan. Cook over low medium heat just until warm and bubbly.
• Drizzle with a little lime juice and garnish with a little cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

We used coconut cream full fat for this recipe as we have dairy sensitivities but you can use full fat cream. The nutrition calculations are based on coconut cream.

You can refrigerate any leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days. This recipe can be frozen up to 3 months and then just heat and eat. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 1032mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 586IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Creamy Chipotle Chicken Skillet appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine