Let’s Go Out for … Mexican

Authentic Mexican food can be healthier and tastier than your typical chain-restaurant fare. Here's how to enjoy the real thing.

Article By: Jeffrey Lindenmuth

Most of our impressions of Mexican cuisine come courtesy of a highly American treatment known as “Tex-Mex,” in which popular Mexican comfort foods are thrown into a deep-fryer and smothered in gooey cheese. “Mexican food is not all tacos and burritos and chimichangas," says Lucero Martinez, executive chef of Pampano, a contemporary Mexican restaurant in New York. "Calling these Mexican cuisine is like saying America eats nothing but hamburgers.”

Not surprisingly, authentic Mexican food is, in most cases, healthier than common chain-restaurant offerings. “Traditionally speaking, Mexican food has bright, bold flavors of citrus and chilies and herbs. It's not just heavy food,” says Diane Henderiks, RD, culinary nutritionist at DishWithDiane.com. “You are going to see some lard and meat you need to be aware of, but the accent flavors can be very healthy.”

Let’s walk through some of the typical dishes you’ll find in many authentic Mexican restaurants. Some may seem unfamiliar, but that’s likely because you’re better acquainted with the Tex-Mex version than the real dish that inspired it.

Nachos
Nachos aren't exactly authentic Mexican food, but they're hard to escape given their popularity. “Nachos come from Texas. We have chips and all of those ingredients in Mexico, but we don’t make them into a meal,” says Martinez of the mountain of chips covered in guacamole, cheese, beans and sour cream. “I wouldn't waste calories on these,” says Henderiks. "Not only is there no saving them nutritionally, but it's something you can make at home." One 6 1/2-ounce serving of cheese-and-bean nachos has a PointsPlus® value of 10.

Guacamole
The fresher the better for this mix of onion, tomato, salt and avocado. The avocado, however, is a nutritional conundrum: High in fiber and vitamins, with more potassium than a banana, it contains mostly healthful monounsaturated fats. But no matter how you mash it, it’s still fat (read: calorie-intense). A 1/2 cup of guacamole has a PointsPlus value of 4.

Nopalitos
The pads of a prickly cactus may seem like the last things you’d want to eat, but this authentic appetizer can be one of the most healthful dishes in Mexican cuisine. The leaves are often cut into strips or small squares, and then blanched or fried. You’ll often find nopalitos mixed into other dishes, and sometimes on their own. They’re high in fiber, calcium, potassium and vitamin A and are a relatively good source of protein. One cup has a PointsPlus value of about 1.

Refried beans
“The problem is that when they’re all mushed up, you can’t be sure what’s in there,” says Henderiks. Here’s our guess: plenty of oil, and possibly lard, to make them creamy. On the plus side, 1/2 cup has nearly 8 grams of fiber to accompany the rather hefty PointsPlus value of 4.

Mexican rice
With its healthy yellow glow (thanks to achiote or cumin), Mexican-style rice can look tempting. But that beauty is skin-deep. “Don’t be fooled by token vegetables or the color; you're eating white rice,” says Henderiks. She suggests having just 1/2 cup, which has a PointsPlus value of 2.

Chile relleno
This entrée gave birth to the jalapeño popper. A large, grilled poblano pepper is filled with cheese, then battered and lightly fried. Stuffed with 2 ounces of asadero cheese, a typical restaurant portion has a PointsPlus value of about 8. Lighten it up: Share this as an appetizer to keep the portion in check. Also, request chicken or whole beans instead of cheese, suggests Martinez. That can trim 3 PointsPlus values.

Chicken mole
There are many different moles, but the most popular is a silky reddish-brown sauce made with chilies and dark chocolate. It also includes oil (or lard), packing about 5 PointsPlus values in ¼ cup. Typically, you'll get a leg and thigh with a generous saucing for about 14 PointsPlus values. Lighten it up: Choose chicken breast and order 1/4 cup of sauce on the side; this can give you a very tasty dish for 8 PointsPlus values. There are many different classic moles, but the most popular is a silky reddish-brown sauce made with chilies and dark chocolate. It also includes oil (traditionally lard), packing a PointsPlus value of about 5 for 1/4 cup. A typical serving includes a leg and thigh with a generous saucing for a PointsPlus value of about 14. Lighten it up: A little mole goes a long way. Choose chicken breast and order 1/4 cup of sauce on the side; this can give you a very tasty dish for a PointsPlus value of 8.

Cochinita pibil
This is Mexican pulled pork, marinated in vinegar and citrus, then rubbed with achiote paste (a spicy blend of annatto seed, coriander, cumin, peppercorns, oregano and cloves) and steamed in banana leaves. It's a pretty healthy protein, with a PointsPlus value of about 5 for a lean 4-ounce portion. It's often served with tortillas, which have a PointsPlus value of at least 2 each. Lighten it up: “Skip the tortillas and sides and order it over rice,” suggests Martinez.

Enchiladas verdes
Enchiladas make a heavy dish. Though the verde sauce is made with tomatillos, onion, chilies and other peppers, the tortillas are flash-fried and stuffed with cheese, chicken or meat, then topped with sour cream and more cheese. Lighten it up: “The best filling choices are chicken or steak,” says Henderiks. Figure on 13 PointsPlus values for beef and 11 for chicken. Also, ask for the tortillas to be cooked in the pan, not the fryer, suggests Martinez. This can shave 2 PointsPlus values off three tortillas.

With tomatillos, onion, chilies and other peppers, verde is a fresh and flavorful sauce, says Henderiks. But enchiladas make a heavy dish. Those flash-fried tortillas are stuffed with cheese, chicken, or meat, then topped with sour cream and more cheese. Lighten it up: Skip the cheese enchilada, says Henderiks. “The best choices are chicken or steak, like carne asada.” Figure on a PointsPlus value of 13 for beef and 11 for chicken. Also, ask for the tortillas to be cooked in the pan, not the fryer, suggests Martinez. This can shave 2 PointsPlus values off three tortillas.

Carne Tampiqueña
This steak platter dates back to Mexico City’s Tampico Club in the '30s. The steak is grilled and cut thin, so a 4-ounce portion of tenderloin only has a PointsPlus value of about 5. But with standard sides of refried beans and rice (a PointsPlus value of 4 and 5, respectively) and a small cheese enchilada (a PointsPlus value of about 6), this meal clocks in at a PointsPlus value of about 20. Lighten it up: Consider a regular steak and skip the enchilada. Also, “ask for black beans or whole pinto beans instead of refried beans,” says Henderiks. It’ll save you 1 PointsPlus value per 1/2 cup.

Tostadas de pollo
Consisting of lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, cotija cheese and shredded chicken breast on a fried tortilla, this traditional dish was once a light choice, with a PointsPlus value of about 10. But the fried tortilla kept getting bigger. “In Mexico it’s a 6-inch tortilla, but [in the U.S.] it became 8 inches, then a whole bowl,” Martinez explains. Today's restaurant version can pack a PointsPlus value of 30 or more. Lighten it up: Go with a soft tortilla and save 2 PointsPlus values.

Flan de Caramel
Count on this dessert to be loaded with fat and sugar, using heavy cream and condensed milk, with a caramelized sugar topping. Even a typical 4-ounce portion can have a PointsPlus value of 9. Lighten it up: If you want to enjoy flan, plan for it. “You may just need to skip that cocktail,” says Henderiks. For a lighter dessert, order strawberries with a few dollops of crema, says Martinez. Crema, a sort of Mexican crème fraîche, has a PointsPlus value of just 3.

Churros y chocolate
Churros are a traditional Mexican pastry, squeezed through a pastry bag into the fryer to form donutlike sticks. Two 6-inch Churros have a PointsPlus value of about 6, but they’re typically served with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate that can add 8 PointsPlus values. Lighten it up: Skip the hot chocolate and try black coffee. (Avoid the Mexican coffee, unless you really want that shot of Kahlúa (a PointsPlus value of 6) and fresh whipped cream (a PointsPlus value of 3).

*Given that ingredients, cooking methods and portion sizes can vary greatly among restaurants, all PointsPlus values for restaurant dishes are estimates.

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