Module Four - Mexican Dinner Party

If we asked the general population what their favourite cuisine was, Mexican food would rank in the top three every time.

There's something totally moreish about it. The colour, the aroma, the variety and the ability for us to pick and eat with our hands. Mexican becomes an 'experience'.

It's also a cuisine that is sometimes served without enough tang (acid), heat (chilli) or crunch (fresh/char-grilled/baked food texture). Too much vegetable oil, too much cheap cheese, and lack of flavour.

That's certainly not the Mexican that we know and love, and it's not the fresh, flavour-filled Mexican we are going to be cooking this week.

Mexican is a cuisine that is plant based, mostly gluten free (typically, burritos and enchiladas are made with ground corn), when done 'right' it's colourful - which means it's packed with phyto-nutrients and anti- oxidants - and is a great source of fibre and prebiotic foods.

Those following a plant based lifestyle will love the versatility that Mexican food affords them. It's one of my favourite cuisines too!

It's time for a Mexican Fiesta!

Shopping List

Author: SMUG Cooking School

Shopping List

Ingredients

    Created using The Recipes Generator

    Module 4 - Recipes

    Taco Seasoning

    Fish/Chicken/Tofu Tacos

    Mexican Red Rice

    Pickled Red Cabbage

    Mexican Street Corn

    Mexican Bean Mix

    Coco Mex Sauce

    Guacamole

    Ingredients in Store-bought Mexican Seasoning Mixes

     

    This video displays the ingredients of ten Mexican-style Seasoning Mixes commonly bought in Australian supermarkets. I'm not sure whether these (or mixes like these) are available in other parts of the world (let me know!), but they are all pretty 'standard' here.

    When we create our own super simple - and highly storable - seasoning mixes, we are cutting out a significant amount of chemical additives and high levels of salts and sugars that do us no benefit, but merely serve to make a processed food item 'shelf-stable'.

    There are many variations of Mexican Seasoning Mixes online, but common herb and spice ingredients are:

     

    • salt

    • pepper/cayenne pepper

    • cloves

    • cinnamon

    • oregano

    • cumin

    • paprika

    • onion powder

    • garlic powder

    • coriander

    • chilli

    We have included an AIP-friendly (low-inflammatory) spice mix in the Supplementary Information 'Additional Recipes and Alternatives'

    There are common additives and ingredients within these Mexican Seasoning Mixes that work together with natural herbs and spices to create a mix that caters to our five basic 'tastes' - sweet, sour, bitter, umami (savoury) and salty.

    Manufacturers of food products work towards balancing these tastes so that consumers find foods palatable. Well, so that consumers find them delicious, even. Often, it's a synthetically produced acid (sour) that is balancing the sugar and starches (like maltodextrin). It could be a 'savoury' and/or 'salt' that works as a flavour enhancer similar to MSG (like yeast extract), creating a depth of flavour that has a moreish influence on our taste buds.

    Below is a list of the collated 'common additives' found in the seasoning mixes shown.
    Some aren't proven or known to necessarily impact our health, but they're ingredients not found in traditional Mexican spice mixes.

    • Anti-caking agent (551) - silicon dioxide

    • Acidity regulator (330) - citric acid. Can provoke reactions similar to MSG: headache, thirst, flushing, increased heart beat

    • Colour (160c) - paprika. This is a paprika 'colour', not the spice. May cause allergies; prohibited in infant food

    • Sugar

    • Vegetable powders/garlic powders with sulphites - May cause inflammation, skin and respiratory reactions

    • Canola oil. HIGHLY chemically processed

    • Natural flavours - paprika oleoresin. 'Natural flavours' are synthetically produced by tens of chemicals to mimic the flavour of the actual food item

    • Maltodextrin - highly processed starch; known to impact gut health and spike blood sugar levels

    • Anti-caking agent (504) - magnesium carbonate. Large concentrations can cause intestinal issues like bloating, flatulence, constipation and diarrhoea

    • Smoke flavour - Synthetically processed synthetic flavour that could be made up of tens of chemicals

    • Black pepper extract - As with 'flavours', a processed flavour that has been synthetically created to mimic the taste of real pepper

    • Vegetable oil - HIGHLY chemically processed wheat flour (adds bulk)

    • Potato starch (adds bulk and 'sweet')

    • 'Flavour' (no other information given - in 'One Night In Smoky Chipotle Seasoning') - this would be a chemically produced 'smoke flavour'

    • Thickener 1442 - chemically treated starch used to bulk, stabilise and thicken

    • Rice flour (adds bulk and 'sweet')

    • Soy sauce powder (dehydrated soy sauce - maltodextrin, soy, salt)

    Verdict? We are so happy that you've joined us to make your own delicious Mexican Seasoning Mix.

    You can make this in larger quantities and have it on hand to throw onto pita chips, into cooked rice with some canned tomatoes, coat chicken breasts before frying or grilling, or use in any/all of your favourite Mexican dishes.

    Alternatives

    There are a number of recipes within this week's Mexican Family Dinner menu that you might want to adjust if you avoid nightshades, dairy or fish. Included in the recipes are vegan adjustments for the fish tacos. Alternatively you might want to add meat to your Mexican Bean Mix in the form of a good-quality mince or some shredded chicken (bought already roasted, or cooked at home).

    Creating Mexican-style food allows for a delicious and varied selection of foods on the table, so feel free to add and subtract ingredients as you wish (or as your pantry/fridge allows).

    Alternatives to tomatoes and peppers (nightshades) in Mexican food.

    Not being able to eat tomatoes, chilli, capsicum and hot peppers doesn't mean that you have to forgo enjoying Mexican food, though they feature a lot in Mexican cooking!

    For those wondering why we might avoid eating tomatoes, we have some information on these fruits (nightshades) in the Supplementary Information for Module Two. We have a few Smug Members who are on the AIP (Auto Immune Protocol), and some who avoid nightshades due to inflammation.

    Fresh or pickled hot peppers - jalapeños, chilli, paprika, capsicum and fresh tomato can be left out of the recipes for this week if you need to do this. The pineapple (or a not-quite-ripe mango), in the additional salsa recipe works to provide the tartness and moisture tomatoes typically add to this condiment.

    Alternatives to peppers, chilli and paprika in the Mexican Seasoning Mix and jalapeños in the salsas and sauces:

    I haven't used alternative hot spices in these mixes, and you and I may like our 'fire/spice' at different levels in these recipes, so with the following ingredients, test how they create heat within your Mexican dishes.

    • Good-quality black pepper
    • Szechuan Pepper (can buy in supermarket)
    • Pink or green peppercorns (I love the fresh green peppercorns in the Thai stir-fry I get from our local restaurant - this would be a delicious addition for some fire in your Mexican!)
    • Additional garlic and onion.
    • Homemade horseradish paste in fresh dips, 'slaws, salads and salsas (or store-bought if additive-free).

    Alternatives to tinned tomatoes in Mexican dishes such as Mexican Bean Mix:

    The use of tinned tomatoes in the Mexican Bean Mix adds moisture and a tartness to the mix that is balanced out with the paprika and sautéed onion.

    If not using tinned tomatoes, you will need to add moisture into this recipe to replace the tomato juice, so using a bone broth or stock (homemade or best-quality store-bought), within this mix is a must! Then, you can add some umeboshi or tamarind paste to add the tartness and flavour of the tomatoes.

    "Umeboshi paste (health-food stores, Asian sgroceries or online - it's salty plum paste). Umeboshi paste is made from a tart Japanese plum that is pickled in brine and then ground to paste. It is incredibly salty, and though it looks expensive, one little tub of this will take you months to finish off (and it keeps for years in the refrigerator). Umeboshi paste provides a bit of the texture cooked or reduced tomato products provide, as well as all of the zing and near-sweetness tomatoes have. Stir a little (maybe half a teaspoon) into any recipe that would otherwise have tomatoes (cooked recipes are better, but I've stirred some into mango salsas), and taste to see if you want more. Reduce the salt in the recipe by a little.

    Tamarind concentrate can be bought at supermarkets, health food stores and online (at Woolworth's a jar is approx. $5 AUD) - a little goes a long way, and though you should keep it in the fridge once you open it, this too will last forever. (I have used tamarind that has sat in a fridge for about a year.

    The sugar in it crystalizes around the edge a little, but it was fine to eat.) It resembles molasses in appearance, but is much much more tart. It has a little sweetness to it, but is mostly sour. Any time a recipe calls for tomato paste, I use at least half tamarind paste to make up for it, because it resembles tomato paste in terms of taste in a recipe." - Source

    Sour Cream Alternative:

    I (Hayley) only ever use a good quality natural yoghurt as 'sour cream' on anything that calls for it - sweet and white potato wedges, nachos and burritos. You can also add this to your mayo mixture for the 'slaw for some bonus creaminess, or use AS mayo if allergic to eggs.

    In making this swap, you're obtaining a wonderful protein and calcium hit along with gut-friendly probiotics. I recommend Jalna Biodynamic Organic Natural Yoghurt as the perfect swap for sour cream, as it's thick and creamy without being laden with cream, as many Greek-style yoghurts are (and it has significantly more beneficial cultures!).

    Module 4 - Recipe Alternatives & Additions

    Mexican Bean Mix
    (with mince)

    Homemade Pita Bread

    AIP seasoning mix

    Mexican Bean Mix
    (with chicken)

    Salsa

    Sweet Potato Tortillas

    Mexican Bean Mix
    (without beans/tomatoes)

    Mexican Slaw

     Sour Cream and Natural Yoghurt as 'Tex- Mex' additions to your Mexican fare

    It's TEX-MEX (not REAL Mex!), but delicious nonetheless, and adding a natural yoghurt, Greek yoghurt or good-quality sour cream to your spread of Mexican dinner accompaniments allows you to have something cold and creamy to cut through hot spice and acid.

    ‘Sour cream is made when lactic acid-producing bacteria is added to dairy cream, resulting in a slightly tart, thick substance. It has long been an ingredient in Eastern and Central Europe cuisines and moved west as people immigrated to other countries… It is often used to make quick dips, thicken sauces, create creamy frosting, and garnish baked potatoes, Tex-Mex style meals and soups. It's generally added at the end of cooking or when serving, but can also tenderise and soften baked goods.’
    - Source

    Sour cream can contain notable levels of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin E, phosphorus and vitamin B12. Some sour creams contain live cultures (bacteria to help maintain a healthy gut), however, the processing of most commercial sour creams destroys this beneficial live bacteria. I’ve suggested substituting sour cream for a thick natural yoghurt such as Jalna Biodynamic Organic Natural Yoghurt, as the taste and texture is incredibly similar (I think it’s actually better), and you’re eating a product that is completely free of thickeners like gelatine of unknown origins, emulsifiers, stabilisers and preservatives.

    What you GAIN when you make the swap (and you could make the swap to Greek-style* yoghurt if you prefer), is a significant increase in your consumption of probiotics and beneficial LIVE bacteria. The probiotic count per serve of Jalna Natural Yoghurt is enough of a reason for me to include it as part of a healthy, balanced diet for myself and my family.

    *Greek yoghurt has cream added and is typically higher in fat, though fat content is NEVER a reason I don’t choose a dairy product. Our bodies need fats; the amount of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K (found in milk) that our body is able to absorb, depends on the fat content of the product. Gimme that full-fat dairy EVERY time!

    You’ll see there are a couple of sour creams in the images taken in Australian supermarkets that feature thickeners like gelatine, vegetable gums 412, 410, 407a and ‘thickener 1442' (derived from maize). To maintain a thick, ‘creamy' consistency, thickeners are added when the fat content of these sour creams is reduced. So, you’re buying a product that has the good fats removed, and other - potentially gut and respiratory system inflaming - products added.

    If you’re wondering about the ‘Lactose free’ sour cream, this product has been created for those who are unable to digest lactose effectively - or comfortably (think gas, bloating, skin and gut issues). Lactose mal-digestion impacts 70-75% of the world’s population and the reason is... Lactase is produced by cells that line the walls of our small intestine; it is the enzyme responsible for the digestion of the milk sugar ‘lactose’.

    After we are weaned as babies (and for most other mammals), our production of lactase decreases. To cater for individuals who are lactose intolerant, the enzyme ‘lactase’ is added to dairy to split lactose into its component sugars and render it digestible to those with a lactose intolerance. ‘Enzyme (lactase)', like that which is added to this product, is commercially extracted from yeasts and moulds, and can be made using particular bacterias. In this capacity, it is synthetically produced.

    In a similar fashion to the Coles full fat Sour Cream, the Aldi sour cream doesn’t have any unnecessary additives. The ‘cultures’ are the bacteria that are added to sour and thicken the cream. These bacteria may be synthetically produced (and unless listed as ‘active cultures’, any probiotic benefit is lost in the production process to make the cream ‘supermarket stable’), however, these sour creams are always better than a cream with fat removed to make it ‘light’ (we need fat in our dairy to absorb all the fat-soluble vitamins dairy offers), and creams with gelatine and thickeners added.