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Mexican Christmas Traditions

Natural fruit paletas with watermelon and Tajín

14 · Jun 13, 2013 · 7 Comments

Natural paletas made with watermelon and TajínEvery kid I know loves paletas—and every mom I know wants to reduce the amount of sugar in their kids' diet. With summer upon us, I'm already seeing watermelon everywhere in the farmers markets and grocery stores. I love watermelon and would eat it for three meals a day if I could, so I've been getting more creative with how to use it. These are especially great on a really hot day! A bonus: Because these natural paletas aren't like traditional popsicles, they're much less likely to drip and stain clothing if that's an issue with your kids.

And you don't need to have kids to enjoy these simple paletas! You can honor your inner child or summer cravings for a popsicle with a healthier twist. For those with diet restrictions, these paletas are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan-friendly. This "recipe" isn't really a recipe; I like to think of it more as a healthy tip I'm passing on to you. Don't discard leftover pieces that don't make the cut: Sprinkle Tajín and squeeze a little lime juice on it for a snack, or cut them into bite-sized pieces and freeze to use as watermelon ice cubes to flavor your water....

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Wordless Wednesday: Jacaranda trees

6 · Jun 12, 2013 · 4 Comments

I don't have a green thumb by any means—in fact, I've been known to accidentally kill hibiscus bushes so many summers in a row that I gave up on having them anymore—but I really love nature and plant life. Especially in Mexico, there are lots of plants that I've grown to love that I wasn't exposed to while growing up in the Midwest. The Reserva Ecológica del Pedregal de San Ángel at UNAM is one of my most-cherished nature spots in Mexico City because of all the wildflowers, wild nopales and cactus fruits known as tunas. As you might recall, bugambilias are one of my favorite plants in Mexico (I've shared photos of them in Cuernavaca, Huatulco and other cities).

Another of my favorites is the jacaranda tree, pictured here, which has beautiful bluish-purple hued blooms. They bloom in the spring in Mexico City, so I love going to visit during Semana Santa to see them. My suegro sent me this photo several weeks ago, taken on the UNAM campus, because he knows how much I love to see the trees full of flowers.

A jacaranda tree in Mexico City

 

In Los Angeles, thanks to the climate, bugambilias are abundant here, and jacarandas too. In fact, the jacarandas have been blooming for several weeks in my neighborhood. Aren't they beautiful?

  • What kind of plants do you love in Mexico? 

Wordless Wednesday: My favorite Jarritos flavors

5 · Jun 5, 2013 · 4 Comments

There's nothing like the joy when you discover something familiar in a new place. I recently started shopping at a new grocery store where I stumbled upon an entire aisle of Mexican refrescos. What's your favorite Jarritos flavor? Me... I love toronja, tamarindo and limón.

Jarritos

 

  • Tell me your favorite flavor in the comments below!

 

It's never too early to start planning for Día de los Muertos!

5 · Jun 3, 2013 · Leave a Comment

This weekend, I visited PaperSource, one of my favorite stores for stationery and gifts. They didn't have the item I was looking for, but I did find a few other cool things. Being that it's only June, I was both surprised and delighted to find a few goodies for Día de Los Muertos already in the store! I had to take some photos to share what I found.

Day of the Dead goodies from PaperSource

Día de los Muertos goodies:

  • Sugar skull cookie cutters/stamps
  • Day of the Dead corkscrew, shaped like a skeleton
  • Sugar skull pint glasses (set of 4) with unique prints on each glass (they're hand-wash only, by the way)

I especially love the cookie cutters and stamps. Now that I've gotten in the mood early, I'm starting to make a Pinterest board of all the Día de Los Muertos things that I can find leading up to the holiday this year so I can start planning my altar and celebration. Follow along with me on Pinterest and let me know in the comments below, on The Other Side of The Tortilla's Facebook page, or via Twitter @MauraHernandez if you find anything that I should add to the board!

My Día de los Muertos board on Pinterest

 

One Day in Ensenada

8 · May 31, 2013 · 4 Comments

In January 2012, we visited Ensenada for the first time. We were only there for a day as a cruise port stop, but we had a jam-packed day full of exploration, food and walking and we're definitely interested in going back. It's located about an hour South of Tijuana. I've been revisiting my travel notes and photos lately to make a list of things I'd like to do on a return visit. Here are a few glimpses into our day there.

Bahía Todos Los Santos, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico...

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¡Bienvenidos!


Hi, I'm Maura Hernández, an award-winning food and travel writer, recipe developer, and former journalist sharing my passion for all things Mexico. I've traveled Mexico extensively over the last 18 years and Mexico City is my home away from home. Here, you'll find a mix of traditional and modern Mexican cooking, along with my advice on where to eat, stay and play on your visit to Mexico!

More about me

Paletas

  • Berries and cream popsicles are a mixed-berry spin on the traditional Mexican fresas con crema dessert. Recipe via theothersideofthetortilla.com
    Moras con Crema Popsicles
  • How to make strawberry hibiscus popsicles via theothersideofthetortilla.com
    Strawberry hibiscus popsicles
  • Mangonada popsicles displayed on a cookie sheet
    Mangonada popsicles
  • How to make banana, chia and coconut milk popsicles. This recipe is dairy-free and vegan-friendly! Via theothersideofthetortilla.com
    Banana chia popsicles
  • Mango cantaloupe and chile powder paletas from The Other Side of The Tortilla
    Mango cantaloupe paletas with chile powder
  • #Vegan fudge #popsicles made with avocado, raw cacao powder, coconut sugar and coconut milk. Get more #recipes from theothersideofthetortilla.com #paletas #receta #recipe
    Vegan avocado fudge pops

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