Mexican Christmas Traditions

Coconut milk and chia pudding

33 · May 3, 2013 · 5 Comments

Chia seeds aren't just for aguas frescas, and today I'm sharing with you a super easy, delicious and healthy dessert recipe for coconut milk and chia pudding.

This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

I love chia seeds. Not in the way that some people mean when they say they love something… I mean I really LOVE chia seeds. I consume them nearly every day of the week and they're a great source for fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids, and even have some protein. They have been used for centuries, including by the Mayans and Aztecs. In present-day Mexico, you're most likely to notice chia seeds floating in an agua fresca.

I know you must be thinking there can't be that many ways to use them, but trust me when I say there are so many great things you can do! One of my favorites is to use them to make this tapioca-like pudding with coconut milk. It's a flavorful and not-too-sweet dessert that any coconut lover will enjoy. And a few bonuses: this recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan-friendly! Once the chia seeds develop their gel and you refrigerate the jar, it will get firm and set more like a traditional pudding. If you try to eat it too soon, it won't be the right consistency.

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Wordless Wednesday: Tacos al pastor in Kauai

2 · May 1, 2013 · 1 Comment

We were visiting the Hawaiian island of Kauai last week for my sister's wedding and look what we found: A taco truck with tacos al pastor! They had a proper trompo and everything. We didn't get a chance to stop and eat there because we either were too early, too late or just passing through Kapa'a on our way to Lihue or Poipu to eat somewhere else. They were always busy when we passed by during business hours, so I figure they must be pretty good. I took it as a sign that we need to go back to visit again!

We were fascinated with the availability of taco joints on the island and the amount of Mexicans we met. We even found a lady selling authentic Mexican tamales on the side of the road one day.

Have you eaten the tacos from this place? How were they? If you haven't eaten there, tell me where you've encountered unexpected tacos while traveling in the comments below!

Spicy ancho chile baked kale chips

3 · Apr 15, 2013 · 3 Comments

I love baked kale chips, but have you seen what they charge for them in the grocery store? It's a crime! That's why I started making my own baked kale chips at home with a Mexican twist: Spiced with ancho chile powder. It's just enough spice to give the kale chips a little kick, but not too spicy. Trust me when I say you're going to want to eat them all in one sitting... and it's OK if you do, because these chips are healthy for you!

RELATED RECIPE: Roasted chickpeas with Tajín

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Wordless Wednesday: Tengo alas pa' volar

88 · Apr 10, 2013 · 2 Comments

In December 2012 during a visit to Mexico City for the holidays, I had a chance to once again visit La Casa Azul, the home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, which is now the Museo Frida Kahlo. I visited specifically to see a new exhibit called “Las apariencias engañan: los vestidos de Frida Kahlo” (which runs through January 31, 2014 and is a must-see exhibit for any serious Frida fan).

In the museum, there are several displays of Frida Kahlo's personal journals, filled with artwork between the pages of her thoughts. There's a famous quote of Frida's from one of her personal journals which reads: "Pies para qué los quiero si tengo alas pa' volar."

It means: "Feet, what do I need them for if I have wings to fly." As I flew over Ciudad Universitaria in early January on my way back home to Chicago, I snapped this photo of one of my favorite views of the city and added the words.

Do you have a favorite Frida Kahlo quote? Share it with me in the comments below!

Agua de fresa y mango

9 · Apr 8, 2013 · 5 Comments

Although May is National Strawberry Month, the grocery stores seem to suddenly be overflowing with ripe strawberries in the last week or so. We love strawberries in our house, but when you buy a few pounds of them at once because they're inexpensive, what can you do with them other than eat them? Turn them into an agua fresca, of course! You want to be sure that your strawberries are red, ripe and fragrant to use them for this recipe. If they're super sweet, you may want to decrease the amount of sugar in the simple syrup in the recipe; it's a matter of personal taste how sweet you like the agua to be. Mango adds a sweet and summery twist to this classic agua de fresa recipe. If you don't like mango, you can leave it out and increase the amount of strawberries by about one-third of a pound.

A few notes about this recipe: This particular agua fresca is a little bit thicker consistency than others due to the mango flesh. You can dilute it with additional water if you like, but the consistency of the recipe written here makes it more Colima-style. You should use yellow mangoes rather than the green and magenta-colored ones (a variety called Tommy Atkins, mostly grown in Florida, and known in Spanish as petacón because of the big-bottomed shape) usually available in most grocery stores.

The yellow mangoes you'll find in the U.S. are mostly Ataulfo mangoes and are very similar to Manila mangoes in taste and look, and both have very thin seeds, meaning you'll get more mango flesh. (Manila are the yellow variety most commonly available in Mexico City that we're used to eating when we're there.) Both Ataulfo and Manila mangoes have sweet, creamy flesh that practically melts in your mouth and are not fibrous like the Tommy Atkins variety, which can be tough if not ripe or stringy due to the fibers. Ataulfo mangoes are in season from March to July; they should be yellow to yellow-orange in color with no black spots, and they're perfectly ripe when the flesh gives a little (just like with a peach) and the skin starts to wrinkle just a bit....