Testimony of the Day
“Before working with Maria, I had struggled most of my adult life with my weight. I had tried other plans, and they would work for a time and then once I went on my own, I fell back into the old patterns and the weight came back. In December 2012, I weighed 212lbs. I had been pushed into finding an alternative way to better eating because of some health related issues in my family. My dad is diabetic and has had a couple of heart attacks. He’s been told that there’s nothing that they can do to repair his arteries. Of course, this gets me paying attention as I don’t want to head down that same path.
Maria was non-judgemental during this process. She was always providing me excellent resources to allow me to take this journey on my own once I got properly set up. When I was struggling she had tips for me. The videos that she’s created or the ones that she recommends were always timely and helpful. I have lost 35 lbs since working with Maria – and just 7 away from my original goal. I’ve chosen to take the longer path to success because I want to make sure that this weight stays off – for good. Eating food that tastes amazing has been the key to my success in being able to do this on my own. I’m a fussy eater, but also one who’s grown up in a practical environment.
The menus that Maria has created are based on food that I grew up on – not high end fancy dishes that I don’t know how to pronounce. I have to say that that has made a huge difference for me – eating foods that I would have ate – just differently so that they’re healthy for me and keep me satiated. Maria has given me the tools and resources to be able to modify my own recipes in a ‘healthified’ way. Since losing weight, I am now able to fit into cute show clothes again, and I’m sure that I’m also much lighter for my horse’s sake :-)” –Janice
To get started on your before and after photo collage, click HERE.
ENCHILADA SAUCE
Here is another pantry item to throw out!
Ingredients = Water, Tomato Paste, Modified Corn Starch, Spices, Salt, 
Onion Powder, Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Garlic Powder, Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten, Soy and Wheat Gluten Proteins, Citric Acid, Dried Yeast, Soy Flour. Contains: soybeans and wheatDo you still have pre-packaged Taco Seasoning in your pantry? If you do, check this out!Ingredients: Yellow Corn Flour, Salt, Maltodextrin, Paprika, Spices, Modified Corn Starch, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Citric Acid, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Flavor, Caramel Color (sulfites).
There are a few issues with using prepackaged spice mixes. First off, caramel coloring is a food dye that is in the process of being banned by the FDA due to it’s links to causing cancer.
Another issue is the maltodexterin…the danger is that maltodextrin is very high on the glycemic index: 105. This is 5 points higher than glucose which is 100. And, it is almost double that of sugar which is around 59. AND ingredients are listed in the order of prevalence…they don’t even list a spice until the 4th ingredient!
I’ll stick to making a triple batch of my own mix and keeping it in my pantry!
2 TBS chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
3 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
In a bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container. Makes 20 servings.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Store Bought Taco Seasoning = 20 calories, 4 carbs, 0 fiber
“Healthified” Taco Seasoning = 5 calories, 0.9 carbs, 0.4g fiber
ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
1 TBS coconut oil
2 skinless chicken breast – cooked and shredded (I used a crock-pot)
*OR you could use 1 lb grass fed ground hamburger
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (7 oz) can chopped green chile peppers
2 TBS of taco seasoning (from above)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 eggs
2 cups cottage cheese
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (8 oz) package shaved chicken breasts (for tortillas)
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 (10 oz) can tomato sauce (or salsa)
To make the meat mixture, heat oil in medium skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken or ground beef, onion and green chile peppers and saute until browned, then add taco seasoning and 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Let simmer on low for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the cheese mixture. In a medium bowl mix eggs with cottage cheese and season with salt and pepper; stir until well blended.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). To assemble the casserole, layer the bottom of 9×13 inch baking dish with 1/2 the tomato sauce, top that with the meat mixture. Place a layer of shaved chicken breast on top of the meat (like tortillas), then top that with 1/2 the cottage cheese mixture. Place a layer of Monterrey Jack cheese on top of the cottage cheese. Repeat the layering one more time. Top with tomato sauce and remaining shredded cheese.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Makes 6 servings.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Casserole = 548 calories, 31g fat, 33g protein, 34.4 carbs, 4g fiber
“Healthified” Casserole = 417 calories, 30g fat, 38.7g protein, 6.9 carbs, 3.5g fiber
To find more easy and tasty recipe like this, you would really enjoy my book: The Art of Healthy Eating: Savory.
This was truly a labor of love! I’ve put together my best recipes to date in the next installment of my “The Art of Healthy Eating” color cookbook series. Choosing a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of deprivation. This book is filled with mouth-watering foods and nutrition facts that demonstrate how eating healthy can be an expression of art. Included are recipes for your favorite comfort foods like pasta, lasagna, risotto, calzones, sushi, clam chowder in a bread bowl, baked brie, chicken pot pie, chili cheese “fries”, tomato basil sandwich wraps, pizza, tortillas, and many more. There are also lots of valuable tips and tricks to help one along the journey of learning how to eat as an art.
CLICK HERE to get your copy! Thank you so much for your love and support!
“Healthified” Enchilada Sauce!
This is the most amazing dish!!!! Definitely a 10 on a scale of 10. Would recommend this to even picky eaters! My family loved it.
Thanks Becca!
I’m soooo glad they liked it;)))
I am going to make this as soon as I can, my husband will LOVE this one! thanks for posting.
Thanks Patricia!
You won’t be disappointed;)))
Where do you get packages of shaved chicken breasts that do not have all kinds of other awful ingredients? I’ve been looking for lunch meat for my husband and have totally struck out as far as finding anything healthy.
I used Applegate Farms, hormone free shaved chicken found at Trader Joe’s.
Happy Eating!
Trader Joes is 4 hours away but we still make the drive to go there because they have so many great food options. I’ll add this to my list. Perhaps I can freeze packages to have when needed. Thanks so much again for the info!
Ask your local grocery store to carry applegate farms meats. I found that our local safeway now carries it !
Fabulous dish!! This even went over well with the picky guys in the family. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!
Thanks Kim! I appreciate your kind words!
Could you sub ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese? Not a cottage cheese fan, otherwise this looks amazing! And where do they have green chiles? Could you do fresh for this as well?
That should work. Also the fresh green chiles should be fine too. I get mine from trader joes. Thanks! 🙂
Maria – how do you normally cook your chicken in a crock pot?
I cook it on high for a couple hours (4-6 hours). I check it with a meat thermometer to ensure it is done (165 degrees F in the breast). I put mine in my delay timer crockpot and set to be done when I get home so I can check the temp. My crockpot also has a meat thermometer so it will stop when it hits a 165. 🙂
http://astore.amazon.com/marisnutran05-20/detail/B001AO2PXK
Do you put anything else in the crock pot with the chicken or just put the breasts in their by themselves?
I just used the crockpot to cook the chicken. Thanks! 🙂
Maria, I can’t wait to make this!
Question re: regular tacos – how much seasoning mix should I add per lb ground beef?
I would use about 2 TBS per pound. Thanks! 🙂
I made this tonight, but it does not look like the picture at all. It was kind of soupy, didn’t hold together. Granted I’m not the best cook in the world, but I did follow the recipe exactly. The flavor was very good, we still ate it. 🙂
What is the orange & green stuff on the side of the piece in the picture? And what makes the thick layer topping?
The green is the green chilies. 🙂
I know this is long past when this was posted but thought it might help someone who has just come across this. I found that if I let it sit about 10 minutes after coming out of the oven it is no longer soupy.
Yes, thanks for the tip. 😉
Sorry to say, I absolutely cannot stand cottage cheese. Its the smell from growing up as a kid and my mom opening up that container from the fridge. Can you substitute ricotta cheese or any other kind?
Ricotta would work. 🙂
Thanks! Sorry I didn’t see earlier someone already asked 🙂
Hi Maria,
This recipe and the lasagna looks great! We are also dairy-free so what would you recommend for a non-dairy sub? Silken tofu? We’d appreciate your input!
Thanks
Hmm, maybe nutritional yeast? 🙂
looks yummy! I have a question… Is the Caramel color that is in the enchilada sauce the same caramel coloring in the xylitol honey and xylitol maple flavored syrup from natures hallow? Just wondering if there is a difference that i’m unaware of.. Thanks!
In the Old El Paso? Not sure.
Yes! The caramel coloring in the Old El Paso, when I read the post about the coloring being banned by the FDA for links to causing cancer I wondered if there was a difference between this caramel coloring and the caramel coloring ingredient in the natures hollow products that are in your astore that I have purchased…
I am not sure if they are the same or not. To be safe, I have a couple awesome syrup recipes on my blog. 🙂
Great! Thanks 🙂
Everything looks wonderful. Do you have an Enchilada Recipe? Also, what kind of Tomato Sauce do you recommend?
Thank you
I have a couple in my Savory book. 🙂 Tomato sauce in glass jars is best and always look for no added sugar
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Healthy-Eating-Savory-Sweets/dp/0988512483
Hi Maria enchiladas look great. I have your savory cookbook but can’t find healthified enchilada sauce. Am I missing it somewhere? Thanks for all the wonderful recipes!
Is the enchilada sauce 1/2c tomato sauce plus 2 tbs of taco seasoning?
Yes, that pretty much creates the sauce. 🙂
This just came out of the oven. It smells and looks delish! Can’t wait to try it. Thanks so much for sharing so many of your recipes in your blog.
Thanks!
If you can find Wick Fowler’s taco seasoning it lists the ingredients as Ground Chili peppers, salt, onion,comino ( cumin), garlic and oregano. Just in case you don’t have a batch of Maria’s blend in the pantry.
Where can über this book?
It is part of my new combined book. 😉
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Healthy-Eating-Savory-Sweets/dp/0988512483/ref=sr_1_1?m=A51JBC26TWGDE&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1420737079&sr=1-1&pebp=1420737059745&peasin=988512483
I get this book
I don’t see the recipe for enchilada sauce just the picture? Are you using just tomato sauce?
The sauce is part of the Casserole recipe above. 😉
Do you offer the combined book in an e-book?
No, sorry. They are separate. 🙂
This casserole is fantastic! I had a bunch of shredded chicken breast, so I just guessed on the amount to use. I had no idea what shaved chicken was so I just ground down the shredded chicken and used that. Oh my! So delicious and filling. We’re going to get 8-9 servings out of it. We paired it with a great salad. I served it to my sister at lunch yesterday and she loved it.
We also made your chicken soup with garam masala. YUM! The garam masala adds a kick w/o a big Indian food flavor – although we love Indian food!
Thanks so much for all the work on these recipes and information! We talk all the time about how grateful we are for folks like you who bring us such great recipes! Feel so appreciated Maria! I’m so inspired by your blog and have changed my way of eating even more to clean it up and cut down portions. I feel fantastic. Have been doing Atkins for 3 years, so more tweaking to help lose the last stubborn lbs is fantastic! I’m post menopausal with a long history of yo-yo weight. My goal is to make sure I’m far from ever being type 2 diabetic again. Your food and inspiration have me on my path!
THANK YOU!
Hi, what is the yield on this recipe? How many does it serve?
The Casserole serves 6.
Maria, how would you up the fat in this since in keto you need more fat than protein?30g fat, 38.7g protein, 6.9 carbs……
You could top with sour cream. 🙂
Is your recipe for the enchilada sauce in your cookbook? As I must be missing the recipe on this page.
It is coming in my new cookbook. 🙂
If I use your enchilada sauce recipe should I skip the taco seasoning? I cant wait to try this!
Yes. Thanks!
Which do you think personally tastes better in this recipe: chicken or ground beef?
Im partial to beef;)
This is delicious- made it today for Cinco de Mayo dinner. Made it with beef; the taco seasoning is PERFECTION! I used half the shredded cheese and next time will drain the cottage cheese just to remove some of the moisture. Will definitely make again…would be great in individual ramekins as well. Gracias!!
Thank you sweetie!!!