Ingredients:

• Tortilla chips, enough to fill your skillet
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1 cup pinto beans from can, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup Queso Fresco or Cotija cheese, or a blend

Optional toppings:

• Green onion, chopped
• Sweet onion, chopped
• Tomatoes, diced
• Black olives, sliced
• Avocado, chopped
• Cilantro, chopped
• Jalapeño, sliced
• Sour cream
• Salsa of choice

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread half of the tortilla chips into a cast iron skillet.

Layer half of the cheddar and pepper jack cheese over the chips.

Top with half of the beans.

Add the remaining chips, cheddar cheese, jack cheese, and beans in that order.
Finish with a layer of cheese.

Place skillet in oven and Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and top with crumbled Queso Fresco.

Serve warm, and top with choice of diced tomatoes, black olives, avocado, cilantro, jalapeño, green onion, sweet onion, and sour cream.

This recipe marries grilled corn with mayonnaise, crumbled cheese, lime and a dash of chili powder for a tasty, satisfying snack. Serve it at your next barbecue for sure smiles all around.

Ingredients:

• 6 ears of fresh corn on the cob
• 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• red chili powder, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• kosher salt, to taste
• wedges of fresh lime
• fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Heat your grill to high.

Put mayonnaise, cilantro and lime wedges into separate bowls.

Crumble the Cotija cheese on a plate and set aside.

Mix crumbled bacon into the butter and set aside.

Remove corn husks, and brush each corn cob with olive oil and a dash of pepper. Wrap each ear in aluminum foil.

Grill each side for about 20-25 minutes total, turning corn every 5 minutes or so to make sure the whole cob is properly cooked.

Once corn is finished, pull it off the grill, and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.

Lightly brush each cob with the bacon butter, or mayonnaise, as desired.

Dust lightly with salt, and chili powder, as desired.

Then roll each cob as desired in Cotija.

Top with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

For the Salsa:

• 2 shallots
• 1 jalapeño pepper, quartered and seeded
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2 avocados, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

For the Shrimp:

• 1½ pounds large or extra large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon sal y limon
• dash cayenne pepper

For Serving:

• 8 - 10 six-inch corn tortillas
• About 2 cups finely chopped cabbage
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon mayonaisse
• Red pepper hot sauce, to taste

Instructions:

For the Salsa:
Finely chop shallot, jalapeño and garlic. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add chopped tomatoes, avocado, salt, lime juice and cilantro and stir to mix well.

For Zesty Yogurt Sauce:
In a small bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, red pepper sauce to taste with a dash of lime.

For the Shrimp:
Heat grill to medium.

In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, chili powder, salt, cayenne pepper and shrimp. Stir until shrimp are well-coated.

Coat the grill with vegetable oil or non-flammable cooking spray.

Place shrimp on grill and cook until just white and orange, about 1½ to 2 minutes each side. Cover to keep shrimp warm.

Grill the tortillas until warm and slightly charred, about 20 seconds per side.

Spoon avocado salsa generously over warm tortillas, then top with 3 shrimp, cabbage and drizzle with zesty yogurt sauce. Serve lime wedges on the side.

Plantains are like big bananas. When fried, they are soft, sweet and delicious. They can be eaten as a meal, or as a desert. They can even be served for breakfast with rice, beans and corn tortillas. They are often served with Mexican style sour cream, or ‘crema.’

Fresh plantains are common in the local restaurants, and ubiquitous in the local Mexican and Central American markets around San Francisco.

Ingredients:

• ½-1 cup oil for frying
• 4-6 plantains (make sure they are very mature, not green—brown and soft is best)

Directions:
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat.

Peel the plantains and cut them in half. Slice the halves lengthwise into thin pieces.

Fry the pieces until browned and tender. Drain excess oil on paper towels.

Serve as a side dish to a main meal, with refried beans and Mexican style sour cream.

I’m so used to eating watermelon slices, I forget how versatile they can be. In this recipe, watermelon is combined with vinegar, cucumber, red onion, and a dash of olive oil to deliver a tasty, offbeat salsa that goes great with grilled fish tacos.

Also, if you don’t have tortillas, or don’t feel like tacos, the salsa makes an excellent side dish for simple grilled fish.

Ingredients:

• 4 fresh white fish fillets (grouper, cod, halibut, red snapper, etc.)
• 2 cups chopped seedless watermelon, chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• 1 Persian cucumber, chopped
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 dozen small fresh corn tortillas

Directions:
Heat grill to about 400º or medium-high. Sprinkle fish with pepper and ½ teaspoon of salt.

Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Grill fish, covered for a few minutes on each side, or just until fish begins to flake when poked with a fork, and is opaque in center.

Combine chopped watermelon, onion, cucumber and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss. Serve with grilled fish.

Celiac.com 07/29/2014 - Try this delicious marinade with Cilantro and Lime at home with Mahi Mahi, Salmon or your favorite meat! This marinade even taste good on roasted fresh veggies.

To make the marinade you need:

• ½ Cup Lime Juice
• ¼ Cup Cilantro Fresh (plus some for garnish optional)
• 2-3 Garlic Cloves Chopped
• 3-5 Tbs. Olive Oil
• Sea Salt and White Pepper
• Fish or Meat

Directions:

1. In a bowl combine the lime juice, cilantro, garlic, oil, sea salt and pepper.
2. Brush over your selected fish or meat and let sit 15-30 minutes in refrigerator.
3. Preheat your oven, broiler or grill and cook your marinated fish or meat until done. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro over the top and enjoy! 

• 1 small can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small can kidney beans, drained
• 1 small can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 small can corn, drained
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1½ tablespoons white sugar, to taste
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ tablespoon ground cumin
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, corn, and red onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.

Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Nachos are one of may favorite snacks to make at home. Nachos are versatile, easy to make, and sure to please most eaters. They can be easily adapted to include myriad ingredients.

This recipe delivers restaurant-style chicken nachos that will have your guests asking for more.

Ingredients:
4-6 ounces whole chicken breast, cooked and shredded
16 ounces tortilla chips
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
4 ounces black olives, pitted, sliced, strained
2 ounces crumbled Cotija cheese
½ large tomato, diced
1 cup salsa of choice
1 avocado, skinned, pitted and sliced
1 can refried beans (I use Goya, but any brand works)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 green onions, sliced, white parts and tops separated
3 tablespoons animal lard (use vegetable oil if you like)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a small sauce pan, warm the beans gently over low heat.

In a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the garlic and white parts of the green onions in lard until tender.

Mix in shredded chicken, salt and pepper. Toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the salsa.

Arrange tortilla chips on a large baking sheet or baking dish. Spread beans over the chips and top with the chicken mixture.

Top with Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, tomato and olives.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with sliced avocado, Cotija cheese, and chopped green onion tops before serving.

Celiac.com 05/08/2014 - I love enchiladas, and I love soup, so this recipe was a natural.

This soup is best done in a CrockPot or other type of slow cooker. Just toss the ingredients into the pot in the morning, turn it on, and come back around dinner time for rich, delicious chicken enchilada soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken thighs and legs
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained (15 ounces)
• 1 can diced tomatoes including juice (14.5 ounces)
• 1 can pinto beans (15 ounces)
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 can gluten-free enchilada sauce (10 ounces)
• 1 can diced green chiles (4 ounces)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, as desired
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup sliced fresh cabbage
• ⅓ cup sliced radishes
• 1 whole avocado, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 4 ounces crumbled Cotija cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Lime wedges

Directions:
Sliced and soak radishes to mellow them a bit.

Rinse and pat dry the chicken thighs and legs, then place into the bottom of a slow cooker.

Add the corn, tomatoes, chicken broth, enchilada sauce, green chiles, onion, cumin, cilantro, bay leaf, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper.

Cook on Low for 6 hours.

Remove meat from chicken from the pot and remove bones from chicken.

Transfer the chicken meat to a large plate, then shred the it with two forks.

Return the chicken to the slow cooker and continue cooking for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Top with crunched tortilla chips, crumble Cotija cheese, avocado, sliced cabbage, lime wedges and radishes.

Celiac.com 03/05/2014 - The Spanish make some mean chicken. This easy recipe offers one of my favorite ways to make baked chicken. The chicken pieces are marinated, then baked with lemon, olives and raisins. Hints of oregano, paprika, garlic and bay leaf bring it all together.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds chicken pieces
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1½ teaspoon dried
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ cup raisins
• ⅓ cup sliced and pitted green olives
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 small lemon, sliced
• Ground pepper to taste

In a medium bowl combine the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, garlic powder, pepper, thyme, bay leaves, raisins and olives.

Pierce the skin of the chicken with fork tines and place chicken in the marinade,

Coating well, cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350°F.

Place chicken in large, shallow baking dish.

Combine wine with the marinade and pour over chicken.

Sprinkle chicken with paprika and brown sugar. Place lemon slices on top of the chicken.

Bake uncovered at 350°F, for about 45-55 minutes, basting occasionally, until chicken is tender, and juices run clear.

Remove bay leaves.

Serve over rice.

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds skinless tilapia, or other whitefish fillets
• 2 large avocados, (one will be served as garnish)
• Juice from 4 fresh limes (about 8 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 small bunch radishes, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• ½ jalapeño chile (ribs and seeds removed, for less heat), minced
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 10 corn tortillas (6-inch)
• 2 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled
• ½ medium red onion, quartered and sliced thin
• 2 cups of green or red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:
In a blender, combine avocado, one-third of the cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Transfer into a small bowl, and set aside. Add more lime juice and/or water as needed.

Combine the cabbage, onion, and one-third of the cilantro in a large bowl and squeeze a lime half over it. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

Heat tortillas individually in a pan over medium heat. Heat each tortilla until soft and transfer onto aluminum foil. Wrap until serving time.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil and two jalapeño halves over medium-high heat; swirl to coat bottom of pan.

Season fish on both sides with ground cumin and coriander, salt and pepper.

Cook fish in two batches (starting with larger pieces) until golden brown on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Discard jalapeño. Add a splash of additional oil as needed.

When fish is done, place into warm tortillas, top with salsa verde and serve with cabbage, onion mix and garnish of lime, green onion, radish, cilantro, avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, and additional salsa as desired.

I'm a big fan of chicken fajitas, so when I'm craving fajitas, but don't want to heat up the house, these fajita kebabs are perfect.

They are simple to make, and sure to satisfy any fajita lovers at your next grilling session.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh chicken breast, cubed
• 1 cup packed cilantro leaves, plus extra for serving
• ¼ cup lime juice, about 2 limes
• ¼ cup gluten-free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 jalapeño, seeded
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 2 bell peppers, quartered, seeds removed
• 1 ripe avocado, halved, seeded and peeled
• 1½ teaspoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ cup fat-free Greek Yogurt
• ½ cup water

Directions:
Put the cilantro, lime juice, broth, scallions, garlic, jalapeño, honey, and salt in a blender, puree until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons; do not wash out the blender.

Put chicken cubes in a medium bowl and the peppers and onions in another.

Divide the remaining cilantro puree evenly between the chicken and the peppers and onions.

Toss well to coat the chicken and vegetables and let stand, at room temperature, for 30 minutes.

To the blender, add the avocado, ½ cup water, and the reserved 2 tablespoons cilantro sauce to the blender. Puree until smooth and season with salt. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a small skillet set over medium heat until hot. Add the cumin and coriander and continue to cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour the spices over the yogurt and set aside for the flavors to blend.

Reserving a bit for serving, divide yogurt mixture between the two marinating bowls of veggies and chicken marinate and mix. Marinate another 30 minutes.

Once vegetables and chicken have marinated, skewer them in alternating between veggies and chicken, and grill, basting with lime juice. Drizzle with reserved sauce and serve.