TLS Recipes to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with these TLS-approved recipes by the TLS experts. Recipes that sound so mouth-watering, you’ll want to make these even if you aren’t following a TLS program.

 

Chipotle Chicken Stuffed Peppers (serves 2)  – Also great with ground turkey, pork or tofu.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Fresh pico de gallo topping:  

1 – 3 small tomatoes diced 

1 tablespoon red onion minced 

Small handful of fresh cilantro chopped roughly 

Fresh lime juice from 1 small fresh lime 

Dash of salt and pepper 

Combine and set aside

Peppers

2 large peppers 

2 chicken breasts – cut up into small cubes 

1 cup cooked Quinoa 

½ of medium yellow onion of choice diced and minced 

1 – 2 tablespoons of chipotle powder 

1 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove of fresh garlic minced 

Low sodium Veggie or Chicken broth 

¼ cup shredded cheese or non-dairy cheese alternative (cheddar, jack or other favorite)  

 

Prepare baking sheet with tin foil, cut peppers in half with paring knife, careful to keep the pepper intact as you core and destem it. Coat peppers very lightly with a little avocado oil  and place on tin foil and put in oven for 3-4 min, flip for another 3 min. Take out of oven and set aside. 

 Season chicken with ½ of the chipotle & garlic powder, a dash of salt and pepper. In a pan over medium to high heat, a drizzle of avocado oil and 4 tablespoons or low sodium veggie stock, cook up cubed chicken. When chicken is nearly done, add in onions, once soft then add in 1 cup of cooked Quinoa and rest of chipotle and garlic. Stir and mix thoroughly. 

 Scoop chicken and Quinoa mix into the peppers, pressing it down into peppers with a fork, fill all 4 peppers. Sprinkle on the cheese and place in oven until cheese is melted 3 – 5 minutes at most. 

 Serve up the peppers on a plate with a hearty helping of the Pico de Gallo on top or off to the side. Enjoy. 

 

 

Southwest Zucchini Taco Boats (Serves 2) Great with chicken, ground beef or tofu as well. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prepare baking sheet with tin foil on top. 

Fresh pico de gallo topping:  

1 – 3 small tomatoes diced 

1 tablespoon red onion minced  

Small handful of fresh cilantro chopped roughly 

Fresh lime juice from 1 small fresh lime 

Dash of salt and pepper

Combine and set aside 

Zucchini 

3 medium to large Zucchini sliced in half and middle cored to create your “boats” 

Coat peppers very lightly with a little Avocado oil and place on tin foil and put in oven for approximately 4 minutes, flip for another 4 minutes. Take out of oven and set aside. 

 1 lb ground turkey  

½ onion chopped and minced 

1 small pepper (any color) chopped and minced

4 tablespoons of low sodium veggie or chicken broth 

Salt & pepper 

1- 2 tablespoons of Southwest or Taco (salt-less) seasoning blend 

 

In a pan over medium high heat, a drizzle of avocado oil, ground turkey, 4 tablespoons of chicken broth and southwest seasoning. 

Mix while it cooks, once turkey is nearly done, add onion and peppers and salt & pepper to taste. Stir and mix thoroughly until onion and peppers are soft. 

 

Scoop into zucchini boats Optional – sprinkle ¼ cup shredded cheese or non-dairy cheese alternative over the zucchini boats and place in the oven for another 5 minutes. 

 Serve with a hearty helping of Pico de Gallo on top or off to the side. Enjoy! 

 

Shrimp Fajita Salad (Serves 2) *Great with chicken or tofu as well. 

Make up a bowl or 2 plates of your favorite greens chopped up:  

Try colorful variety of romaine and butter lettuce,  tomatoes,  yellow peppers, cucumbers, avocado and  ¼ – ½ yellow, white, or red onion sliced. 

 

Mix your Fajita Spices:  

1 tablespoon of chili powder 

1 tsp cumin powder 

1 tsp garlic powder 

Season 8 – 10 large or jumbo shrimp with your spice mix. 

 

Mix your dressing:

½ cup your favorite salsa, ¼ cup sour cream or non-dairy alternative for sour cream, mix thoroughly and set aside. 

Shrimp

Sautee shrimp & onion in a pan over a drizzle of avocado oil and 2 tablespoons of water. Serve sauteed shrimp and onions over your veggie salad with 2 – 3 tablespoons of dressing. Enjoy! 

 

Melanie’s Ultimate Guacamole 

 2-3 ripe avocado 

1 small ripe tomato or 5 – 6 grape tomato, diced or minced 

1 lime, cut in half, squeeze for juice

Red onion, 1 – 2 tablespoons finely minced

A handful of Fresh Cilantro chopped well 

1 small clove of garlic minced or ¼ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp of Sea Salt 

A dash of pepper, dash of cayenne 

 

Instructions: 

Scoop out avocado into a bowl, add all fresh ingredients and mash together till desired consistency.  Add pepper and cayenne to your desired taste and serve with fresh yellow and red peppers and celery sticks. 

 

Sosan’s Quinoa Wraps (8-10 small wraps)

 A healthy TLS alternative to taco shells or tortilla wraps. High in protein and gluten free. 

Prepare your favorite taco or fajita fillings first so everything is ready once your wraps are ready. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup quinoa (white or black or mix – your choice) 

1 cup water 

1/4 tsp sea salt 

¼ tsp garlic powder or onion powder 

¼ tsp cumin powder 

1 tbsp avocado oil  

  Directions: 

1. Rinse quinoa quickly and pour the quinoa into the blender, add water, salt, garlic powder and cumin powder and blend until a smooth thick batter. You may want to add 1-2 tbsp of extra water if it is too thick and can’t be poured out from the blender.
2. Heat your large frying pan over medium heat, brush the pan with avocado oil. Pour ladle of the batter onto the pan.   
3. Use the ladle to swirl the batter to ensure it is thin enough (similar to a crepe).  The longest part of this recipe is standing over the stove and cooking them one at a time over medium heat.   
4. Enjoy with your favorite filling! 

 

Let us know in the comments which recipe(s) you’ll be cooking up and be sure to tag @tlsweightloss in your photos. Happy Cinco de Mayo!