NEWS index

Fajitas are a perfect party or family food because they can be assembled by your diners and the ingredients can be kept hot for an hour or two in a chafing dish. I use three different colors of bell pepper for eye appeal, but you can use only one. You can use other vegetables, such as mushrooms, scallions, zucchini, or even kale, cut long and thin. The cayenne pepper adds a little heat, which you can adjust to your preference.

Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein. It also has detoxifying selenium as well as lysine, which repairs tissue. Bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C, which helps the body resist infection and aids tissue regeneration. Diets rich in vitamin C can reduce your risk of both cancer and stroke.

Chicken Fajitas

 Strength

 Immune Booster

Serves 2–4

Ingredients

1 cup julienned white onion
1 cup diced tomatoes
¼ cup julienned orange bell pepper
¼ cup julienned red bell pepper
¼ cup julienned yellow bell pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. organic or free-range chicken breast strips
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. white pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 recipe Flaxseed and Squash Tortillas (recipe below) or use ready-made tortillas
Sour cream
1 recipe Pico de Gallo (see below) or your favorite healthy prepared salsa

Procedure

1. Sauté the vegetables in the oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.

2. Add the chicken strips and seasonings. Cook for another 5–10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.

3. Serve with the Flaxseed and Squash Tortillas, Sour Cream, and Mexican Tomato Dip.

Flaxseed and Squash Tortillas

These tortillas are soft enough to wrap around fish but durable enough to hold fajitas. I spent weeks perfecting them! Everyone who tries them loves them. This recipe makes reddish-colored tortillas using red bell peppers, but for tortillas with green flecks use green bell peppers. I use golden flaxseeds because I prefer their color.

Flaxseed contains fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease, and vitamin E, which protects the heart and the skin from the sun’s aging effects. The carotenoids in squash and peppers are precursors to the vitamin A, which boosts immunity and helps keep eyes healthy.

Chef’s Note: If you use a different variety of squash, you might have to adjust the water content to achieve the right consistency. You can use regular flaxseed meal, but the tortillas will be darker when cooked.

 Anti-Inflammatory

 Beauty

Yields 6–8 tortillas

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash, quartered (seeds and strings removed)
1 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper
⅔ cup golden flaxseed meal
¼ cup water
1 tsp. salt or salt substitute

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Roast the spaghetti squash for 30–40 minutes or until tender.

3. Scoop out 2 cups of the squash with a fork. In a food processor, blend the squash, bell pepper, flaxseed meal, water, and salt for 3–5 minutes or until you have a thick batter.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Spread the batter in 4 inch circles about ¼ inches thick.

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 225 degrees. Bake the tortillas for 1 hour or until they are slightly browned but still flexible. If they get too crispy, place them in a Ziploc bag overnight to soften them up or use them as tostadas.

Pico de Gallo

I like to prepare this condiment in different ways: chunky when scattering over my Mexican Lettuce Wraps, and smooth as a dip for my Flaxseed Tortillas.

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which lowers cancer risk and aids cognitive function. The indoles (sulfur compounds) in onions help neutralize carcinogens. Cilantro is a good source of vitamin K, which helps keep your bones strong.

Chef’s Note: For a chunky salsa, simply toss the ingredients together. For a dipping sauce or salsa that you can drizzle, blend the ingredients for about 30 seconds.

 Immune Booster

 Disease Prevention

Yields 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups diced Roma tomatoes
¼ cup minced red onion
½ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1 Tbs. minced jalapeno, seedless
Salt or salt substitute and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Procedure

Fold all the ingredients in a bowl. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes so the flavors can marry.

About FoodTrients

Combining her passion for food and a lifelong commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle, Grace O has created FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing wellness. Grace O is a fusion chef with a mission: to cook up recipes for sustaining a long and joyful life that are built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her work in the health care industry. Mixing foods and unique flavors culled from a lifetime of travels from Asia to Europe and America, Grace O encourages young and old to celebrate a full life that embraces diversity. Lifestyle tips, age-defying recipes, and secrets of the healing properties of food are the centerpiece of FoodTrients™–all available through cookbooks, e-newsletters, and FoodTrients.com. foodtrients.com