Quick, light & healthy: flavors of the Southwest - cooking and eating low-fat meals - includes recipes and related articles - Cover Story

Sunset, Jan, 1997 by Elaine Johnson

Soups and stews, tortilla classics, salsas and sauces - here's everything for a new year of good eating

In our fantasy life, the main does the shopping, Alice Waters cooks dinner, and the royalties from our workout video cover the mortgage. In reality, life is a little different: We want to eat well, but we have little time. And if we don't cook, no one does. Which brings us to our second annual Quick, Light & Healthy special section.

This year's recipes come from Sunset readers who know how to keep the fun in cooking while making delicious food achievable. Use ingredients that are readily available, and not too many of them, they say. Keep it simple. And if you're looking for a healthful, low-fat meal with a lot of punch, try the vivid flavors of the Southwest.

No recipe derives more than 30 percent of its calories from fat, and nearly all of the recipes can be made in 30 minutes or less. (To measure time, we started the clock once the ingredients and equipment were assembled.)

We've added easy menu suggestions to ensure a carefree, healthful new year - until Alice and the royalty checks show up.

Soups & Stews

Richard Alexei of San Francisco is a chef and food writer turned personal trainer.

"These days I rarely go out to eat," he says, finding that the food he likes best is best made at home. "I like to eat just as well as I did before, but healthier. One thing I emphasize is not just reducing fat, but using a lot of very healthy ingredients - vegetables such as squashes, whole grains, and high-fiber foods like beans."

For his black bean soup, Alexei starts with the traditional seasonings of red chilies and cumin and adds squash for sweetness, along with smoky chipotles. He likes to serve the soup with extra-fresh corn tortillas from one of the Latino markets in the Mission district near his home.

A good diet and good-for-you recipes come up frequently in conversation as Alexei works out with clients, and he's compiling his ideas for a cookbook.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup

Prep and cook time: About 30 minutes

Notes: Try substituting 2 cups of pureed cooked kabocha squash for the pumpkin. For a spicier soup, use 2 chipotles.

Makes: 5 servings

2 tablespoons ground New Mexico or California chilies 1 teaspoon cumin seed 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes (no salt added) 1 cup coarsely chopped onion 2 cloves garlic 1 or 2 canned chipotle chilies, drained 1 tablespoon salad oil 2 cans (15 oz. each) reduced-sodium black beans 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin Fresh cilantro sprigs Lime wedges Reduced-fat sour cream

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat, stir New Mexico chilies and cumin just until they start to smoke, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape into a blender and add tomatoes with their juice, onion, garlic, chipotles, and oil; whirl until smooth.

2. Pour chili mixture into pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, partially cover, and stir occasionally until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in beans with their liquid, broth, and pumpkin. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

3. Whirl about 2 cups of the soup in blender until smooth, then return to pan. Garnish soup with cilantro sprigs and offer lime wedges and sour cream to season to taste.

Per-serving: 197 cal., 17% (33 cal.) from fat; 10 g protein; 3.7 g fat (0.6 g sat.); 39 g carbo (11 g fiber); 576 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

When Cathy Harrison of Vallecito, California, makes this soup, she often prepares her own flavored low-fat tortilla "chips" to use instead of soft tortilla strips in the soup and as garnish. She simply sprays corn tortillas with water, sprinkles them with chili powder, salt, and pepper, cuts them into 1/4-inch-wide strips (you can also create other shapes, as shown on page 95), and bakes them in a 350 [degrees] oven until crisp, about 14 minutes.

Tortilla Soup

Prep and cook time: About 30 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

1 1/2 cups sliced red onions 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/4 cup ground California or New Mexico chilies 1 teaspoon ground cumin 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) sliced regular or Mexican-style stewed tomatoes 5 corn tortillas (6 1/2 in.) 1/2 cup shredded jack cheese Fresh cilantro sprigs

1. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir onions, garlic, and oil until onions are limp, about 6 minutes; if necessary to prevent sticking, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water.

2. Add chilies and cumin; stir 30 seconds, then mix in broth, corn, and tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes to blend flavors.

3. Stack tortillas, cut in half, stack again, and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Place strips in soup bowls. Ladle soup on top, sprinkle with cheese, and garnish with cilantro.

Per serving: 305 cal., 30% (90 cal.) from fat; 14 g protein; 10 g fat (4.1 g sat.); 46 g carbo (6.5 g fiber); 583 mg sodium; 21 mg chol.

This stew from Stella Perea of Corrales, New Mexico, is typical of native New Mexican dishes. Perea, who grew up in New Mexico, owns Perea's restaurant, where she serves items such as blue-corn enchiladas and vegetarian tamales. This recipe was handed down from her grandmother. Perea uses lean pork or round steak - we substituted smoked pork because we like its flavor and, since it's cooked, it saves time. She serves the quick chili stew as a meal on its own with her homemade tortillas or adds pinto beans and Spanish rice as accompaniments.