Meat and Vegetable Empanadas
Recipe provided by Diabetes Forecast en Español, a bilingual diabetes health care magazine published by the American Diabetes Association
April-May 2005
Chances are if you grew up in the Caribbean or Latin America—or your grandmother did—you remember this: It’s after school. You’re starving. You bite into a homemade, golden-edged empanada, the steam wafting from its magical pocket. Mmmm.
Typically fried, this Latin American version of the meat pie is a flaky flour shell enclosing spicy meat, cheese, fish, vegetables, or fruit. Here are low-fat, healthy versions of the filling and dough to make this traditional treat.
Meat and Vegetable Filling
Low-Fat Empanada Dough
To Assemble Empanadas
Serves: 12
Serving size: 1 empanada
| Meat and Vegetable Filling |
| 1 |
tbsp. canola oil |
|
1/2 |
onion, finely chopped |
|
1 |
cup finely diced carrots |
|
1/2 |
cup finely shredded cabbage |
|
1/2 |
green or red bell pepper, finely chopped |
|
1 |
tbsp. thinly sliced green olives |
| 1 |
garlic clove, crushed |
| 1 |
tsp. dried parsley |
|
1/2 |
tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1/4 tsp. dried basil |
|
1/2 |
tsp. salt |
|
1/4 |
tsp. black pepper |
| 1 |
lb. lean ground beef |
| 1 |
tsp. cornstarch |
|
1/2 |
cup low-fat, reduced-sodium beef broth |
| 1 |
hard-boiled egg, chopped |
| 1. |
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté all ingredients (except the meat, cornstarch, broth, egg, and dough) for 10 minutes. |
2. |
Add the meat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Dissolve the cornstarch in the broth. Add to skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Refrigerate filling overnight. |
Exchanges
1 Starch 1 medium-fat meat
1-1/2 Fat |
|
| Calories . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
234 |
|
|
Calories from Fat . . . . . |
119 |
|
Total Fat . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
13g |
|
|
Saturated Fat . . . . . . . . |
3g |
|
Cholesterol . . . . . . . . . . . |
59mg |
|
Sodium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
355mg |
|
Carbohydrate . . . . . . . . . |
18g |
|
|
Dietary Fiber . . . . . . . . |
2g |
| |
Sugars . . . . . . . . . . . . |
2g |
|
Protein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
10g |
|
|
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| Low-Fat Empanada Dough |
| 1 |
cup all-purpose flour |
|
1 |
cup masa harina |
|
1/2 |
tsp. salt |
|
6 |
tsp. margarine, cut in to 6 pieces |
|
1/2 |
cup ice water or as needed |
|
1 |
egg, beaten |
| 1. |
In the bowl of a food processor, using the metal blade, blend flour, masa harina, and salt. Add margarine and process 5-10 seconds until mixture has the consistency of coarse meal. |
2. |
With processor running, add 1/2 cup water. Stop processor as soon as dough begins to form a ball. Add additional water by the tablespoon, if needed. |
3. |
Remove from bowl, form a pliable ball. Put ball in refrigerator. |
Exchanges
1 Starch
1 Fat |
|
| Calories . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
133 |
|
|
Calories from Fat . . . . . |
59 |
|
Total Fat . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
7g |
|
|
Saturated Fat . . . . . . . . |
1g |
|
Cholesterol . . . . . . . . . . . |
18mg |
|
Sodium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
169mg |
|
Carbohydrate . . . . . . . . . |
16g |
|
|
Dietary Fiber . . . . . . . . |
1g |
| |
Sugars . . . . . . . . . . . . |
0g |
|
Protein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
3g |
|
|
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| To Assemble Empanadas: |
| 1. |
Heat oven to 450°F. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half, keeping one half covered. Roll each half into a log shape about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Divide each log into equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. |
2. |
Spoon 2 tbsp. filling onto the center of the circle. Moisten the edges of the dough with water and bring them together, forming the empanada. Seal edges with the tines of a fork. |
3. |
Place empanadas on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or covered with parchment paper. Brush tops with egg and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. |
Recipes provided by Diabetes Forecast en Español, a bilingual diabetes health care magazine published by the American Diabetes Association. Click for a complimentary subscription.
For more recipes, see Cocinando para Latinos con Diabetes (Diabetic Cooking for Latinos) by Olga V. Fusté, published by the
American Diabetes Association (ADA). Visit the ADA store to order this and other ADA publications.
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