Eating

Mexican Makeover

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Think Mexican food and you’ll likely recall the bellyache you had the last time you opted for a dish that touted its south of the border roots. But traditional fare is much healthier than the fried enchiladas and overstuffed burritos that are synonymous with Mexican food in the U.S.

 "True, traditional Mexican cuisine is very healthy," says Laura Diaz-Brown, a certified nutritionist best known as celebrity chef LaLa. "It's high in legumes, bursting with vegetables and uses meat sparingly. And the food is cooked with olive oil or charbroiled, baked and steamed--not fried and processed."

A third-generation restaurateur and daughter of Mexican immigrants, Diaz-Brown is a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association and an impassioned fan of her cultural cuisine. "Food in its natural state is simply delicious. Sometimes we forget that, being accustomed to Mexican dishes literally drowned in extras," she says. Diaz-Brown suggests skipping heavy sauces and creams when making your favorite Mexican fare at home and, instead, focusing on bold flavors in place of fats--think chiles, limes, herbs and spices. Here, five chefs from across the continent share their healthy takes on Mexican main courses. !Buen provecho!