While it may not be an official American holiday, Cinco de Mayo is certainly celebrated every 5th of May with “mucho” enthusiasm for Mexican inspired food. Unfortunately, a lot of those dishes can run high in calories and sodium –making quite a dent in your pre-summer diet plans.

My friend Lauren from the blog Stevia Benefits, pulled together some healthy guilt-free  remakes of classic Cinco de Mayo party foods for you to serve at your fiesta. I hope you enjoy these recipe round ups! Share your favorite Cinco de Mayo recipe in the comments.

Crockpot Lime Chicken Fajitas

Typical fajitas can be well over 1,000 calories, depending on how you top them off. Try this recipe adapted from DashingDish to cut down on oil, sugar, and fat. It’s so light, flavorful and easy to make, you’ll want to make it year round! (Recipe and Image via DashingDish)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of your favorite salsa or pico de gallo
• 1.5 lb (or about 4-5) Chicken breasts
• 1 pkt of sweetener of choice (optional)
• 2 tbs Fajita seasoning 1
• 2 tbs Lime juice
• 3 Bell peppers (color of choice)
• 1 medium Onion

Optional:

• 4 Low carb flour or corn tortillas OR lettuce wraps.
• Diced tomatoes, green onions, low fat Greek yogurt, shredded lettuce for topping

Cooking instructions

Skinny Margarita

Try our skinny Ruby ‘Rita for a twist on the traditional lime-based margarita. Save the calories and sugar – this margarita is fresh, homemade, and much skinnier than its original counterpart.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Raspberry Zinger tea
• 1 ounce pomegranate juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 packet Stevia In The Raw®
• 2 teaspoon Triple Sec, Cointreau or other citrus liqueur
• 1 ½ ounces Blue Agave tequila
• Chilled martini glass, optionally salt-rimmed
• 1 thin lime slice, for garnish, optional

Mixing Instructions and Nutritional Information

There are lots of “skinny” variations you can do one your own like blackberry and blue margaritas. You can’t go wrong!

Baked Tortilla Chips

Oh those delicious crispy triangles –how we all love them with salsa, guacamole, and queso. But the kinds that you get at the store or at the restaurant are both really full of fat and salt. Make these yourself and enjoy with less guilt –even less if you skip the salt. Recipe via EatingWell.

Ingredients

• 8, 5- to 6-inch corn tortillas
• Canola oil cooking spray

*Optional:1/4 teaspoon cracked sea salt

Cooking Instructions

Other Lighter Tex-Mex Inspired Recipes:

Salsa Fresca
Mini Mexican Pizzas
Quick and Healthy Black Beans & Rice
Avocado-Free Guacamole
Baked Churros

And don’t forget to plan some outdoor activities to burn some calories while having fun!

Replace salad croutons with a few chopped walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds. They’re a great source of healthy fats and fiber.

This refreshing drink recipe is so easy to customize and perfect for those upcoming summer soirees. If you’re looking for something slushy, try using sugar-free orange and lemon sherbet instead of the juice. It’s kid-friendly as is, but can easily be punched up with flavored vodka or silver tequila for an “adults only” cocktail. How would you make this recipe your own?

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

3 cups water
2 cups cranberry juice
1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 can (6 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
12 packets of Equal® or NatraTaste Blue® sweetener
1-1/2 liters diet lemon-lime soda, chilled
Mint leaves and pomegranate seeds for garnish  (optional)

Directions

Combine water, cranberry juice, orange juice and lemonade concentrates. Stir in Equal® or NatraTaste Blue® until dissolved.

Chill 1 to 2 hours. Stir in soda just before serving. Garnish each glass with a few mint leaves and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.

Nutrients per Serving:

68 Calories
1 g Protein
17 g Carbohydrates
0 g Fat