Transport Your Kitchen to the Southwest BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

You don’t have to leave the state or the country to get away from the winter doldrums. You can take a break in your own kitchen by preparing dishes from the sunny southwest.

In the southwest, Native Americans lived for centuries off the land on corn, wild greens, squash, berries, fish and game. Spanish missionaries came in the 16th century with chiles from Mexico and foods from Europe. Then the cowboys came in the 1800s with cattle and campfire chilis and stews.
The result is earthy, intensely flavored food. It’s a simple cuisine that lends itself well to many cooking techniques and colorful presentations. Many of the fresh ingredients of the southwest are now available year round, so you can bring some of the region’s warmth into your winter cooking.

Most southwestern meals feature familiar favorites such as tomatoes, corn, corn meal, beans and citrus fruits (especially limes). Popular seasonings include cumin, fiery dried and ground red chilies, fresh cilantro, thyme and garlic. Chilies also are often used in cooking, such as the tiny, dark green Serrano chile; the larger jalapeno; the long, narrow bright green Anaheim; and the fat, dark brown-green poblano.

This fajitas uses turkey, but brings the flavors of Santa Fe to your table.

Turkey Fajitas - Makes 4 servings.

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper
4 turkey breast cutlets (about 4 oz. each), diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
3/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
4 large (10-inch) flour or whole-wheat tortillas
1 tsp. canola oil
2 cups Romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into strips
1 cup red, green or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine lime juice, garlic and jalapeno in a bowl. Add turkey, turn to coat and set aside.

Purée yogurt and cilantro in food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. (Sauce can be made ahead if refrigerated until ready to use. Remove from refrigerator early enough to bring sauce to room temperature before using.)

Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven until warm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add oil and tilt pan to coat evenly. Add turkey and stir-fry, stirring constantly, until cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer to a medium bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

On each tortilla, place a layer of shredded Romaine, then one-fourth of each the turkey and peppers. Add a spoonful of cilantro-yogurt sauce. Fold tortillas around filling and place on a serving platter. Serve with yogurt-cilantro sauce.

Per serving: 384 calories, 9 g. total fat (2 g. saturated fat), 46 g. carbohydrate, 28 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 420 mg. sodium.

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