In case you havn't heard, airline food has now officially become one of the worst things on the planet after sewing needles were found in some Delta sandwiches. By the time I was done trying to figure out what the heck happened here, I pretty much resolved to stop eating airline food, period.
What are my options, though, if I don't want to eat something that's potentially a hazard to my health (in more ways than one)? That's when I remembered my abuelita, who still will often bring her own food in a baggie instead of buying something in the airport or (gasp!) eating airplane food.
So I'm going to tak a page out of her book and start bringing my OWN sandwiches to the airport. And with recipes that give a Latin-twist to delicious sandwiches like the ones below, who could resist?!
Readmore ¿Qué más? 3 easy, portable and healthy Latin lunch ideas for kids!
What's your favorite Latin-style sandwich? Will you be bringing one of these on your next trip? Share with us in the comments below!
Healthy Cuban Sandwich
Ingredients (Sandwich): 1 Multi-grain baguette, 2-ounces Yellow Mustard or to taste, 10 slices low-fat deli ham, 10 slices low-fat deli turkey marinated in Cuban Vinaigrette, 6 slices Swiss Cheese, 2 dill pickles, sliced thinly, 2 tsp low-fat mayonnaise. Ingredients (Cuban Vinaigrette): 2 tbs olive oil, Juice of 1 lemon, Salt and Pepper to taste, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp cumin
Directions:
Toss turkey in Cuban Vinaigrette. Slice baguette lengthwise. Build sandwich with yellow mustard on bottom piece of bread, layering ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, and pickle. Cut the sandwich into 4 equal portions. Lightly spread low-fat mayonnaise on outside of bread then place sandwich in Panini maker or follow the instructions below to build your own. Cook 3-4 minutes in Panini maker or 3-4 minutes on each side in the "build-your-own" version until golden brown. Once golden brown, remove from Panini maker and slice sandwich diagonally.
Build your own Panini maker:
Using a large non-stick skillet for the base, heat the pan over medium-high heat. Place sandwich in pan. Top with a heavy cooking pot (or two medium sized pots) to weight the sandwich down. The weight of the heavy cooking vessels will provide the "press."
Recipe courtesy of Lil Sugar
Chicken Mole Torta
Ingredients (Chicken Mole): 2 dried ancho chiles, 3 tablespoons peanut oil, 1 medium yellow onion, minced, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced, 2 1/2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate, chopped, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 2 cloves garlic, smashed, 3 cups chicken stock, One 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, 1/4 cup almond butter, 1/4 cup raisins, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, 4 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (3 1/2 to 4 pounds). Ingredients (Sandwich Build): One 16-ounce can refried beans (with chorizo if available), 4 fresh bolillo rolls, warmed, 2 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce, Pickled jalapenos, Fresh cilantro leaves, Tomatillo Salsa (find the recipe here), Lime wedges, for garnish
Directions (for the Sandwich):
1. For the chicken mole: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Remove the stems and seeds from the ancho chiles and bake for 5 minutes. When cool, roughly chop and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, a couple pinches of salt and saute until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved ancho chiles and minced chipotle. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chocolate, cinnamon, cloves and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant and the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, almond butter, raisins and sesame seeds. Gently simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Place the mole into a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add the mole back to the Dutch oven. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken in the sauce in one layer, making sure each breast is entirely coated, and gently simmer, flipping once during cooking, until the breasts register 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside off the heat and let rest.
5. Using your hands, remove the skin and meat from the bones and discard. Shred the chicken into smaller chunks and place back into the mole to keep warm. Season if necessary.
6. For the sandwich build: Heat the refried beans in the microwave until warm. Spread on the bottom of the bolillo rolls. Place the chicken on top of the beans with a little extra mole. Place some queso fresco on top of the chicken, slather the top bun with sour cream and adhere the lettuce. Top with the pickled jalapenos and cilantro and drizzle with the Tomatillo Salsa. Close, cut sharply on the bias and serve with fresh lime wedges. Two hands, bite hard.
Recipe courtesy of Jeff Mauro/Food Net
Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese
Ingredients: Fresh spinach – enough for about 3 cups chopped, Canned artichoke hearts – about 3 (around 6 ounces), 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 cup shredded cheese (we used a blend of mozzarella, Monterrey jack and provolone), 4 pieces bread, Kosher salt, Butter or more olive oil
Directions:
1. Dice the 2 cloves garlic. Chop the artichokes. Wash and stem the spinach, then chop it coarsely.
2. Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Then add thespinach and a pinch of kosher salt, and saute for a few minutes until just limp. Add the artichokes and saute for another minute or so, until heated through. Drain off any liquid from the pan. Stir in 2 tablespoonssour cream and another pinch of kosher salt.
3. Spread butter (or olive oil) on one side of each of the 4 bread pieces. Heat a griddle pan to medium high heat. Place 2 pieces of bread on the griddle, buttered side down. On each piece, spread some shredded cheese, the spinach artichoke filling, some more cheese (1/2 cup cheese per sandwich), and the other piece of bread. When the bottom bread is browned, flip the sandwich and cook until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.
Recipe courtesy of Mamás Latinas member Gabycr.
Taco Sandwich
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef, 1 loaf (1 pound) unsliced Italian bread, 4 ounces cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup salsa, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, 1 cup shredded lettuce, 1 large tomato, sliced, 6 slices American cheese
Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink.
2. Meanwhile, cut bread in half lengthwise; hollow out top and bottom of loaf, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use).
3. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and salsa until blended. Spread inside bread shell; set aside.
4. Drain beef. Stir in taco seasoning. Layer lettuce and tomato in bottom of bread shell; top with beef mixture and cheese. Replace bread top. Yield: 6 servings.
Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home.
Mexican-style Ham & Egg Sandwich
Give a simple cheesy ham and egg sandwich all the flavor of Mexican cuisine with a few extra ingredients that will make all the difference. I show you how I do it in this video. Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Christina Cruz Castaneda.
