Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Nopalitos con Huevo
121 kcal a serving, against 266 for the traditional version. That is 145 kcal off, or 55%, with 13.6g of protein. Serves 4. 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Fresh cactus paddles, diced and fried in a heavy measure of pork lard until their natural sap cooks off. Once the cactus is tender, diced onions and tomatoes are thrown into the hot fat, followed by a large batch of whole eggs, scrambled until rich and soft.
What changed, and what each change costs
40g of lard swapped for zero lard
Frying the cactus in fat adds hundreds of calories to a simple breakfast dish. Cooking the nopales in a dry, hot frying pan draws out their moisture and boils off the sticky sap perfectly well.
What it costs you. You lose the rich pork flavour that lard brings to the pan. It's the first compromise you'll notice, as the dish tastes distinctly sharper and more vegetal without that background richness.
400g of whole eggs swapped for 150g of whole eggs and 250g of egg whites
Whole eggs bring great flavour, but swapping a large portion for pure egg whites cuts the fat drastically while keeping the volume high. You still get three yolks to provide colour.
What it costs you. The texture shifts. Egg whites set firmer and lack the soft, rich mouthfeel of a scramble made entirely of whole yolks. The final scramble is a bit bouncier and less creamy.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 266 | 121 |
| Protein | 14.5g | 13.6g |
| Fat | 19.7g | 3.9g |
| Saturated fat | 7.1g | 1.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 7.8g | 8.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.4g | 11.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. eggs.
The method is in the book
This is a fantastic start to the day, but So: a sharp and deeply savoury breakfast. A decadent diner plate was never on the table once the fat came out. The loss is the dripping richness of lard-fried vegetables. You get a bright, acidic bite that highlights the natural tartness of the cactus. The egg whites make the mouthfeel firmer, but the flavour holds up beautifully against the chillies and sweet tomatoes.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback