Ropa Vieja with a Fresh Twist

Ropa vieja is too good to skip—just serve it smart!

Traditionally paired with rice and plantains, aim for portions about the size of your fist or a quarter of your plate. Check your blood glucose to see what works for you, or go lower carb by loading up on veggies and cutting back the starch. Check out this vieja recipe:

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 500 grams of shredded beef
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 plantain, sliced and fried
• 1 cup of assorted vegetables (beets, cabbage, carrots, chayote, cilantro, green beans, lettuce, onions, tomatillo, tomatoes, zucchini)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 bell bell pepper, sliced
• 1 can (14 ounces) tomatoes, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preparation of shredded meat:

1. In a large skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and sliced onions. Sauté until onions are translucent.
2. Add the shredded beef and mix well with the onions and garlic.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients.
4. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the meat is tender and the flavors are well blended.

Assembling the dish:

1. Place a portion of shredded meat on one side of the plate.
2. Add a portion of cooked rice on another side of the plate.
3. Place the fried plantain slices next to the rice.
4. Fill the remaining part of the plate with a colorful mix of vegetables such as beets, cabbage, carrots, chayote, cilantro, green beans, lettuce, onions, tomatillo, tomatoes and zucchini.

Nutritional Information (200 grams serving):

• Calories: 35402 kcal.
• Protein: 32 g.
• Fat: 10g per serving.
• Carbohydrates: 47 g per serving (including rice and banana).

The nutritional information in this recipe is an estimate.