Figuring out how to eat Mexican food and avoiding GMOs is one of the toughest dilemmas I have encountered since I started living an organic lifestyle. I love Mexican food and it is one of my favorite types of food (next to pizza, french fries and cake). The problem? If you go to any popular mexican restaurant you are destined to consume genetically engineered ingredients. Everything is either made or fried with vegetable oil (corn, soybean, or canola) or corn – and over 90% of corn, soy and canola are likely to come from genetically engineered crops. And let’s face it, going out to a Mexican restaurant and avoiding the chips, the tortillas, the enchiladas, etc. is NOT FUN.
Being diligent about avoiding GMOs is not something I take lightly (or want other people to) considering the research and studies that keep coming out about the potential dire effects from eating them. In very recent news, Reuters reported an MIT study showing that chemicals being sprayed on genetically engineered crops are making their way into our food. The most popular herbicide sprayed on genetically engineered crops is Monsanto’s Roundup and the chief ingredient in it called “glyphosate” is linked to Parkinson’s disease, infertility and many forms of cancers. The study goes on to state “negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body.” Remember that GMOs were just introduced into our food supply in the late 1990’s and no long term human or animal testing was conducted before the FDA approved them.
This recent research is startling considering the fact the United States remains one of the only industrialized countries that doesn’t label GMOs, which is one of the most unAmerican policies I can think of. We deserve the right to know what’s in our food, especially if it potentially can inflame the body and slowly manifest diseases like cancer over time.
The President’s Cancer Panel has urged us not to consume food sprayed with pesticides and doesn’t believe any amount is safe. They have determined that 41% of Americans are destined to have cancer because of the influx of these environmental toxins. This doesn’t have to happen and it can stop if we make the right decisions at the grocery store, eat as much organic food as possible and stop consuming genetically engineered food.
I know this is a recipe post that has gone off on a tangent about the dangers of consuming GMOs – but this reinforcement of the facts, I believe, is critical in keeping me and the ones I love (you) on the right decision making path, especially when life gets in the way and we want to celebrate holidays like Cinco De Mayo!
So on to my latest recipe: Mexican Pizza! (It’s technically a “tostada” – but I like calling it pizza). This recipe is easy and satisfies my mexican cravings like no other… I know you will love it, it’s hard not to, especially if you like Mexican food as much as I do.
- 6 sprouted corn tortillas or homemade tortillas
- 1 and ½ cup salsa or tomato sauce
- 2 cups black beans cooked or organic meat of your choice
- 1 green pepper chopped
- ½ onion chopped
- ½ jalapeño pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup raw goat mild cheddar cheese or organic cheese of your choice
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 cups romaine
- 1 lime
- 1 or 2 avocados
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- As oven is preheating, place corn tortillas on rack in oven for 3-4 mins (until tortilla becomes hard but not crisp)
- Remove corn tortillas and first top with ¼ cup salsa, a sprinkle of chili powder, ⅓ black beans, green peppers, onions, cheese and ending with 3 slices of jalapeño.
- Place tortillas back in oven and bake for 8-10 mins
- Remove from oven and serve with a slice of lime, chopped romaine, avocado or sour cream
If you are looking for general tips on how to avoid GMOs when eating out check this post out.
Here are a few other recipes for Mexican-inspired dishes:
- The Quickest Burrito You Will Ever Make
- Mexican Casserole
- Hot Poblano Pockets
- Sweet Potato Quesadilla
Please share these recipes with everyone in your life that loves Mexican food. Avoiding GMOs could be a life saver for them!
XOXO,
Food Babe
I love Mexican food. Mexico is in the list of countries around the world that banned or put restrictions on the use of GMO’s ( List provided by this site).
Too bad I don’t live closer to the border or TJ or I would go every weekend to get my Mexican food fix.
Mexico began using GMO’s about two years ago.
Actually, the world started GMOs about 10 000 years ago in the Neolithic era.
Hybrid and genetically modified are not the same. Genetic modification takes a technology that wasn’t available 10000 years ago. Hybid can happen in nature and that is what they did 10000 years ago!!!
I’ve put a lot of trust in Trader Joes products when I can’t find certain organic products or organic is to expensive. Am I delusional or do you think their products could be GMO? They claim they are not but are hard to research because they always say Monrovia, CA. Also a lot of Costco products say no conflict on Buycott yet they contain canola, soy or corn so I don’t buy them. Your recipe looks yummy.
Trader Joes, Aldi, and Costco are owned by the same family. So I say it would be fair to assume that the apples don’t fall very far from the money tree.
not true. Costco is not affiliated with Trader Joes or Aldi.
Trader Joes and Aldi do have the same german parent company.
Trader Joes absolutely cannot be trusted. They adamantly deny full discloser. If you ask about GMOs or antibiotic fed animals. They out source there foods more than traditional food stores. Check out all the research on them – not good
I second this reply. They not only refuse to disclose their supply line, but they also fought in collusion with Whole Foods to kill the California proposition that would have required GMO labeling. You really think they can be trusted to have your best interest in mind? Shop non-GMO somewhere else.
And just last year I picked up a pamphlet in their store that promised that anything with a “Trader Joe” label on it was non-GMO…..
That’s weird… I read that somewhere a while ago from a reliable source but now i can’t find the page. I stand corrected – Thanks.
These are so good! I have made these Mexican pizzas twice recently. The only things different i do is mix all the ingredients in a large bowl while the tortillas are warming in the oven. then i put down a bed of spinach on the tortillas and spoon the veggie/bean/cheese mixture on top. my husband and i fold them and eat them like tacos! So Good- Thanks Vani!
Just wanted to let y’all know that if you are ever in Seattle, there is a wonderful mexican restaurant that uses only organic corn and naturally raised meats. It’s called Agua Verde and it’s wonderful!
We sell Hand made tortillas in Germany. We make them from Organic corn that is grown in Germany. I am from Michigan, but lived in Oaxaca, Mexico for 6 years. I studied how to make tortillas from Nixtamal while I lived there. I am now living in Germany and have just started to sell my tortillas from our web shop. The only ingredients are organic corn, water, and calk. The corn is cooked, washed, and stone ground. Then the tortilla is cooked over a calk covered comal. We ship to all Germany, next day. And to its neighboring countries. You can find us at our web shop ( it is so far only in German ) You can write to us under Kontakt in German, English or Spanish if you have any questions.
http://mushroomreishi.com/product/mexicanische-tortillas/
Surprise, surprise, glyphosate is also the most common herbicide sprayed on non-GMO foods as well. As such, the research you cite is a good argument for going organic, but suggests little about GMOs. You do your readers a disservice when you confuse the two issues. There is little to no evidence to suggest that GMOs are dangerous to health per se, but pesticides are a different story.
Hmmm. I beg to differ that “there is little to no evidence to suggest that GMOs are dangerous to health”. Check out Dr Adrian den Boer’s video on youtube: The Truth about Gluten. He can provide you with a host of documented information and physician peer reviewed reports on GMO food (namely wheat) to which he refers to as “Franken-wheat”.
THERE IS NO COMMERCIALLY PRODUCED GMO WHEAT.
Wheat breeding has progressed with TRADITIONAL breeding methods. Studies showing ancient wheat varieties grown next to today’s wheat varieties produced plots that looked wildly different. MODERN WHEAT has been selected (not genetically modified) to grow consistently shorter stems, resist development of diseases (that would pose a serious food safety issue to humans and animals) and increase yield. Grains were compared from these varieties and it was determined that the grain from each plot was virtually indistinguishable. The samples were nutritionally similar and contained no new “Franken-wheat”-esque (your word, not mine) toxic proteins.
But isn’t corn GMO….. OR at least should we not be eating too much corn products? Recipe looks good but not sure about the corn tortilla. Could I use ezikiel sprouted wraps ??
Susy, you can buy organic corn tortillas.
Any recommendations for safe enchilada sauce, or a replacement for it? Thank you!!
Yes, make it yourself. Very easy to do and taste extra good when you use your own home grown green maters. I do this every fall with all the maters that fail to ripen. In fact, I count on it 🙂
For those in SoCal, I just found a Mexican chain, Sharky’s that looks delicious. They have some organic food, including their tortillas. I think their cheese is organic. Their meat isn’t, as far as I know, but they do have wild seafood. http://www.sharkys.com/
Just so you all know I read a news story today about a small town in Nicaragua where 20,000 farm workers have died of kidney failure and cancer.I wonder if them spraying RoundUp on the sugarcane did it.Yes on sugarcane
NOTHING TO DO WITH ROUND-UP (and if you want to talk like an educated person, it’s glyphosate – Round-Up is a brand name – and I’m assuming you have taken issue with the chemistry itself and not just Monsanto’s product)
Farmers in Nicaragua and other developing nations do not have the same chemical regulations as we, in North America, enjoy.
Many of these farmers are using concentrated versions of OLD CHEMISTRY (that we haven’t used in 50+ years) lack of training and personal protective equipment causes high levels of chemical intake of highly toxic products. Examples of this include handling “old-school” seed treatments with their bare hands.
It’s extremely convenient to blame glyphosate for someone who does not see the big picture of international agriculture. However it’s thanks to reduced risk products like glyphosate and other modern agricultural chemical products that we do not need to use the products we did 50 years ago. If not for the continued development of modern chemical products that headline would read “20,000 US and Canadian Farmers died of Kidney Failure”
I speak like an educated person because I AM an educated person.Furthermore whether I call it glyphosate or Roundup makes no difference whatsoever
Also, if you can get cancer from exposure ,then you can definitely get it from consuming the crop
You are delusional (or a corporate shill) if you think it wasn’t glyphosate (and the rest of the chemicals that Monsanto has the farmers sign that they will use.
There is a difference, if we have to go there: all Round-up is glyphosate, but not all glyphosate is round-up. Referring to the product by the brand name, instead of the active ingredient implies that your issue is with Monsanto’s Round-up brand formulation rather than the glyphosate chemistry.
You might be educated but obviously not in agriculture or food production.
As for your cancer from exposure comment, I was referring to the health risks from exposure to high doses of improperly used, “old school” chemicals that have been outlawed in North America for decades. As for “new school” chemicals the applied effective level or dose of the products used result in infinitesimally low residues on the grain and food products. As we all know “The Dose Makes The Poison”
No I am not delusional, or a corporate shill. You are simply not looking at the bigger picture, because you don’t know enough about agriculture or pesticides to make a complete and accurate assessment.
When you have anything close to the agricultural education that I have, I would be more than willing to discuss this further on a scientific basis, without you resorting to name calling.
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup so what you’re wasting my time on arguing is ridiculous.I myself have a degree in Science.I also know about agriculture since I own a farm. Return to your bosses now at the section of Monsanto.Your paycheck for trying to discredit scientists and anti-GMO people might be waiting for you
No I am not delusional or a corporate shill. You are simply using glyphosate as a scape goat because you don’t know enough about agriculture or food production to see the bigger picture.
When you obtain a comparable agriculture education to my own, I would be happy to discuss this further in a science-based civilized discussion where you don’t get to call names.
Owning a farm doesn’t give you sound agricultural knowledge any more than knowing about agriculture makes me a Monsanto employee.
I made this and it was so good that it even tempted my dad away from his Mexican takeout. Thanks! I used an Ezekiel tortilla, arrabiata sauce, black beans, chili powder, green onions, and Monterey jack cheese.
I would love to have a recommendation for thawing/using/cooking the frozen Ezekiel tortillas. When I try to remove one or two from the package, they always break off. And when I cook them to prepare for a recipe, they are always hard. Any help would be appreciated. I would love to make this recipe!
Hi Nicole – I buy them frozen, and then thaw and store them in the fridge. I usually bring them up to room temp on the counter before removing one from the package, if they are sticking together. Then I just heat them up individually in a saute pan to soften them up before folding. I hope that helps 🙂
Where do you get the raw goat cheese?
I found some at Whole Foods. It is actually really good and melts just like regular cheese.
Thanks for the recipe! Will definitely be trying it soon.
I’ve been missing my Mexican food as well, but a friend recently turned me on to a couple of recipes that I’ve been able to make completely GMO-free. Look up “Refried beans without the refry” online – absolutely phenomenal, and the only ingredients are beans, water, black pepper, garlic, onion, jalapeno, and oregano (off the top of my head) and once I tried them, I was hooked!
Another recipe involved cooking rice in chicken stock, cumin, garlic and (organic) tomato sauce, then adding some chopped cilantro at the end.
With the addition of this recipe, my Mexican food is slowly starting to come back, which is great because it’s one of my family’s favorites. Thanks for the new recipe!
I made this recipe last night. I did not have black beans so I used Kidney beans. I also added some organic beef taco meat to it. It was delicious and really easy and quick to make. I will definitely be making this one again.
No dangers of GMO were discussed, only pesticides.
What are is dangerous about genetically modified foods ???
I would love to see an article that truly discusses the science behind the opinion that GMO’s are dangerous.
Hi, I get really annoyed at this hatred for GMO food. So firstly, YES you can have ORGANIC GMO food. Organic means grown without chemicals added. GMO means that the organism has had its gene’s modified so that it either over-produces some specific protein that it already naturally produced, or it has had the protein from a closely related species inserted into it (they must be very closely related or it won’t be properly integrated into the crop’s DNA).
Secondly, google the history of corn. Im not joking. When corn was first domesticated, that is WILD NATURAL CORN, it is about the size of your finger. Now corn is about the size of your forearm. This is not due to GM but to SELECTIVE BREEDING. Selective breeding has been going on for 10,000 years and basically means we breed plant lines with favourable traits together. However, when this happens, yes the offspring inherits the good traits, but it will also inherit a tonne of other genes that we have no idea what they are or what they do. With GMO, we know EXACTLY what is being inherited. We know EXACTLY what it does. And most importantly, these crops are clones and so they are ALL THE SAME. Whilst the monopoly that GM companies have on these GM crops is unethical, can we really say that they are any worse than any other food company? No, we can’t. And GM food is super regulated unlike all the other crap you put in your body. Also, what people fail to understand is that creating GM is bloody hard work! Only after LOTS of time and research will a gene be successfully integrated into a new species.
Most importantly, the genes that are put into these GM crops are not scary nasty Frankenstein genes. They are genes that help the crop resist herbicides, allowing farmers to reduce the amount of herbicide they apply to their crops to kill of nasty weeds, and allowing the crops to thrive.
Also, if all food was grown organically we would only have 30% of the food we have now. Organic is unsustainable regardless of how much you might like the idea. People are already starving in this world, giving them access to fertilisers will help solve this crisis.
A beautifully articulated summation. Thank you Izzie.
This was amazingly fantastic!!!! We enjoyed this so much here at my home. It felt great knowing that I was eating great REAL food. Seemed sinful that it tasted that good. Repeat dish for this one too. Thanks food babe!!