Healthy elote (recipe)

By The Health News Team | January 7, 2022

Elote is a popular creamy Mexican street food featuring corn, cotija cheese, crema fresca, chile powder and lime. It only takes one bite to realize why this dish is irresistible.

“Swapping in Greek yogurt instead of crema fresca will give your elote a small boost in protein, and the low-fat feta cheese will limit the fat content significantly,” says Valerie Littlefield, a clinical dietitian at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. “These two substitutions create a much more balanced snack or side dish.”

This flavorful recipe uses tasty substitutions to create a healthier and lighter version of elote without losing the classic savory flavors.

Healthy Elote

Increase or decrease the spice level of your elote by adjusting the amount of chile powder you use.

Healthy elote (recipe)

Prep time:

5 minutes

Total time:

5 minutes

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

4 ears of sweet corn on the cob
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
4 tablespoons nonfat plain or Greek yogurt
1/3 cup low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
Wooden skewers

Directions

1

Step 1: Cook the Corn

Bring a pot of water to a boil or prepare your grill for cooking. Shuck the corn and add to the boiling water, or place on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender and lightly charred.

2

Step 2: Cool the Corn

Remove the corn and set aside to cool enough until you can insert a wooden skewer into the core.

3

Step 3: Season and Serve

Brush each cob with melted butter and Greek yogurt. Sprinkle each with garlic powder and chipotle chile powder. Top the corn with feta cheese and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over the corn and serve.

Nutrition facts per serving: Calories = 177; Fat = 7 grams; Sugar = 6 grams

The Health News Team

Author

The Sharp Health News Team are content authors who write and produce stories about Sharp HealthCare and its hospitals, clinics, medical groups and health plan.