Cactus Pads Nopales Nopali Mexican Recipes – Wild Food Foraging
The nopal cactus is more commonly known as the prickly pear cactus. It is native to Mexico and famous for its health benefits due to its high antioxidant, vitamin, mineral, and fiber content.
They are eaten as a VEGETABLE and commonly found in restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers’ markets across the American Southwest, The South and Mexico. Nopales can also be eaten raw , cooked, pickled and water bath canning process. They resemble a green pepper when diced. They are a little chewy like okra and crunchy like green beans.
They are prepared many ways and taste differently depending on how they are used.
Click here to read about Have You Ever Eaten Cactus Before?:
http://mexicanmademeatless.com/have-you-ever-eaten-cactus/
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Nutritional information
One cup of raw nopales contains approximately:
14 calories
1 gram (g) of protein
less than 1 g of fat
3 g of carbohydrate
2 g of fiber
1 g of sugar
20 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A
8 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C
141 mg of calcium
4.6 mcg of vitamin K
Click here to read about Cleaning and Cooking Cactus Paddles or Nopales:
https://patijinich.com/cleaning_cactus_paddles_or_nopales/
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Click here to read about how to make delicious Nopales con Huevo (Cactus with Eggs):
https://inmamamaggieskitchen.com/nopales-con-huevo-cactus-eggs/
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Click here to read about HOW TO PICKLE CACTUS PADS (NOPALES) Recipe:
https://www.rebootedmom.com/how-to-pickle-cactus-pads-nopales/
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Ingredients for a Cactus Green Smoothie
1 lemon juiced – only use the juice
1 cup filtered water
½ cup nopal (cactus pads cleaned, spines removed)
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
Pinch of Pepper
Crushed ice (optional)
Directions: Blend, pour, drink and enjoy !
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Click here to read about Nopales – Nopalitos Salad – Ensalada de Nopales Recipe:
https://www.mexgrocer.com/569-tender-nopalitos-salad.html#
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Maria Gomez (The Homestead Survival Reader) says “Boil them in water with garlic an onion and then when boil put them in a glass jar and flip the jar upside down for one day after that just store them in the pantry. Make sure you refrigerate them when you open a jar to use.”
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Click here to read about Delicious Cactus with Beef Strips Recipe:
https://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/nopales-con-bistek-cactus-with-beef/?fbclid=IwAR2n8gOsqHHHaJT56zXZGEReGPT-252j5xjPjSaKpOGpIpCo48djSoGslog
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Erica Useche shares her favorite recipe using Cactus Pads
“Delicious Nopales a la Mexicana Recipe”
1 tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil
2 cups nopales chopped and cooked
¼ cup White onion chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
2 serrano peppers diced
1 cup Tomatoes chopped
2 sprigs of cilantro
Salt and pepper
Directions: Cook up like you would a Stir Fry in a skillet on your stove top.
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