Healthy eating in 2026: How tacos, tamales and burritos can still be on the menu

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- If healthier eating is your goal for 2026, you may be surprised to learn that tacos, tamales and burritos can be a part of that plan.

It's true! You don't have to give up taste to lose weight, and one local program is delivering on this promise.

"I think everything comes from food, and then if you start getting better food, you're getting a better life," said Laura Gonzalez, a certified nutritional coach who teaches at more than a dozen community resource centers operated by L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise.

She teaches you how to make Latin-inspired cuisine with healthier ingredients.

"Like pozole," said Gonzalez. "Everybody makes pozoles with fat and this and this. I teach them how to make pozole with spinach and seeds."

How about meatless menudo with mushrooms?

"It tastes just like menudo, the regular one, without the bad pork that we normally eat," said Alicia Meza Mendoza of Alhambra, who changed everything about the way she cooks after taking Gonzalez's classes.

"I've lost over 35 pounds, almost 40 pounds," she said.

Mendoza's cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure have all dropped, and Mendoza said she didn't have to sacrifice taste.

Her go-to recipe? Tofu tacos.

"We substitute meat," said Mendoza. "We just stop eating so much meat on a daily basis. We eat a lot of vegetarian dishes."

When it comes to tamales, Gonzalez suggests quinoa and olive oil instead of masa and lard, and instead of chicken bouillon, try fresh herbs.

Change may be difficult at first, but Mendoza's advice is to keep an open mind.

"I'm not the kind of teacher that comes and teaches and be serious," said Gonzalez. "I make jokes and I make people participate in my class."

Adding a healthy twist to the same dishes you grew up just takes a little know-how and remembering the basics.

"If you put bad food in, your body is going to work bad. You put in good food, your body is going to work properly," said Gonzalez.

Ready to cook? Here are some of Laura's go-to recipes

Quinoa tamales (Serves 10)

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 cup dry corn flour

• 2 cups of quinoa

• 2 teaspoons of baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

• 3/4 cup olive oil or coconut oil

Ingredients for sauce

• 1 medium onion, cut into skinny slices

• 1 cup of water

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 pound of peeled tomatillos

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

• Salt to taste

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

• Bring the broth to a boil, add the quinoa, cover and reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

• Remove from heat and keep aside.

• Add the dough, oil, quinoa, baking powder, and salt in a deep bowl.

• Mix everything ideally until smooth and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Instructions for sauce

• Combine onions, water, and garlic in a medium saucepan.

• Bring to a boil, then simmer until onions are soft, about 3-5 minutes.

• Add the whole tomatillos and Chile and simmer until the tomatillos are tender.

• Empty the contents into a food processor or blender.

• Add the salt and the cilantro. Grind until smooth.

Garbanzo bean salad (Serves 8)

Ingredients

• 2 (15 ounce) garbanzo beans cans

• 2 cucumber, diced

• 1 cup cherry tomato, chopped

• 1/2 red onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 ounce feta cheese

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped finely

• 1 teaspoon oregano, chopped

• 1 tablespoon basil, chopped

Instructions

• To prepare vinaigrette: In a bowl mix olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and white wine vinegar.

• Drain garbanzo beans and rinse with cold water.

• In a bowl combine drained garbanzo beans, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and garlic.

• Toss vegetables with vinaigrette and add in feta cheese.