Bill Clinton's Favorite Mexican Food Is This Cheese-Smothered Classic

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Donald Trump may be the nation's most famous McDonald's fan, but he's not the only president to have frequented the Golden Arches. Back in the day, Bill Clinton was also a frequent diner, although to his credit, at least he did jog to get there. Besides burgers, other Clintonian food favorites included barbecued ribs (particularly those from McClard's Bar-B-Q in Hot Springs, Arkansas), tacos, sweet potato pie, and cinnamon rolls. He was never much of a boozer (something else he has in common with the teetotaling Trump), although he has enjoyed kicking back with a Clausthaler, the world's oldest nonalcoholic beer. Another dish that's long been associated with the former president is chicken enchiladas — these were a standing order of his at a Little Rock New American restaurant known as Trios.

The chicken enchiladas at Trios, which remain on the menu some 30+ years after then-governor Clinton was regularly ordering them, are made with corn tortillas and a filling of shredded chicken, Monterey jack, and mild green chiles. They come in a tomatillo-cilantro sauce and are accompanied by black beans and jalapeño rice. A chicken enchilada recipe said to be a Clinton family one, published in "The Clinton Presidential Center Cookbook," seems to be fairly similar, only its sauce is made with tomatoes. The filling, too, is made with cheddar instead of jack cheese, and also includes sour cream and cream cheese. This triple-dairy extravaganza concludes with still more cheese used as a topping.

Life in the Oval Office can be stressful, and after handing over the keys to George Bush in 2001, Bill Clinton was feeling the effects. He underwent quadruple-bypass surgery in 2004, but six years later, his heart was still giving him trouble. At that point, he made a decision that would put his beloved chicken enchiladas permanently out of reach: adopting a primarily plant-based diet.

Going vegan(ish) wasn't easy for Clinton, but he did it for his family's sake. His daughter was about to be married, and he not only wanted to look good in the pictures, but also to have enough energy to be a good grandpa when the time came. (Chelsea and her husband now have three kids.) One of the most difficult parts of his dietary transformation, he admitted, wasn't giving up meat (although he still eats salmon from time to time), but the fact that he could no longer have cheese. He makes do with cashew cheese these days, but it isn't quite the same — vegan cheese tends to be sticky and gooey and doesn't really shred or melt as well as the real stuff.

Even so, sacrifices must be made, and Clinton does say he feels a lot healthier after cutting out fatty dairy foods. (Unless you count eggs, since he still eats omelets.) Although it's unknown if he ever revamped his enchilada recipe to be made with a plant-based chicken substitute and vegan dairy products, he reportedly enjoys cashew cheese nachos, and beans are still on the approved list, as well.