Suggestions on Mexican option?

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cydonian
cydonian Posts: 361 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My husband and I have a local mexican restaurant that we really enjoy going to. We can walk there in about 15 minutes (getting some exercise in the process :D) and always have good food. I'm wondering what healthier options are available at most mexican places. I know it really isn't the healthiest choice but I figure if I allow myself to eat there once every few weeks, why not pick something healthier?

I used to get 2 cheese enchiladas in the standard sauce, and sometimes rice but realized that the sauce and sour cream were fattening. I now get a bit of a custom order... single cheese quesadilla with a bit of grilled steak in a corn tortilla (instead of flour), and on the side they usually have about a half cup of rice and lettuce, with a tablespoon of guacamole and sour cream on top. I find this really filling and satisfying... is it a healthy choice or is there something else I could be getting? Thanks in advance!

(As a side note, I also don't eat many chips and salsa anymore. I've stopped eating the white sauce completely and eat maybe 7-8 chips with a bit of salsa on them now)

Replies

  • dweaddy2
    dweaddy2 Posts: 10 Member
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    Bump. Good question. I would like to see some of the suggestions also.
  • bethany675
    bethany675 Posts: 44 Member
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    I also have a local Mexican that my family LOVES. I have changed my order to......fajitas (chicken or steak, depending on mood) with NO tortillas, rice or beans, tomatoe or sourcream. I mix the mea, peppers, onions, shrooms on a bed of lettuce with some guacamole and shredded cheese. I LOVE IT! but that's just me.

    Yes, the waiters did look at me funny the first time, but it is easier on them b/c they have to prepare the side dishes...I'm the new fave customer!

    p.s. I do the same as you with chips but eat it w/ chopped avacado only (order as a side) and break the chips into tiny pieces....it makes it seem like there is more. I also get no more than 7-8 chips.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Fajitas are good. Corn tortilla tacos also. I generally either get chicken, fish or shrimp tacos then don't eat the rice and only eat the beans if they are black (I don't really like re-fried anyway). I'd actually stay away from quesadillas, it's a ton of cheese (probably 1.5 CUPS) and those big flour tortillas are pretty high in calories.
  • HannahPendrigh
    HannahPendrigh Posts: 147 Member
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    bump. Mexican is my favourite so I'm interested to see people's suggestions
  • MrsGriffin67
    MrsGriffin67 Posts: 485 Member
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    Maybe fajitas. Just got to be careful about sodium.
  • glenna221
    glenna221 Posts: 46
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    getting shrimp fajitas (or scallops) might be a lower cal option. They usually give you so much meat and peppers/onions that you don't need to use a tortilla (i usually use a little rice, then add salsa, shredded lettuce, and guacamole). And if they have black beans as an option instead of refried beans that is a lower fat option.
  • ZebraHead
    ZebraHead Posts: 15,207 Member
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    I do:

    Steak or Chicken Fajitas (no torilla shells, no cheese, no sour cream) Eat it right off the plate (grilled veggies and meat)

    Skip the chips and salsa

    Skip the Magaritas (or the 'skinny' option)
  • klamont9
    klamont9 Posts: 59
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    Like the others, I get chicken fajitas and don't eat any of the torillas.
  • horsepal
    horsepal Posts: 19 Member
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    I'm all about fish tacos, I order as a side with no rice or beans and they usually come with a red sauce and corn tortillas and a slice of avacado (healthy fat) also a squeeze of lime gives them zing!
  • pssqrd
    pssqrd Posts: 4 Member
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    I have always heard soft tacos are the healthiest option. I find if they have good quality meat, then you don't need all of the toppings. I like meat, salsa, guacamole and sometimes lettuce. Tacos also automatically helps to cap the portion size. I do think fajitas are healthy but then you do have to control portions.
  • AdAstra47
    AdAstra47 Posts: 823 Member
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    My doctor has me on a low-carb diet, and I've found Mexican to be a very difficult food type. At home, I can have chips & salsa but I use homemade kale chips instead of corn chips. At the restaurants I just have to skip that, though. Sigh.

    My best choice has been fajitas with no tortilla. I just eat the veggies & meat/shrimp with a fork like a salad. If they offer any kind of steak or carne asada, I might order that (sauce on the side). Chili rellenos, stuffed peppers or jalapeno poppers are good as long as they're not breaded.
  • lfcutie
    lfcutie Posts: 103 Member
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    i get a chicken tostada...when it comes i take off the tostada shell and not eat it..i ask for few beans or none...top with salsa instead of dressing..the place i go tops with sour cream and guac. i ask for little and get about a table spoon f each so i still get the flavor but not over indudge =)
  • kimi131
    kimi131 Posts: 1,058 Member
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    I get:

    chicken fajitas, no tortillas, no rice, whole/barracho beans (much healthier than refried), no sour cream

    or 2 chicken fajita tacos in corn tortillas, generally there is less meat than the chicken fajita plate, so I let myself have the corn tortilla

    or chicken fajita salad with pico de gallo (no salad dressing)

    I've really been craving a cheese enchilada, so I might have to break down and let myself have one soon.
  • cydonian
    cydonian Posts: 361 Member
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    Thanks for the suggestions guys! Cheese isn't too much of a problem for me as I need the calcium, and I've got a gallbladder problem that makes ingesting a lot of animal protein difficult... so I get cheese instead of meat so that I can have some protein. I also am usually under my fat intake for the day so a little cheese won't hurt ;-)

    The shrimp fajitas and fish tacos sound divine!
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
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    I love mexican food, its my favorite! I struggle with being good at mexican restaurants because of the yummy cheese sauce, chips and salsa, beans, and everything else that is so good but so not good for you. I try to cut back on the chips, don't order the cheese dip anymore, stay away from the beans and rice, and this is a challenge every time! My wife and I split the fajitas and we each just have one of the tortillas and then make a fajita salad on our plates with the remainder of the meat, peppers, onions, etc. I don't like sour cream so that's not an issue. Mexican is a treat now, like once a month, instead of 1-3 times a week like it used to be. Its nearly impossible to make really good choices and no way to look up the calorie intake. So in some ways its easier just to cut it out and just make mexican dining out a treat every now and again, rather than habitual which it was before.

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