Mexican Food & Dining out

(Deep Eddy 5:30AM Tu/Th boot camp posing after a FGB workout)

Living in TX, much less Austin, TX, I am surrounded by copious amounts of amazing Mexican food. Let's be honest, who doesn't enjoy a lovely Skinny Rita and some fajitas from Trudy's. Below are some helpful tips from Nell Stephenson when dining out and eating Mexican food.
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You might think Mexican food - isn’t that all rice and beans? Sour cream and tortillas? Yes, that is part of the typical diet, but it’s not ALL of the typical diet. Think guacamole, tomato salsa, char-grilled steaks, sautéed prawns and shredded chicken, just to name a few options!

In keeping with exploring what to order at different restaurants, here are some great choices when you’re eating out Mexican style!

• Fajitas! Choose steak, chicken or prawns. Usually this dish will be a mixture of bell peppers, onions, perhaps carrots or other veggies, and protein sautéed in oil in a skillet. Ask them to hold the rice, beans, tortillas, and cheese, and order extra veggies instead.
  
  
• Ceviche! A fish-based dish, which is cooked using lemon or lime. It’s often served on a crisp tortilla, so just ask for it to be atop a bed of lettuce and eat with a fork instead of on the shell!
  
  
• Coctel de Camarones! This shrimp cocktail is different from our version with the red cocktail sauce on the side for dipping. It often has smaller shrimp mixed with cucumber and onion in a tomato base.
  
  
• Carne or Pollo Asada! Grilled skirt steak or chicken that’s lean, mean and tasty!
  
  
• Pescado! There will often be a fish option, so ask for it to be grilled and served with any veggie the chef has in house that day.
  
  

Be creative too. If you’re at a more casual place, opt for grilled fish tacos (sans the tortilla), or, perhaps, a chopped salad (without the usual corn and black beans).

Read the menu carefully and thoroughly in order to make the necessary substitutions as needed. At the end of the meal, you’ll be satisfied, but not stuffed. And, you’ll feel much better than your dining companion who ate the giant 1,500-calorie burrito with the works!