The Swap Series: Mexican Food Edition
Welcome to The Swap Series, where you can find healthy (and simple!) swaps to your favorite dishes. Whether you’re looking to save calories the next time you’re eating out or cook up healthier dishes at home, you can always find a balanced meal with beef!
Mexican food is a favorite of mine - in fact it has become a tradition to celebrate my birthday with Mexican cuisine! This past weekend my little sister, Natalia, and I headed to the Mall of America to kick off my birthday week. Among the crowds (which reminded me why we only go to MOA once in a Blue Moon) we found a great Mexican restaurant, Cantina Laredo. They pride themselves on modern Mexican dishes everyone can enjoy, which proved to be true when Natalia, the chicken-nugget-connoisseur, ordered an enchilada. I chose the steak fajitas - my go to at any Mexican restaurant. Among these classics, the Queso Laredo dip also caught my eye. This dip combines queso dip, ground sirloin and pico de gallo, what more could you ask for?
Aside from the great menu, this restaurant also had its own personal style to set itself apart from the rest of the mall. The bright colors, wall of succulents, and friendly staff draw in hungry shoppers ready to take a break from the crowd.
My fajitas were fantastic, and I definitely recommend eating at Cantina Laredo next time you head to Mall of America. They also have locations all over the country, you can check out where here: https://www.cantinalaredo.com/locations/.
To keep myself from feeling sluggish after my meal, I followed the swaps below. After all, I still had 96 acres of mall to conquer.
Swap one:
If you order steak fajitas or tacos, skip the flour tortilla or order a corn tortilla. This will save you around 120 calories per tortilla. If you can’t resist the tortillas, make one fajita then eat the steak and veggies on their own.
Steak Fajita Tacos from Cantina Laredo, served with corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas.
swap two:
Still want all your steak and veggies wrapped up? Ask for a lettuce wrap instead! This will still give you the convenience of a fajita, but with considerably less calories.
swap three:
Trade in the sour cream for guacamole. Guacamole provides healthy fats, and it still adds a creamy texture to your taco.
swap four:
Maybe the hardest – slow down on the endless chips and salsa. While salsa typically has minimal calories, the chips can add up. Remember the delicious meal you have coming and enjoy the conversation!
Next time you’re headed to your favorite Mexican restaurant, remember these tips so you can fill your craving and still feel great after!
Looking for more Fiesta-Worthy meals you can feel good about?
Head to: https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/recipes/collection/10016/fiesta-worthy-mexican-meals
Share This Page