Last night we met our friends at the Mexican restaurant El Vaquero for dinner. I usually find it hard to find something healthy at a Mexican restaurant because so many things are fried and covered in cheese.

Here are a few tips on eating healthy at a Mexican restaurant:

1. Order a water (which is all I had because of Baby H, but I love margs!) with your drink and try to refrain from the super-size drink. Margaritas are packed with sugar and calories, the best option is a light beer. If you can’t go without the margarita (which is hard to do) get a small one and sip it in between sips of water. The salt in the chips and salsa can make you chug your drink without realizing it.
2. Eat a snack before you go to dinner. Have something like an apple before you go to a Mexican restaurant so you don’t go crazy with the unlimited chips and salsa. It’s easy to over do it when they are right in front of you and you are starving.
3. Choose a dish that isn’t fried. There are usually a lot of options when it comes to this tip. Burritos and fajitas are usually good choices.
4. Skip the cheese, or ask for just a little if you really want it. Many of the dishes have so many flavors and textures that you don’t even notice the cheese you are eating. Try skipping it and asking for your burrito to be covered in salsa instead of cheese. This will save you lots of calories and fat.
5. Go easy on the extras. When it comes to sour cream, guacamole, Mexican rice and beans covered with cheese – try using just a little. Some healthier extra choices would be pico de gallo, lettuce, and salsa.

I followed these tips last night, and for the first time since I can remember, I left the restaurant totally satisfied but not stuffed!

I ordered a vegetarian burrito that was filled with spinach, rice and beans. It was topped with salsa instead of cheese and came with a side of lettuce and tomatoes. I didn’t eat the sour cream or all of the flour tortilla, but I didn’t finish all of the middle!

Those are Brady’s onions on the side of my plate. I am excited to go back! Here is our company from last night, plus a picture of baby H.

Baby H at 20 weeks:

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