A Fabulous Clean-Eating Fast-Food Find

My BF and I love Mexican food.  It’s definitely yum-o-licious, but it’s not very diet friendly.  The Americanized version of south-of-the-border cuisine is often fried and weighed down with full-fat cheese and sour cream.

I’ve trained myself to avoid it for the most part, especially going to Mexican restaurants where it’s nearly impossible for me to resist the tortilla chips and salsa that start every meal.  My BF, though, really enjoys ordering Mexican take-out, so we get it about twice a week. 

For a while, it was one of my biggest challenges.  I struggled to find the best choice for my plan on the menu and fought the urge to munch crazily on his beef-and-cheese laden nachos.  That is until we found “shrimp cocktail” on the menu of our favorite local Mexican joint. 

The first time I ordered it, I envisioned the classic combo: five jumbo shrimp with a cup of cocktail sauce.  I was more than pleasantly surprised by what I received.  This place makes all the food right in front of the patrons - behind glass, of course - so you know exactly what you’re getting.  Their large shrimp cocktail is a festival of ten to fifteen fat, pink shrimp, a whole creamy avocado cut into chunks, zesty pico de gallo and Clamato sauce. 

Oh my word!  It is beyond delish!!  Now that I know they serve it with Saltine crackers, I decline them.  No point in even bringing ‘em home to be tempted.  And, because I prefer a thicker concoction, I dump out most of the Clamato sauce.  Even though the avocado is somewhat high in calories (about 300 calories each), it’s balanced out by the very low-calorie seafood and veggies.  What remains after my slight “modifications” is unbelievably tasty as well supremely clean and healthy and reasonable from a caloric standpoint. 

I’m so happy to have taken a chance and ordered something outside the to-go box.  Now I look forward to picking up Mexican rather than inwardly dreading it.  Yay!