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Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Healthy Mexican?


I'll be the first one to admit that I'm a blue cheese and bread type of girl. When it comes to counting calories, I'm the last one to tally up the count.


Plain and simple... I like to eat.

I'm also the first person to take that 110+ step walk up to the Tuesday Market as opposed to hopping in a cab. I want to wear off the calories before I actually eat them.


Thank goodness Mexican dishes are prepared with loads of fresh produce, protein-packed beans, fiber-filled tortillas, and nutritious spices like chilies, cinnamon, and cumin.


All that aside, I'm into things like Queso Fundido having survived the University of Guadalajara on pizza plates of melted cheese, baskets of warm tortillas, green sauce and a salt shaker.



I could also never get enough of the local Oaxacan cheese. How can you possibly get healthy with all this good cheese around? Don't expect me to answer that as I order a double dose of ranchero on my flautas.

Here in San Miguel, I can feed any indulgence I happen to crave. Sourcing an addiction is easy. Close your eyes, pull out the pesos and Abra Kadabra it's yours!


Like pickles. They're healthy but unfortunately I like mine deep fried and dipped in aioli.


Turkey Burgers? I've got to have mine with an overload of extra crispy French fries on the side.


Popovers? Certainly not when you eat the whole pan.


And how do you take all the fried goodness out of a cemita? I'm not giving them up so discussing it is just a waste of time.

So is everything fried unhealthy? Not for your social life. 


Take frying won tons when people are standing around eating them as fast as you can get them out of the  frying pan. Truth be told, I've eaten over 20 of them myself in one sitting...of course strictly for the social aspect of eating.


I forget sometimes that San Miguel is a town compared to the city of Chicago because there isn't one thing I haven't found here besides russet potatoes...and I do miss russets because they feed my Poutine addiction.

But San Miguel is full of healthy options. Ask any of my friends who worry about it far more than I do. They can probably tell you what's healthy on the menus of all of San Miguel's best restaurants.


Me? Well obviously I haven't been paying attention but I can tell you where to get the best Carnitas, Mixiotes and Barbacoa in town and even hustle you up to get some.

In fact, that's usually where you'll find me. First in line the eat.


So when the local food police show up shouting healthy what's the first thing they want you to give up? Gorditas of course. Geez. 

Unhealthy? Gordito means "little fat one" in Spanish but it's also a term of endearment. Me? I wouldn't be giving them up any time soon.



You can do the fruit, yogurt, granola and honey at Hotel Matilda.
  

You can go for the Jicama Tacos at La Azotea.



You can try the bean soup at Provecho.



Me? I'm still dreaming about flautas and wondering how I can take all the bad out of something that is so darn good.


Buen Apetito!