Cinco De Mayo: recipes for a fit and festive fiesta

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Mexican food is by far one of the most difficult types of food to practice self-control with. Between the crispy corn chips, creamy queso (if you're familiar with Tex-Mex, you know this isn't simply melted cheese), and loaded tacos, there's no questioning why this is. Pair these mouth-watering dishes with a Cinco De Mayo celebration of good music, drinks, and friends, and the struggle gets real. 

There are certainly ways to control yourself around such an array, and there are plenty of healthy, home-cooked recipes to contribute to it! Believe me, it's far easier to eat less of the not-so-healthy stuff when you're plate is largely filled with the healthier goods— the key is to stay away from the refreshments table once you've gotten your fill.

So, whether you're throwing the fiesta or attending another's, peruse the links below for recipes that will put a nutritious spin on the buffet table:

Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Simple Civiche 

Clean Eating Fajitas

Clean Eating Quinoa Tortillas

Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos

Turkey Tostadas

Houston-Style Green Salsa

Healthified Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Crispy Mushroom, Spinach, and Avocado Quesadillas

Vegan Spaghetti Squash and Black Bean Mexican Bowl

Baked Portabella Mushroom Taquitos

Jalapeño Paloma

Tequila Lime Spritzer

Watermelon Margarita

Kicked-Up Avocado Margarita

Churros

Healthier Tres Leches Cake

~P.S.~

I'll be out of town next week, so I won't be posting this upcoming Friday. Be sure to check back in on May 16th!

Cinco De Mayo: viva la healthy Mexican food!

Well, that title was a mouthful... and likely your plate will be too, come tomorrow. While partying it up with friends for Cinco De Mayo, the festive food that is sure to ensue may lead to some overeating. You know what I'm talking about— mindlessly digging into those addicting tortilla chips and lowballing your cheese consumption. There's no denying my love for queso, or that I fall victim to overfilling my plate each time I go out to a Mexican restaurant. This also tends to be the case when I cook up my own Mexican dishes at home (as you can see in one of my previous posts), and therefore, I definitely need to watch my own intake when it comes to this delicious ethnic food.

On a food-filled celebration such as Cinco De Mayo, keeping track of what you're snacking on, as well as how much you're consuming, is key to a balanced meal. It can be easy to over-do it on Mexican food, so to help keep your portions under control, consider making yourself a plate to eat off of rather than grabbing food from the snack bar throughout the celebration. This way, you'll know exactly how much you're eating and won't end up wondering just how many appetizers you ate within a single conversation.

If you're bringing an entrée to your event or cooking up an entire spread, check out some of these healthy Mexican-inspired dishes below to make for a healthy fiesta!

Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas

Pineapple Cucumber Guacamole

Cumin and Lentil Quesadillas

Skinny Queso Dip

Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Skillet Veggie Tacos

Inside Out Grilled Guacamole

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Avocado

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Loaded Vegan Nachos

Mexican "Unfried" Ice Cream

And of course, this post wouldn't be complete without some healthy margarita recipes (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic)!

Grapefruit, Green Tea, and Basil Margarita

Virgin Skinny Margarita

Blood Orange Margarita

Skinny Strawberry Margarita (nix the tequila for a non-alcoholic version)

Ginger Mint Margarita