Health Tip #3

I just wanted to give a quick update with a yummy food substitution I was thinking of. Burritos, fajitas, and quesadillas are big in our house and when I first started my lifestyle change I didn’t think I’d be able to eat any of those things any more. I looked around for lower calorie tortillas and of course there are some, but they just weren’t worth it to me. So I had to figure out another way to eat my delicious mexican food, but make it a little bit lower calorie.

What did I choose to substitute tortillas for? Rice and chips!

When we eat fajitas now, I plop down some rice then just load on the veggies and meat. Obviously rice has more calories than tortillas, but about 1/2 cup is equal to a couple tortillas. For me, it’s worth it because it adds more flavor and I can really pile on the veggies (which is the best part, anyway). Rice is also definitely more filling than a tortilla. For fajitas you can also throw in some chopped up lettuce along with the rice and make it something similar to what you’d get at Qdoba or Chipotle. Of course, quinoa is also a good substitution for the rice. They’re about the same number calorie-wise, but quinoa gives you a lot more nutrients and is super healthy for you. So it’s a good way to get your grains, also!

When we make burritos, I crumble chips in a bowl then add the meat mixture and all the toppings. I know it sounds crazy to add chips, but it’s nice because it adds a little bit of crunch (and a little bit of a salty taste). My favorite to use are the Baked! Tostito’s scoops.

They’re really low calorie (about 120 calories for 14 chips) and the taste is really yummy. I know it sounds a little weird to add chips to a burrito, but it’s almost like a taco salad. Just try it, it’s yummy and it’ll cut down on the tortilla calories! Obviously some people would rather eat the tortilla, which is perfectly fine- whatever works for you and your eating habits! But just remember, never cut out a recipe because an ingredient is too many calories. Just figure out a substitution and you’re good to go!