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Mexican food - Do I have to interrogate the chefs?


Maycat

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Every Friday at my work we have take out from the local Mexican restaurant. I can order grilled chicken and shrimp on a bed of lettuce, spinach and avocado. I can bring my own salsa for dressing. My question is, should I try to interrogate the cooks to figure out what type of oil they use? I think it's canola. I am allergic to pork, so carnitas and lard are out of the question. How vigilant do I need to be?

On a side note, I noticed Costco rotisserie chicken has carrageenan in it, so that is now out of the question. Chipotle is out now, so is there any fast food options available?

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You could call ahead, ask to speak with a manager and get help figuring out what everything is cooked in. I didn't look at the link you provided, but perhaps there is a salad that does not have "cooked" food so you won't have to worry about what it is cooked in. And, I like your idea of eating ahead.

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I lost a week to a Mexican food restaurant when I first started. I thought I could eat clean, but afterwards I decided to just start over from the beginning. In the future, I'm just going to assume that no restaurant is safe to eat at. This makes it very clear in my mind. Plus eating out is a food relationship/crutch that I would like to change for myself.

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Well, I am going to bring my own meat, and just get a salad with avocado and radishes. I can't even trust the salsa sometimes, as they may put sugar in it. I am highly allergic to pork, so no carnitas for me.

Last night I did go to Outback for date night. I got a steak wood fired with no seasonings/oil, crab with no butter, plain sweet potato and broccoli. For a drink I had a cocktail of San Peligrino mineral water and lemon wedges. Yum!

I don't go out often, maybe 1/month, so our Friday working lunch isn't a big deal. Thank you everyone!

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If you go to the more authentic places (the hole in the wall with a menu only in Spanish type place) they are more likely to cook the meat in it's own fat rather than vegetable oil. Carne asada and carnitas are not traditionally made with added vegetable oil, just seasonings and cooking in their own fat. If any fat is added it is more likely to be palm, coconut, tallow or lard - though you should still ask to be sure.

If going out to a more mainstream place a la On the Border, Hacienda Colorado, Taco Cabana, etc. then I would ask them to cook your food with no added oil and stick with beef or shrimp, instead of chicken, because they are less likely to stick to the grill without the added oil.

Also, pico de gallo should be safe almost anywhere where you go, if they make it right - since it's just chopped peppers, onions, tomato and cilantro with a hint of lime and MAYBE a pinch of salt.

Sincerely,

A Mexican Girl

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