Dining Out: Cascabel Taqueria: The Perfect Serving

I'm pretty sure brunching, and more importantly, where you brunch, has become just as celebrated and notable as where you go for drinks on a Saturday night. 

How one makes your eggs is just as paramount as how one stirs your martini. Okay, that may be a little hyperbolic, but I think you can get my drift. 

While brunch is always something I enjoy (who doesn't like sitting outside sipping coffee and eating poached eggs with friends) it can also be a little stressful for me. My guilt from weekend drinking kicks in and I worry if my face is swollen from the alcohol, so most of the time, I'm not so keen on running to brunch to then stuff my face with pastries and hollandaise sauce. 

But, nonetheless, we have to eat, so all we can do is make the right choices and nurish our bodies in a lot less damaging of a way than last night's tequila shot.

This weekend my work friend Abbey and I met up in my old neighborhood which is now her new neighborhood - the Upper East Side. We sat outside at a place I always wanted to go to and one that has recently joined her UES to do list, Cascabel Taqueria.  

After really considering the menu and wanting everything on it I opted for the delicious Quinoa Ensalada under starters. I added shrimp since it's light in calories and I was missing a protein from my meal. Nervous it was going to be too big and that I wouldn't have the self control not to eat the entire thing, I was pleasantly surprised when a small salad was placed in front of me. Just enough to fill my stomach and satisfy me without stuffing me for the remainder of the day. 

Being on a diet means being mindful of what goes in your mouth so I had to be careful of the amount of raisins scattered on my plate.

Quinoa is a great grain because it's a light grain full of fiber and protein. Avocado is a healthy fat and also reduces stomach bloating. But remember, 1/4 of an avocado is a serving. Raisins - since I already had quinoa on my plate I had to watch out for the raisins, a dried fruit very high in sugar. A restaurant portion could be at least 200 calories which defeats the purpose of consciously ordering something healthy. 

With dressing on the side the avocado, raisins, shrimp, and, oh, delicious pumpkin seeds flavored the kale and quinoa that I didn't even need to pour anything all over my salad. 

In case  you feel like you do need dressing ask for a side of salsa or use some of the hot sauce on the table. 2 tbsp of salsa is about 15 calories and hot sauce is a great condiment to flavor food as well without adding calories. Spicy foods also boost your metabolism and assist in digestion. 

Cascabel left me more than satisfied. It was so delicious I couldn't help but let my friend enjoy some of the goodness! And how creative are those little silver tray plates!