Stumped on what to order at Subway, PF Chang’s or Mi Cocina? I’m here to help you out with the best entrees, appetizers and meal choices at various restaurants. Take this information for these select hot spots and apply them to any of your favorite places to eat. Happy dining!
Rules to always remember
1. Stay away from “sautéed,” “fried” or “creamed.” Sautéed equals slathered in butter. Fried equals covered in oil, fat and white flour batter; and creamed means excessive butter, fat and added crème. Ask for your entrees to be grilled, baked or blackened.
2. Say no to salad dressing. At a Mexican restaurant, use salsa instead. Or, some restaurants have been offering low-fat, low-calorie dressings. Request these instead. This slight alteration can save you hundreds of calories and lots of fat grams.
3. Substitute rice, pasta or rolls for extra veggies. Get that extra serving of veggies in by slashing the fried rice, angel hair pasta or dinner rolls for much lighter and high in fiber veggies such as asparagus, broccoli and zucchini.
4. Ask for a to-go box. Many restaurants have entrees that can feed an army. Take half of yours to go and get two meals for the price of one!
5. Share dessert. Don’t deprive yourself. I know the chocolate chip pumpkin cheesecake is starring at you. Just split it with a few friends. So have your cake … and eat it too.
SubwayCreate the perfect meal with a 6 inch sub on whole wheat, such as the oven- roasted turkey breast, accompanied with apple slices or Dannon Light and Fit yogurt, both just 80 calories extra.
PF Chang’sSalt and Pepper Calamari is a no at 720 calories, while veggie dumplings are a yes at 267. Both hot and sour and egg drop soup are a yes at 85 and 48 calories, respectively. Lemmon Pepper Chicken is a definite no at 1051 calories, but no worries, Ginger Chicken with Broccoli is a yes at 656. Just remember to ask for brown rice instead of white! Mi CocinaOrder the Rico salad without dressing light cheese, and no tortilla chips. Instead of dressing, use their great house salsa. Also, another great option is the tortilla soup, which is about 150 calories a cup.
La MadelineTomato Basil soup (crème based) is a no at 240 calories a cup. Vegetable soup is a yes at 60 calories a cup. The yogurt parfait is a no at 260 calories and 51 carbs, while the scrambled eggs are a yes at 130 calories and only 10 carbs.
ChipotleFor 500 calories, you can get a salad with chicken, guacamole, black beans and 2 different kinds of salsa. Stay away from the rice, sour cream and tortilla shells. A burrito with rice, beans and sour cream is a whopping 910 calories. So not worth the hours of cardio it would take to burn that off.
Chick-fil-AChoose the Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich. At 300 calories, you still have room to order a side salad and keep your diet in check with 370 calories. Stay away from the Cole Slaw at 580 calories, and the carrot and raisin salad at 390. Ouch!
