New "Light" Menus!

Looking for some new eating out options? 2014 seems to be the year of the new "light menu" at all kinds of restaurants. No argument from me! Here are some new finds I recently tried... (In additional to the restaurants below, stay turned for details on the new Maggianos light menu!)

Denny's:

Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner- I am totally digging the "Build your own Gram Slam" menu at Denny's. The menu features 300 ways to mix and match breakfast options to enjoy a meal under 500 calories. So many possibilities! I went with a high protein meal featuring egg whites, turkey bacon, chicken sausage and fruit parfait (served in a fancy parfait glass!) for under 300 calories. Next time I may splurge for the whole wheat pancakes or oatmeal. The menu is awesome because it lists all of the options with calorie counts! Not in the mood for breakfast food? No problem! Try something off the "Fit Fare" menu! These are my favorite pics:

- Cranberry Apple Chicken Salad: 450 calories 

- Chicken Avocado Sandwich with Fresh Veggies: 490 calories

- Alaska Salmon with Whole-Grain Rice and Steamed Broccoli: 500 calories 

California Pizza Kitchen:

CPK just launched their "Light Adventures" Menu- which is great since most items on their menu are not very healthy. I tried the Shrimp Scampi Zucchini Fettuccine, and it was absolutely delicious!! For only 470 calories, the meal featured fettuccine-shaped pasta mixed in with zucchini cut into thin slices to look like fettuccine- how clever- covered in an Alfredo-like sauce with fresh shrimp. I really enjoyed it! See the photo below! Other items on the menu include:

- Quinoa and Arugula Salad: 590 calories 

- Fire Roasted Chili Relleno: 420 calories 

- Grilled Chicken Chimichurri: 460 calories 

- Cedar Plank Salmon: 650 calories 

Enstein's Bagels:

The new "Thintastic Bagels" menu from Einstein's is just awesome. Enjoy at lunch or dinner! Try the Southwest Turkey-Sausage and Egg White Sandwich for only 350 calories, or the Asparagus, Mushroom, and Swiss Cheese with Egg Whites Sandwich for only 270 calories. Both are great! For more of a lunch choice, try the Tuscan Chicken Pesto Sandwich for 340 calories, or the Bagel Thin Club Sandwich for 360 calories (less if you ditch the bacon!). When paired up with a fruit cup or a bag of baked Lays, any of these sandwiches make a great meal option! 

Olive Garden:

While the Olive Garden "Garden Fare" menu isn't new, it's a great go to, and it includes new items! I love the Baked Tilapia and Shrimp dish- only 340 calories and high in protein! Since it's so low in calories, it's a great way to also enjoy a 140 calorie breadstick before dinner and salad (ask for the light dressing) or minestrone soup- both are 100 calories. I usually go with the soup! Other yummy choices:

- Garlic Rosemary Chicken served with Mashed Potatoes and Spinach: 560 calories 

- Venetian Apricot Chicken with Asparagus: 420 calories

- Lasagna Primavera with Grilled Chicken: 560 calories  

- Herb-Grilled Salmon with Broccoli: 520 calories 

... And more! 

Where will you be dining?

Outback Steakhouse Picks

Let me start off by saying that usually, I'm not a steak eater. In fact, I often stay away from red meat in general... However, when I can order a juicy 6oz sirloin with steamed veggies, and a crisp salad with tangy vinigarette dressing for under 550 calories and only $10.99... I'm in! Hello Outback Steakhouse!

Outback's menu features a great "Under 600 Calories" menu. Choose from Meals like Grilled Chicken on the Barbie, the 6oz Sirloin, Perfectly Grilled Salmon, Shrimp on the Barbie, and Grilled Mahi-Mahi. Pair your main dish with mixed veggies, steamed broccoli, or grilled asparagus PLUS a side salad (without cheese if you want to save 30-40 calories) and their Tangy Tomato Dressing.

You can mix and match main dishes and sides easily on their website with a handy dandy nutrition calculator to create the perfect meal for you! My DELICIOUS 6oz sirloin with mixed veggies, a house salad with tangy dressing clocked in at 523 calories! It was really tasty and filling! Highly recommend! 

Now- some additional Outback Steakhouse callouts: First, their menu has 2 under 150 calorie cocktails- a skinny margarita and a cosmo made with Skinny Girl Vodka (fun!). They are on my "to try" list! Second, if you need something sweet after dinner, their menu offers cake pops that aren't too high in calories. Personally, I'd rather save those 200 calories for something bigger at home from the grocery store, but not a bad option for a restaurant dessert. Finally, I'll point out that Outback's bread is pretty good, and it hard not to eat it! One loaf has an estimated 200-250 calories- without butter, so feel free to cut yourself a skinny slice or two! 

The Egg and I: Restaurant Picks

The Egg and I is our go-to brunch choice- mainly because there's one in walking distance from our house, and they offer healthy breakfast options. Not to mention the staff is very friendly!

My usual breakfast pick is the Eggs Plus (with scrambled egg beaters, sub potatoes for a fruit cup and an English Muffin- dry: 255 calories or 6 WW points + the 35 calories of jelly and 20-ish calories of skim milk for my coffee.... Kind of boring, but still filling and tasty!

However, this trip to The Egg and I had a special "limited time only" menu option that was delicious! So delicious in fact, that I'm already looking forward to going back. The Catalina Omelette features an open face egg white omelette topped with sliced turkey, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, mozzarella cheese, and pesto served with a side of fresh fruit and an English Muffin (make sure you ask for it dry)- all for only 463 calories- awesome!! Note- I do not have the full nutrition facts for this new item to correctly calculate, but I'd estimate it at 9 WW points. (Add 35 calories if you use a jelly pack on your muffin.)

It was delicious and very filling. The pesto and avocado really help the flavor pop! Plus, my fruit cup had juicy strawberries, plump blueberries and grapes, tart apple slices, and fresh pineapple- yum!  Even our waitress commented on how much she liked the meal. But, it's only available for a limited time, so don't miss out on this New Year's guilt-free breakfast (or brunch) choice!

The Egg and I also has a Smarter Choices Menu with other omelettes, yogurt, oatmeal and more. You can customize and calculate your meal online with their handy dandy nutrition calculator- awesome! More restaurants should have that!    

http://www.theeggandirestaurants.com/nutrition/nutracalc2.html 

“Choco-mint” Choices in 2013!

Holiday 2013 seems to be the season of the decedent flavor combination: Chocolate and Peppermint (or chocolate and mint). No need to fear, there are ways to enjoy these partners in crime in a guilt-free way. Below are my Holiday picks for the best “Choco-mint” Choices in 2013!

1.       Dunkin Donuts Peppermint Mocha K-Cups: The perfect at-home brewed beverage this season. I mix mine with one splenda packet and 1 non-dairy creamer tub. It’s not as good as the Starbucks version (see item #4), but it is a zero calorie (10 calories with a creamer tub) coffee option for the morning or dessert!

2.       Angie’s White Chocolate Peppermint Kettle Corn Popcorn: Holy Holiday! This was a delicious snack! So far, one of the best finds of the season. It is pricey. A small 4.5 oz bag will run you about $3.50 at Target, but it might go on sale soon! 1-1/2 cups of this super yummy treat runs you 140 Calories (4 WW points). This snack is sweet, salty and crunchy- the perfect combination. My advice is to measure individual servings into separate plastic baggies as soon as you get home from the store, otherwise you may eat the whole bag! Note: I also saw online that there is an iced gingerbread version. I’ll be on the look out!

3.       Target’s “Market Pantry” Candy Cane Granola Bar: For only 100 Calories (3 WW Points), Chewy Granola meets real chocolate chips and pieces of crunchy, sweet candy canes for a snack that will indulge your sweet tooth. My guess is that this is very seasonal, so stock up now if you’re into on-the-go granola bars. 

4.       Starbucks Skinny Peppermint Mocha Latte: I just can’t get enough of this drink! It’s really sweet and rich and hot and yummy! For me, it’s a little sweet for the early morning, but I do find it to be the best afternoon snack while out shopping on a cold weekend, or during that 3PM work Starbucks run. A grande will run you 130 calories (3 WW Points). 

5.       Snack Factory Pretzel Chips in Dark Chocolate (and White Chocolate) Peppermint Flavors: These were really hard to find (although you can buy on Amazon) I did find the dark chocolate version at Target in Frisco… still on the lookout for the while chocolate version. I thought these were pretty good…. I think I may like the white chocolate version better. The serving size of only 4 pretzels is 130 calories (4WW Points) so enjoy each bite!

6.       Yoplait Limited Addition Light Mocha Mint and Peppermint Bark Yogurt:  Get these while you can. They are hard to find. Check Walmart and Target. I only found the small 4oz versions (but they come bigger too). Light Mocha Mint has only 60 calories (2WW points) and Peppermint Bark has 110 calories (3WW points). Seriously - Stock up before the season is over. They are a really good, guilt-free treat. (I’ll also point out that the fall flavors this year were Light Pumpkin Pie and Apple Crisp. I found them on sale for only $2 at Target!) 

7.       Homemade Chocolate Covered Cady Canes: I made these for my coworkers this year. Super easy and (I thought) super cute! I found the Sweet Stripes soft candy canes at CVS in a mini version. Each candy cane has 45 calories. I covered half of the candy cane in chocolate bark, sprinkled with a few silver sprinkles, and placed in a candy pretzel rod bag with red and while curled ribbon! I’d estimate these at 70 calories each – max! Great – and easy - Gift idea!

As a side note: I also found the Jet Puffed Peppermint Marshmallows at Target. I’m not sure what I’m going to make with them yet… Holiday Trail Mix for New Year’s Eve, maybe? Stay tuned for a follow-up post on that. Happy Holidays!

Egg Bake Recipe

During the work week, it's hard to enjoy a protein-packed healthy breakfast when you're on the go in the mornings with barely enough time to grab coffee and a granola bar! Try making these yummy egg bake muffins on a Sunday morning, and enjoy them all week!

Ingredients:

1 cup Heart Healthy Bisquick

1 cup Skim Milk

1 cup Fat Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 12oz bag of Morning Star Crumbles

1 cup Egg Beaters

Seasonings to taste (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)

Super Easy Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375

2. In a skillet "brown" the morning star crumbles (with PAM or Olive Oil spray). Season to taste. - I use I dash of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl blend egg beaters, Bisquick and milk until smooth.

4. Stir in cheese and cooked crumbles.

5. Spay muffin tin with PAM. Fill each cup about 3/4 of the way.

6. Bake for 30mins.

7. Enjoy all week!

Keep refrigerated all week. To reheat: pop in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or toaster oven.

Makes 18 muffin cups.

Serving size 2.

150 calories

4 WW points

Subway Salad....Chopped!?!

Is it just me, or did anyone else miss the memo that Subway makes a chopped salad? Now, it may not seem as exciting to you as it is to me.... But there's truly something better about a salad when it's all mixed up and chopped! 

Loaded up with veggies and protein... What could be better? I had mine with turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, spinach, red onions, and  cucumbers --all mixed together with fat free honey mustard, and chopped of course. This huge salad was awesome! (Perfect for a light dinner after a workout when you're too tired to cook!) Estimated 200 calories and 4 WW points.

I also had some of my favorite baked chips! - 130 calories, 4WW points in the sour cream variety. (and an 80 calorie Christmas tree ice cream pop for dessert, I blogged about those the other day! Go read it!)

Move over 6" sub! I'm loving this chopped salad! 

New Food Finds on our "Ice-Venture!"

After being iced-in for days, we finally ventured out to Walmart and Kroger for an "ice-venture!" I found some new, fun, and healthy foods spotted on shelves! 

1. Dole Dipped Strawberries. I blogged about the chocolate covered bananas awhile ago, so I was happy to find a new "flavor" in the dark chocolate dole fruit family. This yummy dessert has only 60 calories and 2 WW points. Perfect for an after dinner snack!

2. Kroger Christmas Tree Ice Cream Pops. These are delicious!  - and adorable! For only 80 calories, 2 WW points, enjoy low fat mint ice cream with sprinkles in the shape of an adorable Christmas Tree on a stick. Festive and guilt-free! The mint flavor was very tasty (even on a cold day!) Also available in "snowman" with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream. Stock up on these, I'm sure they are seasonal. I'm going to fill my freezer with some! (Side note: Where's the low fat ice cream menorah on a stick?!)

3. Skinny Frozen Burritos from PJs organics. This frozen lunch or dinner option was a cool find. While it wasn't awesome, it was filling and tasty. Biggest flaw is that it calls for 50 mins in the oven for heating. That's a really long time for something so simple, but I'd rather bake it than nuke in the microwave. The rolled up tortilla is filled with chicken, rice, beans, peppers and low fat cheese. The burrito has 8 WW points (which I thought was a lot for the size), and 260 calories. Not too shabby because it was very filling. Good find! Something to keep in the freezer for a night when you don't feel like cooking and you have a Mexican craving.

4. 98% Fat Free French Fries from Alexia. I looked all over for these, and finally found them at walmart. One serving of these crispy potatoes has 3 WW points, 120 calories- awesome! Also available in crinkle cut and tri-cut potato. These are a must try! I am really excited about this food find. The perfect side to any meal.

Happy Grocery Hunting! Stay Warm!