Less Than 500 Calories Aussie-style

Feeling like eating fresh Aussie-style? Well you definitely can when you visit Outback!  Going to dinner at Outback Steakhouse, I didn't expect to eat healthy and accepted the fact that I was going to splurge that night.  As I read the revised menu, I was delightfully impressed!

Outback has a menu with items under 500 calories.  You can eat items such as, chicken on the barbie, a 6oz sirloin, salmon, lobster tail, shrimp, tilapia, mahi and a grilled chicken sandwich without feeling guilty!

Another plus to eating at outback is that if you want to eat light, you can still choose other items from the normal menu.  The menu is creatively organized so that a special symbol is placed beside an item that is already under 500 calories, or can be prepared so that is contains less than 500!  I was so excited because I had yet to see a restaurant with this clever idea.

I took advantage of what I thought was such a witty amenity and ordered the Grilled Chicken and Swiss Sandwich, which had the cute leaf symbol by it that indicated it could be prepared under 500 calories.  When I asked for this suggestion, the waitress replied stating "you know that would mean it would be without bacon and cheese right?"  I wasn't very pleased with that fact, I might as well go to Chick-fil-A.  I ordered it anyways, without subtracting the sandwiches best ingredients, and along with a side of sweet potato fries.  Whether it was 500 calories or 5,000, I was too set on the bacon, cheese, and juicy chicken to settle for anything else.

  

After looking at the menu, I realized the only item that could be prepared in a way to subtract a few calories was the sandwich I ordered.  The idea seemed awesome at first, but the option to prepare a menu item under 500 calories wasn't as good as it was cracked out to be.

One item I did order that had less than 150 calories was the Naturally Skinny 'Rita

Tequilla mixed with natural citrus juices and is a new item in the menu.  It was very refreshing without the guilt of drinking a regular margarita.

Next time I go to Outback, I plan on trying the Lobster tail with tomato salad.  Two seasoned and steamed lobster tails with a tomato salad and fresh veggies with only 416 calories.  Lets see if it can beat I what I normally order at this restaurant...

The popular Alice Springs Chicken

    

Grilled chicken breast smothered with sauteed mushrooms, bacon, monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese and honey mustard, with a side of guilt from consuming 1168 calories! (including the aussie fries).  I'm sure I could have the mouth watering Outback favorite under 500 calories...minus the bacon, cheese, honey mustard and fries (everything except the chicken)!

Just remember it is always okay to splurge, just like I did...1115 calories worth.  Eating healthy can be very hard at times, but your body (and bikini) will thank you!    

Under 550 at Applebee's

When you're trying to eat healthy, going out to dinner is never easy.  Luckily many restaurants have created menus that provide you with lower calories options.  This weekend I went to Applebee's and tried their menu of entree's 550 calories and under. 


The menu had choices such as...
Roasted Garlic Sirloin


A garlic marinated sirloin steak with sauteed onions, herbed potatoes, and a grilled portobello mushroom cap filled with creamed spinach.


Sirloin with Garlic Herb Shrimp
 

Grilled sirloin topped with cream sauce and shrimp, served with fresh veggies, herb potatoes, and topped off with fresh bruschetta and sliced almonds.


Chili Lime Chicken
 

Grilled chicken with asian style veggies mixed in a spicy chili sauce served over rice with cilantro and lime juice.


Asian Shrimp Broccoli
 

Shrimp mixed veggies mixed with asian flavors and a sweet and spicy sauce topped on rice and fresh cilantro.


And the dinner I tried, Grilled Dijon Chicken and Portobellos 
 
Grilled chicken topped with red peppers, onions, portobello mushrooms, dijon sauce and aged white cheddar, served with herb potatoes and fresh veggies.


The dinner was really good and it was refreshing to be able to eat cheese and not feel bad about it afterwards!  The onions and dijon sauce added a lot of flavor and I left the restaurant completely full and satisfied.  Applebee's also had low calorie drink such as Long Island Iced Tea and Margarita.


If you are a member of weight watchers, Applebee's also has a a menu especially for you, 12 points and under.  You can choose from Carbarnet Mushroom Sirloin, Creamy Parmesan Chicken, and Grilled Jalapeno Lime Shrimp   




  

The Secret to a Low Carb Pizza

My craving for eating healthy and love for cooking stems from my mom who has always cooked tasty, diet friendly recipe's at our house. A plus for going home to visit my family is the fact that I know I will be eating healthy. I miss having those meals available every day.

While visiting home during my Spring Break, my mom showed me a recipe she recently made and wanted me to try called Portobello pizzas. My first thought was just a normal pizza with cheese and Portobello mushrooms so I wasn't sure what was so exciting about it. I realized the dough of the pizza is substituted with the caps of Portobello mushrooms.  Brilliant!  This simple switch cuts out many carbs and calories compared to regular pizza dough; one Portobello cap only contains 22 calories and 4 carbs, while a serving of pizza dough ranges around 130 calories and 24 carbs.

The recipe is simple. All you need are large Portobello mushrooms, a grill, olive oil, garlic salt, pizza sauce, basil seasoning, shredded mozzarella cheese, and your choice of favorite pizza toppings.

First, rinse and break off the stems of the mushrooms so you only have the caps. Brush olive oil on the front and back of the mushroom caps and sprinkle both sides with garlic salt. You can bake the mushrooms in the oven on 375 for 30 minutes, flipping the mushrooms after 15 minutes, but my mom and I cooked them on the grill which adds a lot more flavor than baking.


After the mushrooms are prepared, the rest is easy and you can create the pizza's to please your own palate. The toppings will be placed on the bottom of the caps of the Portobello mushrooms (the smooth side will be the bottom of the pizza). After spreading the pizza sauce, my mom and I chose mozzarella cheese to sprinkle of top because this type of cheese is a healthier choice compared to regular pizza mix shredded cheese. We added onions, tomatoes, turkey pepperoni, and topped the pizzas off with a shake of basil seasoning to add one last pop of flavor.

After the pizzas were ready to be devoured, I thought we should have made more because the mushrooms shrunk a little bit after they were cooked. My mom then said, "Don't let those little things fool you, they fill you up more than you think." and she was right! They were small and healthy so I knew I would be hungry after dinner, but those ‘shrooms proved me wrong. The fact many carbs and calories were cut out from subtracting the pizza dough made the meal even more satisfying.







   

Less Than 400 Calories at Micky D's

When people think of McDonald's most automatically think yummy but unhealthy, when in reality there are plenty of items on the menu under 400 calories. 


McDonald's for dinner...
Hamburger = 250 calories
Cheeseburger = 300 calories
McDouble = 390
Filet-O-Fish = 380
Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich = 350
Premium Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich = 380
McChicken = 360
6-piece Chicken McNuggets = 280
Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich = 350
McChicken = 360
3-piece Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips = 380


McDonalds has a wide selection of snack wraps that also contain under 400 calories.
 
Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap = 330


A few items you should stay away from if you want to watch your calories...


Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon Burger = 800
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese = 740
Sharable Size Chicken McBites = 1050


You especially want try healthier options if you want an order of fries. The medium size contains 380 calories. But if you must satisfy your french fry craving, order the kids size which only has 100 calories.


There are also many salad options at McDonalds that have a fairly healthy calorie count.

Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken has 290 calories. Choosing grilled over crispy chicken will always save you a lot of calories no matter where you go. Eating crispy chicken on a salad defeats the point of eating a salad in the first place.


For a quick breakfast under 400 calories try...
Fruit and Yogurt Parfait = 160
Egg McMuffin = 300
Hotcakes = 350
Sausage Burrito = 300
Fruit and Maple Oatmeal = 290


And a few you should for sure stay away from...
Big Breakfast with Hotcakes = 1090
Sausage Egg and Cheese McGriddle = 560 (substituting bacon shaves it down to 420 calories)
The Hashbrowns only have 150 calories, but be sure to watch what you pair them with!


To go with breakfast, the iced coffee's are very hard to give up so if you have to give in always choose the smaller size.

A small Hazelnut Iced Coffee only contains 130 calories whereas the large contains 270.


Don't think dieting means giving up fast food. Feed your cravings but watch for portion size and you save a lot more calories than you think!

Eat Healthy and "EAT MOR CHIKIN"

A lot of people have been in the situation where they were trying to eat healthy but their favorite fast food restaurants just kept calling their name.  I know from personal experience temptation is always stronger when you’re trying to eat right. But just because you are trying to eat healthy doesn't mean you have to completely cut out all of your favorite foods.  Many fast food restaurants have become more health savvy by providing low fat meal choices on their menu.  

Going to Chick-fil-A?  Instead of giving in to the popular Chicken Sandwich, try the Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich.   
Healthy Option 1:                                                         
       



                                                                       

Greasy Option 2:

The Classic Chicken Sandwich (Option 2) has a total of 430 calories and 17 grams of fat.  If you add a side of Waffle Fries, you will altogether consume 820 whopping calories!  Is this meal that will only take you about 10 minutes to eat really worth that number?  

The Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich (Option 1) is marinated in special seasonings, grilled, and placed on a whole wheat bun.  The combination of the lettuce, tomato, seasonings and grilling adds a ton of flavor to this sandwich that only contains 290 calories.  If you can't seem to completely cut a side item from your meal, Chick-fil-A has many yummy options such as...
The Hearty Breast of Chicken Soup


A hearty soup with chunks of chicken, celery, carrots and noodles only containing 140 calories!

Or try the Fruit Cup...


...which contains mandarin oranges, strawberries, apples and red grapes; a total of only 70 calories!

Since these delicious and nutritious menu items are much more healthy for you, you can leave this popular restaurant feeling completely satisfied and without the guilt!

Something Better Than Sex for V-day

Want something better than sex this year for Valentine's Day?  Whether you have someone special to spend this annual love-filled day with or not, you will for sure be pleased.  

If you've ever heard of Better Than Sex Cake and fell in love with it but ran away from it due to the calorie count? Well here is my special Valentine's Day gift to you; a recipe for Better Than Sex Cake with half the calories of the normal recipe!  So go ahead and feel free to stuff your face with this chocolaty goodness without the guilt.

You will need...

1 (12 ounce) can Diet Coke (Coke Zero is better)

1 (18 ounce) box devil's food cake mix

1 egg white

6 ounces fat free caramel topping

7 ounces fat-free condensed milk

1 english toffee-flavored candy bar, chopped up

8 ounces fat-free whipped topping

Then you'll have to...

First preheat the over to 350 degrees.

Mix together the cake mix, egg white, and soda.

Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.

Bake for 35 minutes.

During the last few minutes of baking, put the caramel and condensed milk in a saucepan on low heat and cook until it is smooth.

After 35 minutes is up, remove cake from over and pour caramel over the top.

Sprinkle half of the candy bar on top.

Let is sit and cook completely.

Lastly, cover with whipped topping and sprinkle the remaining candy bar bits on top.

Now you have the exact same delicious recipe with half the calories!  The original recipe has 384 calories per serving, while this lightened up version only has 143.  Choosing the fat-free caramel, milk, and whipped topping has a lot to do with the decrease in calories.  The diet soda also adds flavor without the addition of extra sugar.

  

After having my mom try this masterpiece, she said "It almost is better than the original recipe because it has a lighter taste to it so there's no guilt!"  What more could you want than something that is better than sex, and without feeling bad about it afterwards! This desert is the perfect treat for Valentine's Day if you are in love wanting to share something special with their lover, or if your that person who absolutely dreads this time of year. 

       

Low Calorie and Cheesecake Factory DO Mix

Many people think that going out to eat is the perfect way to ruin a healthy diet.  Some people also think it gives them an excuse to splurge, especially if they have no other choice but to go out for dinner (choice of a birthday girl).  Many resturants are becoming more health concious and adding healthy options to their menu, so no excuses allowed!   

Last week I went out to dinner for my friends birthday to the Cheesecake Factory.  The sound of "Cheesecake" and "healthy diet" don't seem to mix but because of their new Skinnylicious Menu, this popular resturant is becoming the choice of people who like to watch what they eat.  Burgers, pizza and tacos can now be eaten without one feeling guilty afterwards.  There are plenty of tasty choices to choose from on the healthy alternative menu with each item all under 600 calories. 

After looking at the menu and seeing choices such as, Crispy Crab Bites, Fresh Baked Flatbreads and BBQ Chicken, I finally decided to go with the  BLT Sandwich; bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo inbetween two pieces of toasted brioche bread.  The lettuce and tomato gave it a fresh crunch, while the bacon gave the sandwich an explosion of flavor.  The toasted bread also gave the sandwich extra texture.  This delicious sandwich, along with the side salad of tossed greens and vinagarette dressing, altogether contained 590 calories.  Even though my meal had fewer calories, it still was a full plate and filled me right up.

My friend, Caitlin DeMarco (aka Birthday Girl), ordered the Skinnylicious Hamburger that contained mayo, lettuce, onion and tomato.  Caitlin loved her 570 calorie meal and stated, "It had the same toppings on it as a normal burger so suprisingly it still had the full flavor of a normal burger."  570 calories is nothing campared to the Classic Burger my friend Britiany Privette ordered that contained 1305!  Even though everyone else that went to dinner with us didn't order from the Skinnylicious menu, we all enjoyed our meal.  I'm not sure what the restaurant does to make the items on their Skinnylicious menu healthy (and also tasty) like the items on the original menu, but they definitely do!

If you're like me and think this new menu can't get anybetter, think again! The Cheesecake Factory gives you the option to make certain drinks, such as a Cosmopolitan, Long Island Iced Tea, Sangria, Mojito and Margaritas, half the calories.  See your favorite cocktail? Ask for it to be made "Skinny Style" and your drink will arrive with less than 150 calories!
Sounds...  
  
and looks like heaven to me!