For one of my healthy cooking classes in Houston, TX, I am covering the topic of how to eat healthfully at your favorite restaurants and am helping attendees prepare a quick, healthful and yummy recipe for dinner. I want to share some of what we cover in class with you. So, below are some smart and healthy alternatives for eating at Mexican restaurants (adapted from our book, The Baby Fat Diet) as well the sweet potato chicken recipe.
It’s easy to eat too many calories, fat and salt when you dine out. Most restaurants want to provide great value with big portions and tasty food, and so, end up adding a lot of extra fat and salt. Here are some easy ways to save calories when eating out at a Mexican restaurant.
Instead of chips eat three corn tortillas and dip in salsa
Stay away from cream and cheese sauces and stick with pico de gallo and salsa - you can also add extra flavor to your food with Ranchero beans or black beans.
Eat whole beans instead of re-fried
drink water
Example meal -
1 Chicken Fajita (load with veggies)
1/2 cup Mexican rice
1/2 cup black beans
510 calories, 11 g fat, 4 g sat fat
Sweet Potato Chicken Nuggets (or strips) Recipe
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips or chunks
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 medium sized sweet potatoes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp olive oil
non-stick cooking spray
Start by making holes in sweet potatoes with fork and cook in microwave until tender (depending on your microwave about 10-15 minutes, check after 10 minutes). While sweet potatoes are cooking, cut chicken and place to the side. Next, mix bread crumbs, wheat germ, onion powder, paprika, and garlic salt in large zip lock bag. Once sweet potatoes are done cooking, take off skin and mash flesh in bowl and add egg, stir together. Dip chicken pieces in sweet potato and egg mixture then put chicken pieces into zip lock bag, close and shake until pieces are covered with ingredients. Spray nonstick skillet, add olive oil and when hot add coated chicken pieces. Cook until golden (about 4-5 minutes) and then turn pieces and cook until cooked all the way through. Optional - serve with ketchup for the little ones and make a side of black beans and salad.
Tags: baby fat diet, eating out, healthy cooking, healthy recipes, losing weight