BBQ Time, Plus Sushi Survival Tips!

Healthier_Me

Yep, it's that time of year again. And when you're at those summer cookouts, it's hard to NOT load up your plate with coleslaw, potato salad, tuna salad and other mayo-packed stuff. IT'S EVERYWHERE!!! But don't fool yourself into thinking those are good for you in any way. Mayo-y and oily salads can have as many or more calories than burgers and hot dogs.

So here are some tips for making slaws and salads without lots of fat. My favorite coleslaw tip of all is to RINSE it. Dump pre-made mayo-laden slaw into a colander and run it under the faucet 'til the water draining turns clear. Then get the excess water out of the slaw by pressing down in the colander with paper towels. The slaw will still taste fantastic (since it'll already have soaked up lots of flavor) but most of the fat will have been washed away! (BTW, that's an '"at-home-only" tip -- not sure this is doable at a friend's house!)

If you want to make no-guilt versions from scratch, mix your cabbage 'n carrots (or egg whites or chicken) with stuff like Dijonnaise, low-fat or fat-free mayo, fat-free Greek yogurt, etc.

Go here for more mayo swaps for your deli salads:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/wednesdaypreview.php?newsletterid=1405

Go here for our delicious tuna and egg salad recipes:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/week/weeklydetails.php?isid=1375


Go here for an awesome chicken salad swap, and here for a great, quick & easy Asian coleslaw from HG:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/week/weeklydetails.php?isid=1338

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In general, you should avoid menu items that contain the words "tempura", "crunch", "spider" or "dynamite". Those things are usually fried, packed with mayo, or both. Rolls that contain a lot of sauce and/or oil typically pack in lots of calories and fat as well. There are some condiments and extras that are great choices, though. Wasabi, ginger, edamame, soy sauce, and seaweed are all low in calories. As for ordering advice, always ask for light (or no) mayo.

To save calories from starchy carbs, ask to have your sushi made with half the rice (you won't even miss it). Brown rice, if available, is another awesome option for sushi rolls, since it has more filling fiber than white rice. Or try sashimi, which is completely rice-free (it's just thinly sliced raw fish). You should also watch your portion sizes.

Order fewer rolls, and bulk up your meal with things like oshiashi (boiled spinach with soy sauce), miso soup, and a cucumber sunomono salad (slightly sweet, made with rice vinegar). All are super-low in calories and taste great. As for which rolls are the lowest in fat and calories, cucumber rolls are your best bet. They typically have just about 130 calories and no fat per roll (6 - 8 pieces). Sometimes I like to top a cucumber roll with sashimi, for a fun spin with extra protein. Spicy tuna rolls and California rolls, if ordered with little or no mayo, are also decent choices with around 250 - 300 calories and 5 - 10g of fat per roll.

For more sushi info, check out our Super Duper Sushi Survival Guide email ( http://www.hungry-girl.com/girls/biteoutdetails.php?isid=857 ) and Hungry Girl Goes... Out for Sushi! on WeightWatchers.com (http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=49171&sc=3030 )

And look for the "Sushi Survival 101" section of the Survival Guides chapter in Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World. Happy chopsticking!

Healthier_Me

Yep, it's that time of year again. And when you're at those summer cookouts, it's hard to NOT load up your plate with coleslaw, potato salad, tuna salad and other mayo-packed stuff. IT'S EVERYWHERE!!! But don't fool yourself into thinking those are good for you in any way. Mayo-y and oily salads can have as many or more calories than burgers and hot dogs.

So here are some tips for making slaws and salads without lots of fat. My favorite coleslaw tip of all is to RINSE it. Dump pre-made mayo-laden slaw into a colander and run it under the faucet 'til the water draining turns clear. Then get the excess water out of the slaw by pressing down in the colander with paper towels. The slaw will still taste fantastic (since it'll already have soaked up lots of flavor) but most of the fat will have been washed away! (BTW, that's an '"at-home-only" tip -- not sure this is doable at a friend's house!)

If you want to make no-guilt versions from scratch, mix your cabbage 'n carrots (or egg whites or chicken) with stuff like Dijonnaise, low-fat or fat-free mayo, fat-free Greek yogurt, etc.

Go here for more mayo swaps for your deli salads:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/wednesdaypreview.php?newsletterid=1405

Go here for our delicious tuna and egg salad recipes:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/week/weeklydetails.php?isid=1375


Go here for an awesome chicken salad swap, and here for a great, quick & easy Asian coleslaw from HG:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/week/weeklydetails.php?isid=1338

---

In general, you should avoid menu items that contain the words "tempura", "crunch", "spider" or "dynamite". Those things are usually fried, packed with mayo, or both. Rolls that contain a lot of sauce and/or oil typically pack in lots of calories and fat as well. There are some condiments and extras that are great choices, though. Wasabi, ginger, edamame, soy sauce, and seaweed are all low in calories. As for ordering advice, always ask for light (or no) mayo.

To save calories from starchy carbs, ask to have your sushi made with half the rice (you won't even miss it). Brown rice, if available, is another awesome option for sushi rolls, since it has more filling fiber than white rice. Or try sashimi, which is completely rice-free (it's just thinly sliced raw fish). You should also watch your portion sizes.

Order fewer rolls, and bulk up your meal with things like oshiashi (boiled spinach with soy sauce), miso soup, and a cucumber sunomono salad (slightly sweet, made with rice vinegar). All are super-low in calories and taste great. As for which rolls are the lowest in fat and calories, cucumber rolls are your best bet. They typically have just about 130 calories and no fat per roll (6 - 8 pieces). Sometimes I like to top a cucumber roll with sashimi, for a fun spin with extra protein. Spicy tuna rolls and California rolls, if ordered with little or no mayo, are also decent choices with around 250 - 300 calories and 5 - 10g of fat per roll.

For more sushi info, check out our Super Duper Sushi Survival Guide email ( http://www.hungry-girl.com/girls/biteoutdetails.php?isid=857 ) and Hungry Girl Goes... Out for Sushi! on WeightWatchers.com (http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=49171&sc=3030 )

And look for the "Sushi Survival 101" section of the Survival Guides chapter in Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World. Happy chopsticking!

beep

GREAT tips!

I make my coleslaw now with a tad of roasted sesame oil and seasoned rice vinegar (or regular rice vinegar without the sugar) add sliced green onions and voila ---- tastes great and the kids eat it.