Chinese New Year - What Can I Eat?!

HMKan

My husband is Chinese and we are going out with his parents for Chinese New Year this week. I have been tracking my calories and being careful not to go over. I know I could just not worry about it for one meal, but I'd really like to stick to my diet. I don't like fish or any kind of seafood. They usually order me Sweet and Sour Chicken (yes, I'm that white!) when we go out but I think with all the breading, and the sauce, that's pretty bad.

What chinese meals are out there that don't include fish or crawfish and that aren't going to blow my calories out of the water?

I love the Chinese Watercress and we get that every time. But if I just eat that, they'll start to wonder what's wrong with me.

baypathgradLyns

I usually get Chicken w/ broccoli...(steamed w/brown rice). I think that is one of the healthiest options...

sarahnicolexoxo

I LOVE chicken and broccoli! Thats my favorite. And if you get rice, make sure you get brown rice.

ErrataCorrige

Just make sure you drink lots of water to combat the salt!

Melis25Fit

Watch out for the sodium! Be sure to have a few glasses of water. If you can control your portions, that's KEY! ) Enjoy, Chinese food is FABULOUS!

HMKan

Thanks guys, Chicken and Broccoli with brown rice is right up my alley!

HMKan

is the chicken in this dish breaded?

radicalreader

From the Mens Health "Eat This, Not That" web site:
Nine Ways to Eat Healthy at the Chinese Restaurant
http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/9-ways-eat-healthily-chinese-restaurant

fitnesspirateninja

Can you get in a good workout before or after you go out to eat? People have already mentioned this, but I agree that drinking a lot of water would help. Also, I love tofu and steamed vegetables with brown rice.

nicolepope11

You can also get steamed veggies and brown rice with the brown sauce on the side. That is where most of the calories and sodium are anyway, so if you can limit the amount of brown sauce you'll be able to control it more. You can also do the chicken and broccoli with brown sauce on the side. Both are delicious!!

sarahnicolexoxo

is the chicken in this dish breaded?

Nope! You'll be fine.

beqy12

Chicken and brocolli is a good choice - if you're sure to get it steamed. I usually do steamed shrimp (but you can do chicken) with mixed vegetables, and brown rice... Go ahead and treat yourself to a fortune cookie - only 20 cals! I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that, lol.

pcolter

Steamed dumplings!

houlee

That is kinda hard. Most Asian dishes that I get exposed to regularly have lots of fish/seafood in them (my husband is Vietnamese). You can try dumplings (steamed, not pan fried), large bowl of soup, spring rolls (wrapped in rice paper, and not fried), lettuce wraps, or beef (or chicken) with broccoli (or mixed vegetables). Just try to order white or brown rice instead of fried rice. Or ask for steamed veggies instead of rice completely. Some Chinese restaurants have pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup, to which you add herbs and sprouts.

ladybug1620

I think most chinese restaurants have a healthy portion on their menu. If not, you could just ask for steamed chicken and veggies. I'd skip the rice, but that's just me.

Kminor67

I order whatever I want, but steamed, and with the sauce on the side. That way you get the taste, without all the calories. I like the Shrimp and mixed veggies with Lobster Sauce, or Schezuan Chicken. Then just dip every bite lightly into the sauce, or just drizzle a little of it overtop.

UpToAnyCool

>>> Happy Year of the Rabbit!

Below are some typical banquet foods - you sort of have to strategize:

- Cold appetizer: jellyfish, cold cucumber salad probably ok. Boiled peanuts ok, unless you aren't eating nuts due to fat content. The 5-spiced dried beef, etc. looks sort of marbellized, so I'd eat that in moderation.
- Steamed whole fish - usually a white fish with scallions, ginger. Even though there is some oil mixed w/ the soy sauce, this is fairly healthy. Just don't take let them put the extra oily sauce all over your plate, which is how it's done...
- Buddhist dish - This is that weird rolled gluted dish. Totally great unless you are celiac or eating gluten free: tons of veggies, sometimes tofu, and mung bean thread noodles. Very flavorful and very 'simple' food - monk food.
- Bok choy, often w/ abalone or bamboo shoots or ****ake mushrooms - go to town. This one has a lot of sodium due to the oyster sauce, but otherwise fairly healthy. There might be some cornstarch in the glaze/sauce, but still not that bad for you.
- Roasted Chicken - ah. the SKIN is the best part, but it is also the fattiest. You could try to stick to the whitemeat only.

If your husband's family is not Cantonese, the food offerings might be heavier, more often fried and with spicier (and sometimes sweeter) sauces. That could be tricky.

If you are ok w/ having your 'own dishes' ordered for you - the watercress sounds great. I would also recommend sauteed pea shoots, if available (maybe not in winter time), water spinach. The 'lightest' thing might still be the Buddhist dish listed above or something like Mock Duck. Does not taste like duck AT ALL, but is an interesting rolled piece of tofu skin. The texture is interesting.

All in all, Chinese Banquet food, like ALL restaurant food, has a lot of sodium - so be sure to have a lot water!

Hope this is helpful - have a wonderful time!

Cheers from
~ the Loopy Toucan~

ps: There is a very nice boiled chicken dish that is pretty healthy. They might think you're strange since it's more 'homestyle' than banquet food, but it's a whole chicken and it's served w/ a chopped ginger + oil sauce, where you have control over how much of the sauce you put on your dish. You might look into that.

HMKan

wow thanks everyone! This is so helpful!

crystallayne

I get steamed chicken and veggies. I skip the rice and order egg drop soup and put that over the top for flavor.