HG - Good Restaurant Choices

TamTastic

More and more restaurants are finally spilling their nutritional guts (THANK YOU!), and others are going the extra mile with special "light" menus. Here are a few choice chain-restaurant finds from said special menus. Enjoy!


Olive Garden - Garden Fare Selections

Here are our picks from OG's diet-friendly options...

Minestrone Soup - 100 calories, 1.5g fat, 3g fiber -- POINTS® value 2*
This is the best possible way to start a meal at this place. Just step away from the bottomless breadsticks!

Venetian Apricot Chicken, dinner portion - 380 calories, 4g fat, 8g fiber -- POINTS® value 7*
Sorry to sound cheesy, but this meal is light done right. Pairing saucy chicken with broccoli, asparagus, and diced tomatoes? Now THAT's amore!

Linguine alla Marinara, dinner portion - 430 calories, 6g fat, 9g fiber -- POINTS® value 8*

Need some old-school basic Italian food? This should do the trick without TOO many calories.




Chili's - Guiltless Grill Menu

We don't feel guilty about naming our favorites...

Guiltless Grill Salmon - 480 calories, 14g fat, 1,080mg sodium, 31g carbs, 10g fiber, 54g protein -- POINTS® value 10*

Salmon's ALWAYS gonna be high in fat, but it's the good kind, so don't stress too much. Here, a nice piece of fish comes with black beans and steamed veggies sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Just don't follow this up with Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie. EEEK!

Guiltless Chicken Sandwich - 490 calories, 8g fat, 2,720mg sodium, 63g carbs, 11g fiber, 39g protein -- POINTS® value 10*

Check out this sandwich! It's topped with fat-free honey-mustard dressing, lettuce, pickles, and t omato -- and served with the same beans and veggies as the salmon. Chili's, maybe we'll finally forgive you for that annoying "Baby Back Ribs" jingle.

Guiltless Black Bean Burger - 650 calories, 12g fat, 1,940mg sodium, 96g carbs, 26g fiber, 38g protein -- POINTS® value 13*

If it's gotta be a burger, this one's the way to go. It's loaded with fiber, it's huge, and it's delicious. And while the calorie and fat counts aren't exactly low, this thing's still WAY better than one of Chili's crazy-fatty Big Mouth Burgers. To save a slew of calories, lose the ranch dressing and ask for an unbuttered whole-wheat bun -- that bun's not on the menu, but most locations offer it. Or be really daring and enjoy your burger without any bun at all, protein-style over lettuce -- that shaves hundreds of calories from the total!





Applebee's - Weight Watchers Options

These are Hungry Girl AND Weight Watchers approved...

Steak & Portobellos - 330 calories, 10g fat, 8g fiber -- POINTS® value 7
There is hope for meat & potato people after all! This sirloin comes smothered in a savory sauce with steamed herb potatoes and seasonal veggies. Nicely done, Applebee's!


Italian Chicken & Portobello Sandwich - 360 calories, 6g fat, 11g fiber -- POINTS® value 7
Ooh! Another entry into the "sandwiches that rock our socks" category. This grilled chick-wich has sliced portobello mushrooms, a slice of tomato, and chunky marinara sauce -- all on a wheat bun with fresh fruit on the side. Bellisima!


Cajun Lime Tilapia - 310 calories, 6g fat, 9g fiber -- POINTS® value 6
ALL of us should probably be eating more fish, so we LOVE to see a fish dish that sounds this delish. (Sorry for the irritating rhymes.) Your tilapia comes topped with black bean & corn salsa (Mmmmmmm!) and is served with rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables. Carb-counters might be able to trouble them for double veggies instead of rice.


Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake - 230 calories, 3g fat, 3g fiber -- POINTS® value 4
OMG! A restaurant dessert we can eat without feeling like we have to jog home afterwards! Chocolate cake with a light cream cheese glaze and raspberry sauce is a GREAT way to finish dinner.




Red Lobster - Lighthouse Menu

We heart a la carte...

Garlic-Grilled Jumbo Shrimp - 142 calories, 3g fat, 1g carbs -- POINTS® value 3*
AAAAAHH! These seafood skewers make us so happy! All these babies need is a quick squeeze of lemon, and you're good to go.

Garden Salad with Petite Shrimp Topping and Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing - 132 calories, 6g fat, 15 carbs, 2g fiber -- POINTS® value 3*
Here's a simple shrimp salad that does the trick. The stats are so low, you can order a double!

Baked Potato with Pico de Gallo - 185 calories, 2g fat, 37g carbs, 4.5g fiber -- POINTS® value 3*
Baked potato + pico de gallo = an awesome idea. Thanks to the crimson crustacean!

Live Maine Lobster - 145 calories, 1g fat, 2g carbs -- POINTS® value 3*
Living large doesn't have to make you large. Here's proof! Just don't drown the stuff in butter, peeps...

Fresh Grilled or Broiled Tilapia, full portion - 346 calories, 10g fat, 0g carbs -- POINTS® value 8*

There's our buddy Tilapia again! Let's hear it for flaky white fish, people.

TamTastic

More and more restaurants are finally spilling their nutritional guts (THANK YOU!), and others are going the extra mile with special "light" menus. Here are a few choice chain-restaurant finds from said special menus. Enjoy!


Olive Garden - Garden Fare Selections

Here are our picks from OG's diet-friendly options...

Minestrone Soup - 100 calories, 1.5g fat, 3g fiber -- POINTS® value 2*
This is the best possible way to start a meal at this place. Just step away from the bottomless breadsticks!

Venetian Apricot Chicken, dinner portion - 380 calories, 4g fat, 8g fiber -- POINTS® value 7*
Sorry to sound cheesy, but this meal is light done right. Pairing saucy chicken with broccoli, asparagus, and diced tomatoes? Now THAT's amore!

Linguine alla Marinara, dinner portion - 430 calories, 6g fat, 9g fiber -- POINTS® value 8*

Need some old-school basic Italian food? This should do the trick without TOO many calories.




Chili's - Guiltless Grill Menu

We don't feel guilty about naming our favorites...

Guiltless Grill Salmon - 480 calories, 14g fat, 1,080mg sodium, 31g carbs, 10g fiber, 54g protein -- POINTS® value 10*

Salmon's ALWAYS gonna be high in fat, but it's the good kind, so don't stress too much. Here, a nice piece of fish comes with black beans and steamed veggies sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Just don't follow this up with Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie. EEEK!

Guiltless Chicken Sandwich - 490 calories, 8g fat, 2,720mg sodium, 63g carbs, 11g fiber, 39g protein -- POINTS® value 10*

Check out this sandwich! It's topped with fat-free honey-mustard dressing, lettuce, pickles, and t omato -- and served with the same beans and veggies as the salmon. Chili's, maybe we'll finally forgive you for that annoying "Baby Back Ribs" jingle.

Guiltless Black Bean Burger - 650 calories, 12g fat, 1,940mg sodium, 96g carbs, 26g fiber, 38g protein -- POINTS® value 13*

If it's gotta be a burger, this one's the way to go. It's loaded with fiber, it's huge, and it's delicious. And while the calorie and fat counts aren't exactly low, this thing's still WAY better than one of Chili's crazy-fatty Big Mouth Burgers. To save a slew of calories, lose the ranch dressing and ask for an unbuttered whole-wheat bun -- that bun's not on the menu, but most locations offer it. Or be really daring and enjoy your burger without any bun at all, protein-style over lettuce -- that shaves hundreds of calories from the total!





Applebee's - Weight Watchers Options

These are Hungry Girl AND Weight Watchers approved...

Steak & Portobellos - 330 calories, 10g fat, 8g fiber -- POINTS® value 7
There is hope for meat & potato people after all! This sirloin comes smothered in a savory sauce with steamed herb potatoes and seasonal veggies. Nicely done, Applebee's!


Italian Chicken & Portobello Sandwich - 360 calories, 6g fat, 11g fiber -- POINTS® value 7
Ooh! Another entry into the "sandwiches that rock our socks" category. This grilled chick-wich has sliced portobello mushrooms, a slice of tomato, and chunky marinara sauce -- all on a wheat bun with fresh fruit on the side. Bellisima!


Cajun Lime Tilapia - 310 calories, 6g fat, 9g fiber -- POINTS® value 6
ALL of us should probably be eating more fish, so we LOVE to see a fish dish that sounds this delish. (Sorry for the irritating rhymes.) Your tilapia comes topped with black bean & corn salsa (Mmmmmmm!) and is served with rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables. Carb-counters might be able to trouble them for double veggies instead of rice.


Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake - 230 calories, 3g fat, 3g fiber -- POINTS® value 4
OMG! A restaurant dessert we can eat without feeling like we have to jog home afterwards! Chocolate cake with a light cream cheese glaze and raspberry sauce is a GREAT way to finish dinner.




Red Lobster - Lighthouse Menu

We heart a la carte...

Garlic-Grilled Jumbo Shrimp - 142 calories, 3g fat, 1g carbs -- POINTS® value 3*
AAAAAHH! These seafood skewers make us so happy! All these babies need is a quick squeeze of lemon, and you're good to go.

Garden Salad with Petite Shrimp Topping and Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing - 132 calories, 6g fat, 15 carbs, 2g fiber -- POINTS® value 3*
Here's a simple shrimp salad that does the trick. The stats are so low, you can order a double!

Baked Potato with Pico de Gallo - 185 calories, 2g fat, 37g carbs, 4.5g fiber -- POINTS® value 3*
Baked potato + pico de gallo = an awesome idea. Thanks to the crimson crustacean!

Live Maine Lobster - 145 calories, 1g fat, 2g carbs -- POINTS® value 3*
Living large doesn't have to make you large. Here's proof! Just don't drown the stuff in butter, peeps...

Fresh Grilled or Broiled Tilapia, full portion - 346 calories, 10g fat, 0g carbs -- POINTS® value 8*

There's our buddy Tilapia again! Let's hear it for flaky white fish, people.

watch48win

And this is how I actually lost 1.5 lbs while in TX, and had to eat out EVERY day. It's all about the choice that you make while eating out.

Thanks Tam