I couldn't wait for Olive Garden to come to Wilmington.  And now they have a Garden Fare menu...but tonight I was feeling very fishy...so I ordered the Tilapia.  My daughter-in-law joined me and I tasted of her shrimp and she ate 1/2 the fish.  We both decided the Parmesan Crusted Tilapia was the best.  

Ok...so I'm not sure exactly how to break it down...I do know that the entire entree including veggies, pasta, fish and sauce is included in the nutritional information.  (I checked it out online).  Be aware that some restaurants don't include the sides on their nutritional information.  

It is listed as 590 calories for the entire dish.

I only ate 1/2 the fish, only about a 1/4 a cup of pasta and a few veggies...I didn't see a lot of sauce, which I could have left off altogether.  I think most of it was on the pasta...

So 1/2 of the entree would be 295 calories, but since I didn't each very much pasta, let's see what 1/4 of that would be...147 calories, 6 grams of fat, 10 carbs.  It was more like somewhere in between, I figure.  

Tip: when my food arrives, I usually divide the portions I can eat and slide the rest either on the side of my plate or onto another dish.  I decide ahead of time how much this will be.  

Next time I'll check out the Garden Fare.  

What's your favorite?

Today was an unusual day.  I had lots of reading, Bible Study and blogging to catch up on.  So after dropping my grandson off at pre-school, I headed over to Panera Bread to set up my computer and reading "station".  In the meantime I decided to check out breakfast.  This was my first experience eating breakfast here.  

So today's menu for me was to try the new "Power" breakfast.  Which consisted of a lean slice of ham, an egg, cheese and toasted whole wheat bread.  

I removed 1/2 of the bread.  Best I can figure, without using Panera's nutritional information, my breakfast was around 250 calories.  That is my best guess.  

Multi grain breads usually run around 100 to 110 calories, since I only ate half, I counted it as 70.  I'm not sure how much ham was on the sandwich, but learning to eyeball amounts is a great way to estimate when not at home.  I would guess it was about an ounce or so.  One ounce of pork lean ham runs around 45 calories , two ounces would be around 90, so I gave it a rough estimate.  

Measuring your food at home will help at guessing when your out and about.  Learning calorie counts on extras, such as cheese, let's me know whether I can add it or leave it off.  Learning how to substitute ingredients will also save a lot of calories.  Bread for example, if you eat breads, whole grain or 100% whole wheat are best.  They are slower to digest and make you feel fuller longer.  It's also difficult to tell whether restaurant breads or enriched or actually whole grain.  It helps to be familiar with restaurant fare, especially if you visit regularly.   

So the next time you're out for a quick breakfast...try Panera.  

PS...I did order a cup of coffee to have between breakfast and lunch!  yum!  Ok...it was my consolation for having to pass up all that pastry!

naked?

really?

OK...not really...or at least not in a restaurant....

I'm referring to a my new obsession with Moe's Burritos! I've discovered how to eat them "naked" and save lots of calories....

Naked...no, not me... the burrito!

eat it without the bread...or flour tortilla

I usually get the smallest one, the kid sized one is called the "moo".  

Even though the wrapper is little, it's still about 100 calories...here's a breakdown on flour tortillas...

10" flour tortilla 218 calories

7 to 8" tortilla is 144 calories 

6" tortilla is 94 calories

so cutting out the wrapper...that's a great start...next

the rice...

1/2 cup of rice is 121 calories 

Instead of the rice, get beans, they have 2 selections.  Beans have protein, even though they have carbs. Beans have a low gycemic index and when eaten with rice are a complete protein.  Although rice is very filling and the beans for me work well, so to avoid the extra calories I prefer to ditch the rice. 

Next I add 1/2 chicken and 1/2 taco beef...you could just get the chicken, but I like mine to at least taste like a burrito...sometimes I get all taco beef, but cutting the beef in half and adding the grilled chicken has less fat.

I like to add a little shredded cheese and tomato... and a fork or spoon...and there you have it...a naked burrito!

Sometimes for a little splurge I get the queso cheese on the side instead of the shredded cheese and I opt for a little sour cream.  I try to stick to only a tablespoon serving of queso and sour cream, which doesn't add any significant fat.  Getting in side containers gives me more control of the amount I eat. 

For that added crunch and texture, or just to help the scooping action...you could add a chip or two, even eight tortilla chips is only 49 calories.   Even though the corn chips are fried and are high glycemic index, I keep the portion small and when eaten with the beans and other protein, (chicken and/or beef) it doesn't cause a spike in my blood sugar levels.  

The great thing about Moe's for me is that I can control the amounts of what they put on, because you get to tell then exactly what goes on and how much, while they make it, right there in front of you.  Next, even adults can order the "moo" size.  Just remember to tell them that it's for an adult...or else you get charged for a cookie.  Chips are included, so I can also leave them off or just get a few.  

This is one of my staple meals and I can always rely on stable blood sugars for the next three or four hours.  

So...get naked...and have fun at Moe's Southwestern Grill...yes we can...  

One of my all time favorite places to eat is Longhorn Steakhouse.  Not for the steak, but the chicken.  Longhorn has the best grilled chicken I've found anywhere in town....and it's always reliable!

The dinner portion consists of 2 breast, of which I can only eat about 1/2 to 2/3 of one - so my husband and I share this one.  Sharing the meal makes going out to eat more affordable and at Longhorn they are "long" on portions.  The lunch portion is 3 half pieces, so it's also enough to share or take home for later. 

Now, when they first opened the restaurant here, they had the grilled chicken on the menu, but now it has been replaced with other chicken selections...nevertheless, you can still request it.  Just ask for the chicken grilled, or plain.  They grill it with their "prairie dust", which is killer terrific.  We usually order the grilled vegetables or just the broccoli, which they will serve, upon request.  It comes with two sides, so you might think about getting double veggies or a salad! 

Since salads don't like my new tummy very well, I usually get the steamed veggies and a sweet potato.  Sweet potatoes are like dessert for me, they are nutritious, sweet and tasty. Sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index as well.  

I've learned that making request for items not listed on the menu is a great way to stay on target...most restaurant will accommodate special request.   I've sometimes had to ask to speak with a manager at certain places and after explaining my situation, they usually aim to please!

So next time you think about Longhorn Steakhouse, think chicken...

Don't let the name stop you...one of my recent discoveries has been successful eating at Panera Bread.  

A few weeks ago I was invited to lunch with a few of my girlfriends at Panera.  I usually don't do Panera because I don't do well with salads or raw veggies.  Bread was not necessarily on the plan either...although whole wheat or whole grain would have been a good choice...that day I chose to do neither.  I know some of us have issues with bread, but this selection is great without any...and did you know that one of those cinnamon crunch bagels has over 400 calories?  Yikes...beware of those bagels! 

I got creative and ventured from my routine with a new selection...and I didn't even miss the bread. 

Here's how it went:

I ordered the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich (1/2 sandwich)

I ask them to add turkey

and an apple instead of chips

You can get them to leave off the bread or remove it yourself when it arrives.

After discarding the bread...that leaves the good stuff...grab a knife and fork and viola!  It has cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, which are great for color and flavor.  It's got that sweet and salty thing going on with a little feta cheese, sweet red bell peppers and a little hummus.  (Most of the hummus sticks to the bread.)

I loved the flavors of this one...

Feel free to share your favorites in the comment section...

Stay tuned for more... yes, you can...it's delicious!