Menu Makeover!

I haven’t made a menu make over post in a while! Last night I was so hungry and not in any mood to cook, so I decided to stop at Subway. I  usually order a salad or a Veggie sub, but I was surprised and happy to see that they finally offer the falafel now.  I ordered the falafel on whole wheat bread with onions, lettuce, spinach, green pepper, banana pepper, and cucumber. When I got home I added yellow mustard, because for some reason they only have honey mustard, which I find odd ,most people add yellow mustard to their sandwiches. ANYWAYS, the sandwich was so delicious and came to around 260 calories. The best part of this meal was the price! I ordered a foot-long and it came to $5.00, and now I have the other half to eat for lunch!

Sometimes it’s a lot harder to wake up, pack a lunch, start your car 10  minutes before you head out the door, brush off the snow, get dressed, etc during the winter months. Today was one of those days for me! So I decided to head out and grab a healthy lunch. As I drove around I passed several restaurants. Finally I saw a Panera bread and my stomach growled so I stopped.

 

I wanted something warm and filling. A salad wouldn’t cut it, a sandwich sounded unappetizing, and I obviously didn’t want a bagel. I decided to order the pick two! I ordered a cup of creamy tomato soup (8 oz 160 calories, 4g fiber,) I passed on the croutons because theirs are very salty. I had some left over crackers in a zip lock bag in my purse that I ate with my soup instead of their bakery bread. For my other choice I had a Classic Salad with light Asian dressing on the side. This definitely hit the spot!

Bagel Bouy In Sag Harbor

The Bagel Bouy in Sag Harbor was delicious. Whatever you wanted they had it! They had a salad bar I chose that had a variety of options. The food was so fresh but a tad bit expensive. This salad came to $13.00 which I could have saved money going to the grocery store, but in order to stay healthy it was the most convenient.

Bridgehampton Panera

I wasnt too familiar with the nutritional facts at Panera and everything that was on the menu seems a little high in carb content for my diet.

I ordered the Classic Salad which was only 40 calories without the balsamic Vinaigrette. I had the Asian Sesame instead and only used half which was a total of 45 calories. For the side I chose and Apple instead of chips and cut it up and added it to the salad. I ordered a side fruit cup and added it to the salad as well. My total meal came to 215 calories. It was so delicious and I was addicted for the entire week! My total came to $7.15

Beth ordered the Tomato Soup and left out the croutons which was a 90 calories reduction and didn’t eat the bread bowl. It cake to 290 calories.

Hazelnut coffee with half and half

Panera Bread in NYC

I ordered the same thing :)

John Papas Cafe East Hampton

John Papas Cafe was on the corner of the Square. It was one of my favorite breakfast places this summer. There were so many healthy choices on the menu.

John Papa’s Cafe is the first place I have ever tried putting cottage cheese inside my Cantaloupe. I usually put Yogurt inside. My friend Beth was eating Pancakes so I grabbed the Sugar Free syrup and added some and it made it taste even better!

For lunch I ordered the Fresh Tossed salad. The salad comes with sauteed veggies but instead I asked them to give them to me all fresh that way I new what the calorie content was and I wasn’t eating extra unhealthy oils or fats. I ordered my dressing on the side and since I was already eating cottage cheese I asked them to keep the cheese off.

Subway Riverhead Long Island

I ordered 6” Honey Oat with Lettuce, Shrimp, Guac, Onions, Peppers, Pickles, Tomato, Cucumber, and Pepper Jack Cheese. I ordered a cup for water and added a Snapple tea mix. It came to 410 Calories. It was really good but I would have enjoyed a fresh salad instead.

Subway NYC

I ordered a Vegetarian Salad and added a tablespoon of Caesar salad. It came to around 210 calories and it was really delicious.

Fierros Pizzeria East Hampton

I ordered one slice of cheese pizza and a garlic roll. I ate this once a week! It was so delicious. Came about 350 calories.

The Lobster Roll in Montauk.

The lobster roll is one of the most famous seafood joints on long island. This was the second time I have eaten here and every time it was absolutely Delicious.

Beth and I split a caramel shrimp bowl which came to about 350 calories.

Salad Bar @ Hyvee in Des Moines

Lettuce Mix, Snap Peas, Berries, Kiwi, Pineapple, Granola, Low Mein Noodles, Onions and Peppers!

Found my “Salad on a Stick” at the Iowa State Fair!

Iowa State Fair

Found my “Salad on a Stick” at the Iowa State Fair!

Hard Rock Cafe Destin Florida

I ordered the Grilled Veggie Sandwich! It was 425 calories and I ate half of the sandwich with a side salad. It was very good and filling!

Biaggi’s In Cedar Rapids IA

Last night my boyfriend and I went out to dinner at Biaggi’s in Cedar Rapids. He said it reminded him of “Olive Garden on steroids” and he was right. The lighting was very calming and the atmosphere was fancy. It was very busy but the restaurant was very large, therefore we didn’t have to wait. The service was very fast and the waiter was so polite.

Before we ordered the waiter brought us out our bread and beverages. I always order either water or unsweetened ice tea at restaurants. The bread was apsoluetly delicious and since I knew what I wanted and wasn’t going to indulge in to many carbs I had some bread which was 110 calories for one stick and oil. The bread was so delicious and moist.

For my main course I ordered Tuscan Minestrone Soup. No matter where I go if minestrone soup is on the menu I’ll order it! It’s one of my favorite dishes. It’s also always low in calories. It ranges from around 100-200 calories. My boyfriend had a side of spinach with his meal that he wouldn’t touch so I added the extra spinach to my soup.

I also ordered a small Caesar salad to go with my soup. I asked for the dressing on the side that way I could scratch off about 200 calories of the extra dressing.

Pita Pit Iowa City IA

Tonight after walking the new puppy I stopped at Pita Pit to bring home dinner! I ordered the vegetarian falafel on wheat pita w/ shredded lettuce, fresh spinach, romaine Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, Green Peppers, Jalapenos, Banana Peppers and cucumbers. I used yellow mustard instead of the tzatziki sauce which would have added an extra 100 calories. I substituted the feta cheese with extra vegetables to save 145 calories. After all the adjustments it came to 420 calories,12g fat, 13g fiber, 20g protein, 58g carbs  according to the nutritional guide on the Pita Pit website. The pita sandwich was enormous, so I cut it in half and saved it for a packed lunch tomorrow. I ate the other half with an apple and a Chobani Yogurt. It was absolutely delicious!!

Denny’s Breakfast:

Fit Slam Breakfast!

 

Ask for only one turkey bacon strip, instead of the English muffin ask for extra fruit or replace it with ½ cup of oatmeal.

Salad Nutrition Facts:

Before /after alterations

W/Extra Fruit

No English muffin

1 Slice Turkey Bacon

Calories: 390/280

Fat : 12/8

Sodium: 870/660

Carbs: 46/39

Protein 27/20

Denny’s Lunch:

Cranberry Apple Chicken Salad

  •  Ask for no pecans – unless they have them prepared unglazed.
  • Ask for a fat free dressing on the side
  • Skip the bread because it will add an extra 210 calories

Salad Nutrition Facts:

Before /after alterations

Without Bread

Full Portioned Salad

Calories: 345/225

Fat : 12/7

Sodium: 670/480

Carbs: 32/20

Protein 36/30


Denny’s Dinner:

Tilapia Ranchero

  • Replace Smoked cheddar mashed potatoes with a side of vegetables.
  • Skip the bread

 For your Dinner Salad

  •  ask for no cheese, bacon, and a Fat Free Italian Dressing on The side

Salad Nutrition Facts:

Before /after alterations

Without Bread

Vegetables vs. Mashed Potatoes

Calories: 450/340

Fat : 19/10

Sodium: 930/470

Carbs: 40/21

Protein 53/46

(Order From Kids Menu) Proper Proportion Sizes. 

  • Soft Corn Tortilla or Hard Corn Tortilla
  • Fajita Vegetables
  • Chicken 1.3 oz
  • Fresh Tomato Salsa
  • Roasted Chili
  • Green Tomatillo Salsa
  • Taco Cheese .03 oz
  • Romaine Lettuce

Salad Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 190/440

Fat : 13/18

Sodium: 520/1288

Carbs: 33/74

Protein 20/45

Kids Menu Chipolte Chips

Nutrition Facts vs Adult Chips:

Calories: 140/570

Fat : 7/27

Sodium: 110/420

Carbs: 18/73

Protein 2/8

Joes Crab Shack

 

Bucket of Shrimp

Nutrition Facts 

Calories: 180

Fat : 2.5

Carbs: 9

Protein: 31

Joe’s House Side Salad

Nutrition Facts 

Calories: 120

Fat : 5

Carbs: 10

Protein: 6

Joe’s House Side Salad

Nutrition Facts 

Calories: 120

Fat : 5

Carbs: 10

Protein: 6

Joe’s Ear of Corn

Nutrition Facts 

Calories: 60

Fat : 1

Carbs: 14

Protein: 2

Joe’s Dirty Rice

Nutrition Facts 

Calories: 170

Fat : 2

Carbs: 30

Protein: 5


Joe’s Broccoli Florets

Nutrition Facts 

Calories: 80

Fat : 5

Carbs: 6

Protein: 3


Sometimes it’s hard to take the time to prepare a breakfast when you are on the run or sometimes Mcdonalds is everyone’s first choice for a breakfast stop. Here are some of the smart choices on the breakfast menu. 

1. McDonalds Oatmeal 2. Fruin N Yogurt Parfait 3. Coffee

4. Iced Latte W/Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup and Non Fat Milk

5. Egg McMuffin 6. Fruit N Walnut Salad 

I don’t know about you but every time I’m walking through the mall, the smell of Cold Stone ice cream attacks my cravings and pulls me toward the counter! Here are a couple of healthier options vs. the high calorie treats.  1. Cold Stones Lemon Sorbet! There are several other flavors of sorbet with a common nutritional value. 2. Sinless Smoothies! Berry Banana!  3. Iced Latte Sweet Cream with Non Fat Milk and No Whipped Topping 4. Cold Stones Frozen Yogurt! This is an average of all the flavors!  5. Sinless Cake Batter Ice Cream! YUM

Jimmy Johns!

The Unwich

  •  Turkey Breast, Unwich Lettuce Wrap, Tomato, Avocado Spread, Provolone Cheese, Mustard, Onions, Peppers, Jalapeno, Banana Pepper and Cucumber

Calories : 175 Fat : 4.5g Carbs : 8.4g Protein : 21g

Thinny Chips

Calories : 130 Fat : 4.5g Carbs : 19g Protein : 2g

Jumbo Pickle 

Calories : 22 Fat : 0g Carbs : 4g Protein : 1g

Large Iced Tea 

Calories : 4 Fat : 0g Carbs : 0g Protein : 0g

Olive Garden is known for their great tasting salads and bread sticks and they are all you can eat so you may go over 1000 calories before you even take the first bite of your meal. When you are ordering a salad ask the waitress/waiter to bring your salad out with the dressing on the side. You will being save hundreds and hundreds of calories this way. Limit yourself to only one bread stick or skip it in general. Eat as much salad as you want, because it will make you more stuffed before your meal causing you to eat way less.

I decided instead of going with the Usual Minestrone Soup and Salad I wanted to treat myself to pizza! I ordered a cheese Pizza with Roma Tomatoes, Onions, and Peppers. By skipping the meat toppings it eliminates 180 calories. It’s obvious that pizza isn’t a first choice in trying to stay healthy but when you eat in proportion you are making it healthy.  I cut a 1/3 portion making the pizza 300 calories. 6g of fat, 16g protein, 33g carbs. This allowed me to enjoy my pizza and learn portion control.

At the end of the meal we ordered our FAVORITE dessert. The Lemon Cream Cake. It’s around 610 calories. OH MY. We split it among the table and I had a couple bites, instead of eating the entire cake.

  • Kids 4 Piece Chicken Fingers
  • Apple Fries
  • Fat Free Milk
  • Garden Salad With Fat Free Italian Dressing

Calorie Total: 410, Fat 12g, Trans Fat 0g, 500mg Sodium, 39 Carbs, 24g Protein, 17g Sugar

Last night I was faced with the Buffet, which many peopleare terrified of, but I actually love it because I get to make my own choices!

I grabbed a bowl and started at the lettuce side. I added Romaine, Spinach and Iceberg. I added some more vegetables, peas, green beans, bell peppers,broccoli,banana peppers, cucumber, and onion. For the protein I added a couple pieces of imitation crab meat, egg whites, and lentils. I topped the salad with craisins, croutons, a couple pieces of granola, and 1/4 cup of cottage cheese. On the side I had light tomato vinaigrette for the dressing. The salad was so tasty from all the flavors added that i barely used the salad dressing. On the side I had a cup of fruit, strawberries, pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon and blueberries!

Boy was I stuffed! 

This morning Niki and I woke up and went to get breakfast. I ordered the egg white omelet with spinach, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and sugar free syrup. I had a little side of hash browns as well.

This St. Patrick’s Day weekend my friends and I spent the whole day out on the town. We stopped on the bridge on our way to see the river dyed green and I couldn’t believe how vibrant the green was. The city was crazy and the St. Patrick’s Day spirit everyone had was so fun and such a joy to be apart of. 

I had diet seven up and energy Mio to make my drink green for St. Patty’s Day! It was 80 degrees and WAY too hot for coffee!!

We started to get very hungry and every restaurant was crazy busy with about 2 hour waits! We walked 4 miles to the Big Bowl to have lunch. For our starters we had Vetetable pot stickers which were so delicious. I only had one which was around 48 calories. 

I ordered the Teriyaki salmon with fresh vegetables. My meal came with rice but I asked for it on the side because one serving was 400 calories which was a little high for lunch. I had a little portion and shared the rest. I ordered a small house salad that way i could sprinkle salmon over the top and keep my meal light. I saved the rest of the salmon for dinner. 

On top of the salmon they added sauteed onions and peppers with a Teriyaki glaze.  It was very sweet and I can honestly say the best salmon I have ever eaten in my entire life. The salmon came to about 400 calories but I only ate half for lunch and the other half on top of salad for dinner. 

The green beans were so fresh and crunchy. They cooked them in olive oil and sesame seeds. I dipped them into my Teriyaki sauce for extra flavor. 

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