Eating out and its pitfalls!

1/12/07

I had the good fortune to be taken out for lunch on Wednesday to save my poor work worn fingers from having to go through another round of vegetable chopping...
As you are well aware, it's a minefield of unhealthy food out there, people! There's fat and sugar hidden in things you wouldn't believe....

I visited a Brazilian Churrasceria (that's barbeque to us) where they have the meat on the skewers and bring it around to your table! Yum! This particular restaurant had some turkey and chicken but it was mostly red meat......however, do not despair, all foods can fit into a healthy eating plan and red meat is a good source of protein as well as heme-iron. As you can see from my plate, even Dietitian's eat red meat!
Of course, being the healthy eater that I am I also loaded up on salad and got stuck into that before I started on the meat-fest. However, all was not totally healthy...they do a great desert of a banana rolled in cinnamon sugar and cooked. I say cooked because I am am hoping it was baked but it was probably fried! But, back to my theory about all foods fitting into a healthy diet....I only ate 1/2 of one! Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it...just gives me an excuse to go back there!


So, after a big lunch I just wanted something light for dinner, so made one of my signature salads. I really like fruit in my salad and try and mix up different combinations...some work really well and some don't do so well together. Here are some that work really well:

Spinach, fat free crumbled feta, mandarin oranges (canned in juice) or fresh, home made light candied walnuts, and a raspberry or light honey mustard dressing.

Chopped flat leaf parsley (not the curly kind) used like lettuce..so plenty of it, shredded carrots, chopped pear, dried cherries, and a lemon juice/light olive oil dressing.

Romaine lettuce, diced apple, celery, raisins or dried cranberries, cooked chicken breast, with balsamic vinegar & lemon olive oil. Or you can make it more of a Waldorf salad and thin out some light mayo for a creamier dressing.

Spinach, pomegranate seeds, chopped mint leaves, mango slices, and cooked diced chicken breast with pomegranate vinegar and olive oil dressing. Throw on a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts and enjoy!

The picture shows below shows my last creation......very tasty and healthy too!


Anyway, enough for now.....off to the gym. Look for a recipe for healthy candied nuts in the next few days......