Super Safe Substitutions

When eating out at restaurants, it's often impossible to determine exactly how your food was prepared unless they are making it in front of you (and let's be real, we can't eat at Benihana every night!) For this reason, it is difficult to tell just how healthy the meal you've ordered will be when it you get it. This is why when eating out, I love getting sushi (well Sashimi) because it's virtually the same every time- there is no cooking involved, and therefore no way for the chefs to add any extra (and often WAY unnecessary) oils or butter, but we can't always go out for sushi either. But, we can follow the guidelines set here- if it's not cooked in any way, it's hard for the chef to mess with it, so instead of a side of "sauteed vegetables" (sauteed in what?!) or rice, we can opt for a side salad, or steamed vegetables prepared DRY (I can't tell you how many times I've ordered steamed vegetables that come soaked in butter!) Regardless, this is a safer bet than ordering something sauteed, pan-fried, or anything to that effect. If you ask for it dry, you can only hope they follow through. And, if steamed veggies are boring for you, ask for a side of hot sauce or balsamic vinegar or any other low-cal sauce to dip in! Moral of the story: choose the uncooked or steamed veggie options when possible- this way, the chef can't mess with it! (Or just go for sushi and order Sashimi!) Pin It