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 Between work and family demands, sometimes it’s easier and more convenient to pick up your meals rather than cooking at home. So the question is, how do you make the right choices when you are in a rush and looking for something beyond the typical fast food chains? Restaurants have a bad rap for serving foods high in calories, sodium and fat, but the good news is, that’s not always the case.
This month I’m sharing healthy options from a few popular Fast Casual Restaurants. I hope you enjoy this quick reference guide to 5 Fast Casual Food Joints. |
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Your Fast Casual Restaurant Cheat Sheet
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AU BON PAIN® - Tuna Salad Cafe Sandwich
- Thai Peanut Chicken Salad (without dressing) - find appropriate dressing
- 12 Veggies Soup (small)
- Tomato Basil Bisque (small)
- Napa Chicken with Avocado Wrap
CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL® - Kid’s Steak Tacos with 2 Crispy Corn Tortillas, Black Beans, Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa, & Chips
- Steak Salad with Black Beans, Fajita Vegetables, & Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa (no dressing)
- Vegetarian Burrito Bowl with Brown Rice, Black Beans, Fajita Vegetables, Lettuce, & Corn Salsa
- Chicken Tacos with 3 Crispy Corn Tortillas, Fajita Vegetables, Lettuce, & Fresh Tomato Salsa
Jason's Deli - Organic Vegetable Soup
- Mediterranean Wrap
- Half Amy’s Turkey-O Sandwich w/ small cup of Tomato Basil Soup
- Nutty Mixed-Up Salad, Lighter Portion
- Sides: Fruit Cup or Steamed Veggies
PANERA® - Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries & Pecans or Almonds, Quinoa & Honey
- Half Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT on Sourdough Bread
- Turkey Chili (cup)
- Low-Fat Chicken Noodle Soup (cup)
- Vegan Lentil Quinoa Broth Bowl
STARBUCKS® - Spinach & Feta & Cage-Free Egg White Breakfast Wrap
- Petite Vanilla Bean Scone
- Tall Café Latte with Nonfat Milk
- Tomato & Mozzarella Sandwich
- Sous Vide Egg Bites: Egg White & Red Pepper
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Featured Recipe
Chipotle Sweet Potato Tacos with Corn Guacamole |
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Recipe by: La Tortilla Factory
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 medium)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 limes, divided
- 1 avocado, pitted
- 1 small ear corn, shucked and kernels removed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 6 Hand Made Style Tortillas, Yellow Corn & Wheat
- 6 tablespoons sour cream – optional
- 6 tablespoons pico de gallo
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Scrub sweet potatoes (no need to peel them) and cut into ½-inch chunks. Place them in a small roasting pan. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with chipotle chili powder, salt, and black pepper, tossing with your hands to coat. Arrange the sweet potatoes in an even layer. Roast 25 minutes, tossing halfway through. Squeeze juice of ½ lime over the sweet potatoes, tossing again. While sweet potatoes roast, scoop avocado flesh into a medium bowl. Mash avocado with a fork. Stir in juice of ½ lime, corn kernels, garlic, salt, and cayenne.
Warm tortillas on a hot griddle or in a large skillet or grill pan. Top tortillas evenly with roasted sweet potatoes, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. Sprinkle with cilantro. Cut remaining lime into 6 wedges and serve with tacos.
Number of Servings: 6
Calories: 250| Total fat: 8 grams | Total carbohydrates: 36 grams | Dietary fiber: 5 grams | Protein: 7 grams
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“There is a difference between dining and eating. Dining is an art. When you eat to get the most out of your meal, to please the palate, just as well as to satiate the appetite, that, my friend, is dining.”
- Yuan Mei
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| Tips for Creating Healthy Dining Habits |
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- Fill up on fiber and lean protein.
A meal high in protein and fiber can help keep you satisfied and prevent overeating. Use the Fast Casual Cheat Sheet in this newsletter, to help identify best meals to fill you up! - Be stingy with the extras.
Things like bacon, cheese, mayo, and salad dressings will not only add to your food bill but also add unnecessary calories and fat to your meal. - Watch out for the sneaky salad toppings.
While salads can be a nutrient-packed meal, they can also be higher in calories, fat and sodium than a hamburger. Fancy toppings like cheese, bacon, salad dressing, dried fruit, nuts, and croutons can really add up. - Substitute sides. Most restaurants default to serving fries, chips, onion rings, bread or mashed potatoes as their side. Often these are eaten out of habit and not because you are really hungry and need the extra food. Ask if you can substitute the high-calorie side dish with a side salad and light dressing, steamed veggies, baked sweet potato or a fresh fruit cup.
- Embrace the flavors of baked, broiled, grilled chicken or roasted lean meats.
Avoid fried and battered foods as they are high in calorie, fat and sodium. By shifting your mindset to embrace the flavors of baked, broiled, grilled chicken or roasted lean meats you are opening yourself to a new relationship with food.
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| ABOUT SO Nutrition | |
Stephanie Leipprandt Ouellette, MBA, RDN, LD Stephanie has been working in the field of nutrition and dietetics since 1995. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from Michigan State University, completed an Approved Pre-Professional Practice Program at Western Michigan University and earned a Master of Business Administration from Baker College. She’s been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist since 1996 and licensed in Texas since 2007. In 2008, Stephanie earned her certification in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management. Stephanie has extensive clinical & managerial experience, both in corporate settings and in the community. Now she wants to share her knowledge with you, because most (if not all) nutritional habits begin at home.
Stephanie and her family reside in Katy, Texas
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