Why you can buy your Happy Meal today and eat it in 2015!!!

In the week's Natural News Newsletter by Mike Adams (The Health Ranger), the editor of NaturalNews.com, reports on every kiddies favorite meal, the McDonald’s Happy Meal.  Here’s the low down: “McDonald's Happy Meal hamburgers and fries won't decompose, even if you leave them out for six months.”  This story has recently been picked up by CNN, the Washington Post and many other mainstream news outlets.

Why don’t McDonald’s Happy Meals (and to be fair ALL fast food restaurant burgers and fries) decompose?  Part of the story is that they are so loaded with chemicals, preservative and high concentrations of sodium that not even bacteria, insects or mold will touch them.

 

This high sodium content is a good explanation why the meat doesn’t decompose, but why don’t the buns mold?  They can sit around for weeks (or months and in one study, years!) without deteriorating while my healthy homemade 12 grain bread is gone in days.  The answer once again is “better living through chemistry.” 

You can barely read the chemical list contained in the hamburger bun (see the McDonald’s site for the full list of ingredients), but some of the better known culprits to our health are: high fructose corn syrup, partially-hydrogenated soybean oil and the long list of chemicals such as ammonium sulfate and sodium proprionate.

Mike Adams concludes his article by saying: “Now here's the truly shocking part about all this: In my estimation, the reason nothing will eat a McDonald's hamburger bun (except a human) is because it's not food! No normal animal will perceive a McDonald's hamburger bun as food, and as it turns out, neither will bacteria or fungi. To their senses, it's just not edible stuff.”

As I said before, McDonald’s is used as the example for this article, but the facts are true for all fast food chains.  I think Mike used the Happy Meal as an example because that is what people feed their kids.  Can you imagine the amount of toxins that these little bodies are going to contain even before they reach high school???  I hope the little plastic Shrek toy was worth the health risk.

Learn more from Mike Adams and Natural News, or subscribe to his newsletter go to: http://www.naturalnews.com/030074_Happy_Meal_decompose.html#ixzz1jMm6FUYF

Another Reason to Eat Organic: McDonald's Warning Label

Jillian Michaels & Arthur Wornum posted this photograph on their FB pages.  Evidently the state of California is requiring this warning label be put on McDonald's food.  Pretty scarey when you stop to think about all the french fries and hash browns people consume over a lifetime.  Please note that this warning doesn't just apply to McDonald's french fries etc., but to all fried or baked potatoes. (See my articles on the importance of detoxing).

Count Those T-Day Calories .. You'll Be "Thankful" You Did!

The big day is coming and I can almost feel the loosening of belts and waistbands across the nation.  One of the best things you can do to survive a fourth helping of Dad's incredible turkey and stuffing and Aunt Millie's pecan pie is to PRE-PLAN what you are going to put on your plate ... and stick to your plan.  To help you I am including a calorie list from About's Calorie Count site which includes the most traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

Main Course

Roasted Turkey
Serving Size: 1 cup chopped or diced
Calories: 238

Cornbread Stuffing
Serving Size: ½ cup
Calories: 179

Mashed Potatoes
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 237

Cranberry Sauce
Serving Size: ½” thick slice
Calories: 86

Dinner Rolls
Serving Size: 1 roll
Calories: 76

Side Dishes

Green Bean Casserole
Serving Size: Approximately 8 oz.
Calories: 90

Sweet Potato Casserole
Serving Size: About ½ cup
Calories: 287

Corn Pudding
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 328

Macaroni and Cheese
Serving Size: Approximately 1 cup
Calories: 207

Collard Greens
Serving Size: 1 cup chopped
Calories: 49

Glazed Carrots
Serving Size: Approximately ¾ cup
Calories: 115

Vegetable Rice Pilaf
Serving Size: Approximately ½ cup
Calories: 198

Desserts

Pumpkin Pie
Serving Size: 1/8 of a 9” pie
Calories: 316

Sweet Potato Pie
Serving Size: 1/8 of a 9” pie
Calories: 340

Pecan Pie
Serving Size: 1/8 of a 9” pie
Calories: 503

Pound Cake
Serving Size: 1/10 of standard round cake
Calories: 116

Bread Pudding
Serving Size: Approximately ½ cup
Calories: 232

Control Your Portions

By now you've probably decided what foods you will eat, but remember to control your portions.  If you partake in just one serving of all the foods listed below, you're looking at almost 3600 calories.

Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries - Recipe

I love sweet potato fries for two reasons.  First, they are sweet and delicious!!! (Always a good thing!!)  And secondly, they have fewer calories since they are baked and not fried.  If I have a regular french fry ala Micky-D's, all I taste is the oil and salt.  Try these great fries, with a touch of Parmesan cheese.

 

Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries

 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4" thick sticks
1 Tbs. grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. paprika
Pinch of cayenne
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
2. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes, cheese, olive oil and spices
3. Place potatoes in a single layer on a medium nonstick baking sheet
4. Bake for 8 minutes
5. Flip the potatoes and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and browned
in spots.
6. Serve immediately

Makes 2 Servings

Nutrition Facts:
125 Calories, 2.5g Protein, 25g Carbs, 2g Fat, 4mg Cholesterol, 3.5g Fiber,
119mg Sodium, (3 Points+ Plus)

Yummy Left-Over Meat Pocket Sandwiches

This recipe is becoming my "go to" recipe for left-over meat.  I made it last night with my left-over Perfected Pulled Pork (see my recipe on Sept. 12, 2011).  It was fantastic!  Light, flakey, and full of flavor.

YUMMY LEFT-OVER MEAT POCKET SANDWICHES

1 can (8 biscuits) Pillsbury Grand Biscuits

2-2/3 cups left-over shredded & chopped meat (I used pulled pork, but you can also use chicken, beef, etc.)

Your favorite BBQ seasoning or rub

1 egg white

1 tsp water

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

1.  Flour surface and rolling pin and roll each biscuit into a 6" round.

2.  Lightly sprinkle the top (which will become the "inside") with BBQ seasoning or rub.

3.  Place 1/3 cup of shredded and chopped left-over meat on the front half of the 6" round of dough.

4.  Pull the back half of the dough gently over the meat (to make a 1/2 moon shape) and press the edges together when they meet.  Crimp the edges with a fork.

5.  Mix the egg white and water together in a small bowl, and then brush the mixture over the filled dough.

6.  Sprinkle a little more of the seasoning or rub over the top of the pocket sandwich.

7.  Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment, and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (about 20 minutes.)

8.  Serve with barbecue or other sauce for dipping.

Serves: 8

I served my pulled pork pocket sandwiches with left-over cole slaw and baked beans from our party.  It was an excellent, but simple dinner for under 600 calories.





Perfected Pulled Pork -- Recipe

I have been fiddling around with this pulled pork recipe for a few weeks (well, since I got a great bargain on organic pork!!)
It is the easiest recipe ever.  Since it is made in a crock pot, you can put it together in 15 minutes before you take off for work, and dinner is ready when you get back home.

We had a pot luck with our neighbors yesterday, and I served this dish ... everybody loved it.  Even my gluten-free friends.

Perfected Pulled Pork

2 large red onions
3-4 lbs pork shoulder, pork butt or pork loin
1-12oz can of root beer (I used diet Barq's)
1-18oz bottle of barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)

1.  Cut the red onions in half, and then slice in small strips.  Take the strips from one onion and separate and fill the bottom of your crock pot.

2.  Take the pork and sear it on all sides to seal in the juices, and then lay it on the bed of onions in your crock pot.

3.  Cover the pork with the separated strips from the second onion.

4.  Pour the root beer over the pork.

5.  Pour the barbecue sauce over the pork.

6.  Cover the pot and set to Low (Slow Cook), and cook for 10-12 hours.  (If you are in a hurry, set the pot on high and cook for 5-6 hours)

7.  After cooking for 12 hours, pull the pork and onions out of the pot and toss the juices left in the pot.

8.  Take two forks and pull the pork in two directions until you get the pork shredded to small pieces.

9.  Return pork to the crock pot and if necessary, pour in an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup barbecue sauce.

Nutritional Info:
Calories  159
Total Fat  3g
  Sat Fat  1g
  Trans Fat  0g
Chol  41g
Sod  411g
Total Carbs  15g
  Diet. Fiber  0
  Sugar  14g
Protein  17g
Calc  0%

I make a sandwich with those new thin 100 calorie buns, so the whole sandwich only contains 259 calories.  We also like to put a dab of low fat cole slaw on top of the meat (which I make with non-fat organic mayo, cabbage & carrot shreds, and 1/2 cup of dried cranberries.)  Even with the cole slaw, the sandwhich is less than 280 calories.

Enjoy!!

Surviving the Salad Bar

I used to feel so virtuous whenever I would go to a restaurant and JUST have the salad bar.  Now that I have been changing my diet up a bit, I realize that walking down the salad bar line was a bit like walking through a field of land mines.  Here are some tips from SparkPeople I have started using to assure me safe passage as I tip-toe through the veggies!


Take the safe path and apply these strategies to avoid salad bar traps:

• Use a smaller plate; limit the number of trips you make.
• Start with the nutrient-rich dark green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, romaine, and endive.
• Fill up your plate with vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes.
• Power on the protein with legumes, beans, lean meat, turkey, and crabmeat.
• Take only a small taste of the high-fat food items such as pasta salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, and coleslaw.
• Go easy on extras like croutons, chow mein noodles, crackers, nuts, seeds, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheeses.
• Dress your salad for success with 2 tablespoons of a low-calorie or light salad dressing, OR only 1 tablespoon of regular salad dressing. For a new taste twist try a splash of flavored vinegar.
• If the salad bar contains soups, go for a broth-based version over a cream-style selection.
• Allow only a small taste of the whipped topping-jello-fruit combinations.
• For dessert, return to the salad bar for a small plate of fruit topped with a little yogurt or cottage cheese.

Use the following guide to chart your course while maneuvering through your next salad bar excursion:


Salad Bar Guide

Food	Amount	Calories	Fat Grams
Vegetables
Artichoke Hearts	1/4 Cup	20	Trace
Avocado	1/4 Cup	75	8
Bean Sprouts	1/4 Cup	8	Trace
Beets	1/4 Cup	15	0
Bell Pepper	2 Tbsp	3	Trace
Broccoli	1/4 Cup	6	Trace
Carrot, shredded	1/4 Cup	15	Trace
Cauliflower	1/4 Cup	6	Trace
Cucumber	1/4 Cup	4	Trace
Green Peas	2 Tbsp	30	Trace
Lettuce	1 Cup	10	Trace
Mushrooms	1/4 Cup	5	Trace
Olives, ripe	2 Tbsp	30	4
Radishes	2 Tbsp	2	Trace
Spinach	1 Cup	10	Trace
Tomato	1/4 Cup	15	Trace
Fruits
Fruit Cocktail, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	35	0
Mandarin Oranges, in juice	1/4 Cup	25	0
Melon, fresh	1/4 Cup	15	0
Peaches, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	25	0
Pineapple, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	35	0
Raisins	2 Tbsp	60	0
Strawberries, fresh	1/4 Cup	10	0
Beans, Nuts, Seeds
Chickpeas	1/4 Cup	40	< 1
Kidney Beans	1/4 Cup	55	Trace
Sunflower Seeds	1 Tbsp	80	7
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs
Eggs, chopped	2 Tbsp	25	2
Ham, chopped	1 oz	35	1
Shrimp	1 oz	30	< 1
Turkey	1 oz	35	< 1
Tuna, canned in water	1 oz	35	< 1
Cheese, Dairy
Cottage Cheese, creamed	1/4 Cup	60	3
Cottage Cheese, 1% low fat	1/4 Cup	40	< 1
Cheddar Cheese	2 Tbsp	55	5
Mozzarella Cheese	2 Tbsp	40	4
Parmesan Cheese	2 Tbsp	45	3
Others
Chow Mein Noodles	1 Tbsp	15	<1
Croutons	1/4 Cup	27	4
Bacon Bits	1 Tbsp	25	2
Mixed Salads
Cole Slaw	1/4 Cup	45	5
Macaroni Salad	1/4 Cup	100	10
Potato Salad	1/4 Cup	100	10
Tuna Salad	1/4 Cup	190	10
Three Bean Salad	1/4 Cup	60	0
Dressings
Blue Cheese	2 Tbsp	155	15
Italian	2 Tbsp	160	15
French	2 Tbsp	135	15
Italian, low calorie	2 Tbsp	15	0
Lemon Juice	2 Tbsp	8	0
Oil and Vinegar	2 Tbsp	100	8
1000 Island	2 Tbsp	120	10
Vinegar	2 Tbsp	4	0

Summer Strawberry Yogurt Pie

I love summer in Oregon.  One of the biggest reasons is because of all the fresh fruits that are available, especially strawberries.  Since my birthday falls on the second day of summer, my birthday cake was always Strawberry Short Cake.  After eating a fresh strawberry short cake, we all knew that summer was finally here!  I think this recipe for Strawberry Yogurt Pie has been around for a long time, but I have just discovered it.  It is simple to make, and a real treat to eat.  And if you use frozen strawberries, you don’t even have to wait until summer to eat it!!

Summer Strawberry Yogurt Pie

Prep Time:  5 minutes   /   Freezer Time:  3 hours or overnight   /   Servings:  8

2   8oz containers   strawberry flavored yogurt  (see note below)
1   12oz container   frozen whipped topping, thawed  (see note below)
1   cup    fresh or frozen strawberries, finely chopped  (see note below)
1   9-inch   graham cracker crust  (see note below)

1.  Mix yogurt with 3-1/2 cups of the dessert topping until blended.  Sweeten the strawberries, if necessary.  Mix the strawberries in with the yogurt/topping mixture, and then spoon the entire mixture into the crust.

2.  Freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight, if possible, until it is firm.

3.  Remove from freezer and top with remainder of dessert topping.  Store in the freezer.

Notes: 
1.  You can use any flavored yogurt, and then just add the same fresh, frozen or canned fruit to the mixture.  Next time I am going to try plain fat-free Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and juices.  I am thinking fresh peaches!

2.  I used the Fat Free frozen dessert topping, and it worked out just fine.  Therefore, my frozen pie will have less calories than listed for this recipe.

3.  I made my own graham cracker crust, but if time is a problem, a prepared graham cracker crust from the grocery store works great too.

Nutritional Information:  Servings = 8     Serving Size – 1/8^th pie
Calories:  317      Total Fat:  18.1g      Cholesterol:  1mg      Sodium:  221mg
Total Carbs:  36.1g  (Dietary Fiber: 0.8g)      Protein:  3.9g

Simple "Surprise Ingredient" Pulled Pork

We were having friends over for dinner last night ... but I had a super crazy busy day ahead of me.  I had this recipe tucked away for my crock pot ... but I was hesitant to use it because of the surprise ingredient.  It was totally the best pulled pork I have had in a LONG time!  Two ingredients and 335 calories for the full sandwich.

"SURPRISE INGREDIENT" PULLED PORK
335 CALORIES -- TWO INGREDIENTS

1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin (I used a cheaper cut actually)
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer
1 (18 ounce) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (mine is Sweet Baby Ray's)
8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

1.  Heat the crock pot for a few minutes so it is warm when you put the meat in.

2.  Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker;  pour the root beer over the meat.  Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6-7 hours. 

3.  Pull the pork out of the crockpot and put on a large tray.  Carefully pour the contents of the crock pot out.

4.  Take two forks and pull the pork into shreds. 

5.  Return the pork to the crock pot, and cover with your favorite barbecue sauce.  Reheat until time to serve (at least 30 minutes to let flavors mingle.)

Nutrition Information:  Servings = 8 sandwiches
Calories:  335
Fat:  5g
Cholesterol:  49mg
Sodium:  990mg
Total Carbs:  49.4g
     Dietary Fiber:  1.5g
Protein:  21.2g

NOTES:
1.  The true southern way to serve a pulled pork sandwich is to top it with your favorite cole slaw.

2.  When I make this again, I am going to grill some red or sweet onions to mix into the pork 10 minutes before serving.

3.  The actual cooking time length may vary according to individual  slow cooker.  Before taking the pork out of the crock pot to shred, double check the internal temperature of the pork with a thermometer.  The temperature should be a minimum of 145 degrees.

Crunchy Chicken & Red Sauce with Whole Wheat Pasta (Recipe)

This so "nummy"!!!  Tom gave it an 11 out of 10!!  (I guess he liked it!!!)  You will fall in love it this recipe too, especially when you find out how with how easy it is to fix.  This recipe started out as a party treat, Crunchy Chicken on toothpicks with red dipping sauce.  But I discovered that it is also amazing over whole wheat pasta topped with cheese!!  If you serve this dish with a simple salad with a few spritzes of spray-on salad dressing .... you have dinner for 400-450 calories!!!

Prep: 10 minutes                              Cook Time:  15mintues                                  Servings 4

1              pound                     Thick chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces
1              large                       Egg
1              Tbsp                       Garlic, minced
1/2           tsp                          Dijon mustard3/4           cups                       Panko
1/4           cup                         Parmesan cheese, grated (I use Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1              Tbsp                       Italian seasoning
1              tsp                          Garlic powder
2              cups                       Pasta sauce (I just use Prego with Meat sauce)
2              cups                       Cooked whole wheat spaghetti
8              Tbsp                      Part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated (I also use same cheese as above)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2.  Place the chicken in a large bowl.  Whisk together the egg and mustard and minced garlic in a small bowl.  Pour the egg mixture over the chicken and stir to coat all pieces.  Remove the chicken and shake off the extra egg. 

3.  Meanwhile, combine the panko, Parmesan cheese, seasoning, and garlic powder in a large resealable plastic bag or container.  Add the chicken and shake to cover all pieces.  Remove the chicken, place on the baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and sizzling.

4.  Heat the pasta sauce while the chicken is cooking.

5.  Serve ½ cup spaghetti with one-quarter of the chicken, 2 Tbsps mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup pasta sauce.

Nutrition Info:  (1/2 cup spaghetti, 8 pieces chicken, 2 Tbsp cheese, ½ cup sauce)
Calories: 380       Total Fat: 9g (Sat Fat: 4g)     Sodium: 650mg     Carbs: 39g     Dietary Fiber: 4g    Protein: 37g     Calcium: 25%

Confused About Portion Sizes? I Was!!

During my "Welcome to Diabetes Survival Class" (that's what I called it anyway), the instructors talked a lot about "portion sizes."  When I compared the sizes of the food portions I was actually eating to the pictures of the proper portion sizes, it turns out that I was misjudging the size of my portions by quite a bit (erring usually on the side of "too much" rather than "too little.") I think this is a natural consequence of eating in restaurants!!  The portion sizes you get on your plate are usually double the portion size you SHOULD be eating.

This article by Jane Kirby, RD and The American Dietetic Association can be found on Dummies.com, and it gave me a handy guide for determining the size of the portion I should be eating.  The bonus is that I can usually get two dinners for the price of one at most restaurants!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When considering your nutritional needs, the amount you eat is as important as what you eat. Because people have diets filled with restaurant and convenience store foods, it’s difficult to remember how large a serving should be.

Portions of takeout food are much larger than the standard portion sizes defined in the Food Guide Pyramid. Even cookbooks are instructing people to serve larger portions. For example, the 1964 edition of The Joy of Cooking recommends cutting a 13-x-9-inch pan of brownies into 30 bars; the 1997 version is cut into 16 bars.

The following table lists the sizes of many foods that constitute one serving.

What Counts as a Serving: Food Group One Serving Is . . .

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta: 1 slice of bread; half a hamburger bun or English muffin; 1 small roll, biscuit, or muffin; 5 to 6 small or 3 to 4 large crackers; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta; 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal.

Fruit:  One whole fruit, such as a medium apple, banana, or orange; half a grapefruit; a melon wedge; 3/4 cup fruit juice; 1/2 cup berries; 1/2 cup chopped fresh, cooked, or canned fruit; 1/4 cup dried fruit.

Vegetable: 1/2 cup cooked vegetables; 1/2 cup chopped raw vegetables; 1 cup leafy raw vegetables, such as lettuce or spinach; 1/2 cup cooked beans, peas, or other legumes*; 3/4 cup vegetable juice.

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese: 1 cup milk, 8 ounces yogurt, 11/2 ounces natural cheese, 2 ounces processed cheese.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts:  Amounts should total 2 to 3 servings (for a total of 5 to 7 ounces) of cooked lean meat, poultry without skin, or fish per day. Count 1 egg; 1/2 cup cooked beans, peas, or other legumes*; or 2 tablespoons peanut butter as 1 ounce of meat.

Fats, Oils, and Sweets: Use sparingly.

* Note that you can count dry beans, peas, and other legumes as a serving of vegetables or a serving of meat, but the same bowl of beans can’t count as a serving from both groups.

A half-ounce of peanuts. An ounce of cheese. Two cups of popcorn. A quarter cup of sunflower seeds. A teaspoon of butter. A 3-ounce chicken breast. These are foods that you’re apt to run into when you’re eating on the run. After all, no one goes to a restaurant or movie theatre packing measuring spoons or cups. So how are you going to know what a serving of these foods look like?

A deck of cards is about the size of a 3-ounce chicken breast, but if the cards you play are on your computer screen, you may not recognize what a portion looks like. But you take something with you wherever you go that can help you with portion size — the palm of your hand. That is, if you’re an average female. Gentlemen, hold your honey’s hand more often to get a sense of size. Better still, make sure to take her to restaurants and movies with you. Some other “handy” measurements are shown here.

You can use your hand to judge portions sizes.

Coming Soon -- My Lean Dining Wiki

The “Lean” part of this blog is focused creating a healthier relationship to food for me. This past year I have lost 100 pounds so far, and I have changed my eating habits a lot!

I have been overweight all of my life. Therefore I have been on a diet most of my life too. So I am very educated about calories, nutrients, foods, etc. I didn’t eat a lot at each meal, but I did eat too much of the wrong things and not enough of the right things! For example, I love bread and could eat a ton of it at any meal, but when it came to vegetables … not so much. Vegetables to me were potatoes, peas, corn, green beans, ice berg lettuce and tomatoes. As vegetables go … probably not the best choices. I didn’t eat a lot of beef (unless it came between two buns from a fast food place), because I can’t seem to digest beef. The only meats I eat consistently are chicken and turkey. Since there is only my husband and me here to eat the food we prepare, we would often eat the whole recipe at a meal even if it was meant for four servings.

I knew that if I was going to lose weight and live a leaner, cleaner, greener lifestyle, these old eating habits had to go. Little by little I have been making the transition from meat based meals to meals that have less meat and more veggies. I have given up my old favorite veggies and have been trying new ones. Who knew I would come to love yams!!! I made a roasted root vegetable dish the other night with yams, carrots, rutabaga, celery root (huh???), with a little virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar … we just couldn’t believe how delicious it was.

The one thing that Tom and I hated giving up when I decided to make these changes to my diet was going out to eat. It was a fun way for us to be together and discuss the day or to meet with friends and catch up. And who celebrates anything without going out? So this was a hurdle I had to overcome. Google was a GREAT for helping me with the process. Tom and I no longer went out to dinner “spontaneously.” We always made a plan to go out. This made it seem even more special ... almost like a date! Before we go out to dinner, I would Google the restaurant and check out the nutrition information for their meals. We would pre-select the meals before we left the house. It worked like a charm. We could get to go out for the evening, enjoy the meal, then come home and not feel guilty.

In her book, Isabody Beautiful, Susan Sly explains that “the human body can only properly digest about 600 calories in one sitting. Anything beyond this can easily be converted to fat.” So, now when I select what I am going to have at the restaurant I make sure that the entire meal falls under 600 calories.

I would like to use this wiki to share some of my Lean Dining restaurant meals with all of you. If you come across some great dishes, please add them along with mine. I think it will be fun and helpful for everyone who wants to feel free to go out with family and friends even though they are dieting. This wiki can also be helpful for those who are looking for all vegetarian cuisine, gluten free restaurants, and restaurants who only use local, fresh organic foods.

Thank you in advance for your contributions. Bon Appetite!!