Takeout and delivery food don’t exactly have the best reputation when it come to healthy eating. But the fact of the matter is that there are more than enough healthy options out there for any cuisine. You just have to know where to look. Brooke is back this week with a new take on Healthy Matters:
“I’m pretty! I’m young! I take care of myself!”
That is supposedly the message that a woman sends to a man when ordering a salad on date night. But as salad sizes and combinations increase, she better be careful, because her calorie count can easily skyrocket above even the unhealthiest of other options, making her leafy greens a less-than-dainty dinner selection.
However, by skipping out on just a few key ingredients such as creamy dressings, high-fat nuts and cheeses, sugary dried fruit and fatty meat, your salad can stay light and healthy and your confidence can remain sky-high. A lofty goal to be sure, but you can still have some fun and flavor while keeping the calories down. How so? Choose salads with vinaigrettes, mustards, onions and berries and if you simply must have cheese, remember that white cheeses are healthier than yellow, so cottage or Parmesan cheese will be your best bet. And instead of candied pecans or almonds, pick toasted soy nuts for a low-calorie crunch.
You've got a lot of options, so choose wisely!
Lucky for you, you can put your new-found knowledge into action right away at one of the hundreds of SeamlessWeb restaurants that offer a “Create Your Own Salad” option. Chop’t Creative Salad (in 5 NYC locations and 4 Washington DC locations), Just Salad (in 5 NYC locations), Tossed (in 2 NYC locations) are just the tip of the iceberg (lettuce). Ingredients may vary at different restaurants, but the most satisfying salads include a variety of colors and textures, so as a guide, make salads that include multi-colored ingredients that are crunchy, chewy and creamy. And next time you take on the “Create Your Own Salad” challenge, how about trying one of these five healthy combinations that we’ve created for your eating pleasure:
Light Asian Salad:
- Romaine lettuce
- Mandarin oranges
- Soy nuts
- Onion
- Sprouts
- Light sesame ginger dressing
Strawberry Summer Salad:
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Red onion
- Blueberries
- Light poppy seed dressing
Taco Salad:
- Romaine lettuce
- Black beans
- Corn
- Tomatoes
- Onion
- Pico de gallo or salsa
Asparagus Salad:
- Asparagus
- Garbanzo beans
- Beets
- Lemon vinaigrette
Waldorf Salad:
- Leafy greens
- Apples
- Celery
- Walnuts
- Grapes
- Light poppy seed dressing