HEALTH

Eat Right

DIY your way to healthier bites


We all know restaurant food can be crazy bad for you. Here's how to satisfy those junk-food cravings, without filling up on loads of unhealthy fat or sodium.

We were psyched to see tips for making a better-for-you quesadilla on the New York Times. Restaurant quesadillas, while delish, are overstuffed with cheese and are generally ginormous. The smart chefs over at the Times suggested the perfect after-school snack: a homemade version of these with MUCH less cheese, more beans and even some veggies. They swap out the huge flour tortilla for a smaller corn one.

That got us thinking: We can makeover any food to up the health benefits. By adding beans and veggies to quesadillas, they increased the fiber, minerals and vitamins. Why not try the same technique for other eats? Pizza is an obvious pick. You can replace the traditional dough for whole wheat when you’re at home. Toss on sauce a sprinkle of cheese (not a bucketful) and a million veggies.

Lots of times restaurant salad are overloaded with unhealthy toppings (hmm...bacon and croutons and cheese and honey mustard?). When you’re whippin’ up your treats at home, stick to just one added fat, like avocado, and make sure you’re adding protein (like beans or grilled chicken or tofu) to help keep you full. Don’t let eating healthy leave you feeling deprived. Instead, use it as an opportunity to get creative in the kitchen.

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by GL | 2/1/2016
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