TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Doing You A World Of Good

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 22, 2008

When you discuss dining out, the talk probably starts with "What do you feel like eating tonight?" And, according to the National Restaurant Association, the answer is commonly one of the big three: Asian, Mexican or Italian.

There is a terrific trend nationwide to create more authentic internationally inspired dishes, and they're often much lighter and more healthy than the Americanized versions. One delicious case in point: Asian lettuce or cabbage leaf wraps instead of deep-fried egg rolls. Here's a tasty travel guide to navigating three of the most popular world cuisines.

Asian: Whether it's the many different styles of Chinese cooking or a taste of Vietnamese or Thai cuisine, Asian menus offer a wonderful assortment of dishes with big tastes without big calories. Avoid deep-fried foods.

•Start off with soup such as hot and sour or miso to curb your appetite.

•Enjoy the green tea! It's calming, and research links it to appetite control.

•Ask that your dish be stir-fried using less oil.

•Instead of fried pot stickers, order steamed dumplings. Order steamed vegetables. If stir-fried, ask for "just a little oil please."

•Choose steamed brown rice.

•Limit how much sodium-heavy sauce you use.

Mexican: No longer just a refried bean and cheese fest of Tex-Mex, Mexican restaurants are offering more grilled entrees, an assortment of high-fiber beans and plenty of fresh salsas.

•Start off with gazpacho or black bean soup.

•Count out a few tortilla chips to enjoy with the salsa, which has little or no fat.

•Go for big and low-fat flavors from salsa, picante, pico de gallo and salsa verde.

•Leave cheese and sour cream off, or have it served on the side.

•Choose pinto beans or black beans instead of refried.

•Top everything with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes, and pour on the salsa (red or green).

Italian: The Mediterranean diet made nutrition headlines because it's so heart-healthy. From Greece to Italy to Spain, countries that rim the Med sure like their olive oil. But please note that doesn't mean all the pasta you can eat!

•Start with minestrone soup, an Italian vegetable soup classic.

•Avoid pastas stuffed with cheese. Enjoy flavors of freshly grated Parmesan sprinkled on top.

•Alfredo sauce is made with butter, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Tomato-based sauces are much lower in calories.

•Olive oil is heart-healthy, but it's still all fat and adds significant calories. Beware the dipping dish.

•Balsamic vinegar adds a lot of flavor to salads.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT