Part I

By:  Maria



A popular topic of conversation when discussing food (besides fat loss/weight loss) is Eating Out.

" Where do you eat?" "What do you eat when you eat out?" and "Do you recommend any restaurants?" are questions I get frequently enough.

Most of the food I eat comes from ethically raised animals and seasonally fresh produce from local CSA's. I enjoy cooking and prefer to know exactly what goes into the meal I am going to eat myself or feed my family.

We do, however, enjoy to take a break from the kitchen and will venture out for a bite to eat.

Eating out at restaurants can be done without sacrificing your progress or ruining your health.

You will have choices at just about any restaurant, even if it wasn't from a pasture or cooked in healthy fats. It will not be the most ideal situation, but for the most part, you don't have to settle for a greasy burger a large Coke and fries deep fried in industrial seed oils (ahem...you know who you are).

Some tips for eating out:

• Do a quick check of the menu for anything that will work, even if you end up customizing the item on the menu. If you’re eating Mexican, get the fajitas and lose the rice, beans, and tortillas while upping the veggies, meat, and guacamole.
• Customize your order. Yup, you can be that person that does the switcheroo on menu items to get what you want. Just make sure to make the request politely and with appreciation - it elicits amazing results if you do it with a smile rather than a you-better-do-this-right attitude, trust me.
• Stating that you are gluten-free is also another way to get great results from the kitchen. Asking the server which menu items would best suit my gluten-free lifestyle is my first line of defense if I'm unsure and I've never been disappointed.
• Substitute all your needless starchy items (potatoes, bread, etc.) with veggies, most restaurants are more than happy to do this.
• Request that all your sauces and dressings be placed on the side. This way you have complete control over the portion - which is usually too much. I always ask what type of oil is used in dressings and request for a basic olive oil & vinaigrette if other dressings aren't something I want to consume.

This post is the first in a series that will include opinions, assessments, reviews and information on menu items from the basic (and much avoided) fast food restaurants, to the more enjoyable (and healthier) restaurants that offer organic, farm fresh ingredients that better fit a healthy lifestyle to everything in between.

This place is a no-brainer. Yes, it's a fast food chain, but the meat is considerably better quality than many fast food chains. There aren't that many options to choose from, which makes customizing a cinch.

1. Menu Item: Skip the burrito and order the salad - you can get the same ingredients, you just lose the tortilla

2. Toppings: Say no to the rice and beans, but go for the sauteed vegetables - rice and beans are fillers that will make their burritos stuffed. There's a reason why they use these two ingredients first before any meat - they want to fill you up with the cheap stuff first. Tip: ask - politely - for a bit more sauteed vegetables when they're topping the lettuce. You won't get charged if you don't say "double up on the vegetables", just ask as they are piling on the veggies and you'll have more savory veggies that will take the place of the rice and beans.

3. Meat: Pick any meat - I love the chicken (pastured), but other members of my family like the carnitas and barbacoa as well - they're all good. Realize that the meat (except carnitas) are cooked in soybean oil, but then most all restaurants use unfavorable oils. Tip: There's a way to get extra meat without being charged for it. Instead of asking them to "double up" on the meat, just ask them to top off the veggies with a bit more meat as they're placing meat on the salad. Another good way to get a good amount of meat (at no charge), is to ask for half of two types of meat - it's more difficult for them to get the exact portions when using two meats.

4. Toppings: Add pico de gallo and guacamole, maybe add sour cream if you're ok with dairy, but pass on the corn and cheese. Personally, I skip the sour cream.

5. Dressing: Pass on the dressing - the meats are sitting in their own juices and create a wonderful dressing in itself, but you could also use some of the hot sauce instead. Mystery dressings can be loaded with sugar and gluten and you won't need them here. Just ask for hot sauce (medium or hot) on the side, and use it as your dressing.

Again, Chipotle has it's own share of not-so-ideal ingredients, but I appreciate the easy availability and access to their ingredient list (look here). However, if you're stuck with finding a fast and easy place to eat without completely sabotaging your progress/health, Chipotle fits the bill. I would choose Chipotle in a pinch if I was in a hurry and needed a quick meal.

Steak salad

Carnita Salad with pico de gallo and hot sauce (on the side)