1. Strawberry Shortcake with Balsamic
160 calories
6 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
12 g sugars
To deliver flavor, the corporate cook relies on hulking scoops of ice cream, oversize brownies, and floods of molten chocolate. The home cook doesn't need such waist-expanding, palate-blunting effects to make dessert memorable. Here, low-calorie angel food cake picks up the smoke and char of the grill and is topped with strawberries soaked in balsamic vinegar and black pepper, an irresistible combination adored throughout northern Italy. Trust us, you'll be hooked.
You'll Need:
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Pinch of freshly cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp butter (optional)
4 wedges angel food cake, each
1" thick Whipped cream
How to Make It:
* Mix the strawberries, vinegar, and pepper and marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
* Heat a grill, stovetop grill pan, or nonstick saute pan until hot. (If using the pan, add the butter; if grilling, omit the butter entirely.) Add the cake slices and cook until caramelized and toasted. Transfer to 4 dessert plates. Top with the strawberries, their liquid, and a spoonful of whipped cream.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $1.70
Not That!
Ruby Tuesday Strawberries & Ice Cream
900 calories
50 g fat
102 g carbohydrates
2. Chicken Parmesan
340 calories
11 g fat (4 g saturated)
670 mg sodium
This Italian-American staple normally suffers from a glut of oil, an excess of cheese, and a huge bed of carb-heavy spaghetti as the base. We shallow-fry a modest portion of chicken to minimize oil soakage, then use fresh mozzarella (which is lower in calories and fat) to top it off. For sides, trade the spaghetti bed for garlicky sauteed spinach.
You'll Need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4-6 oz each)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup bread crumbs, preferably panko
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1/2 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup tomato sauce (we love anything from Muir Glen)
4 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella
Fresh basil leaves (optional)
How to Make It:
* Preheat the broiler. Cover the chicken breasts with parchment paper or plastic wrap and, using a meat mallet or a heavy-bottomed pan, pound the chicken until it is uniformly 1/4" thick. Season with the salt and pepper.
* Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning on a large plate.
* Dip each breast into the egg whites to coat both sides and then into the crumb mixture, patting the crumbs so they fully cover the chicken.
* Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side before turning. (The crust should be deeply browned and crunchy.) Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a baking sheet.
* Spoon the tomato sauce over the chicken pieces, then top with the cheese and place underneath the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling. Serve garnished with basil (if using).
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.79
CALORIE-CUTTING TIP
Chicken parm is normally made by shallow frying the breaded meat in a pan, which is exactly what we do here. But if you want to save time and calories with only the barest sacrifice in flavor, skip the saute pan and use the oven instead. Bake the chicken breasts in a 400° F oven until the crust is golden and the meat is firm, about 15 minutes.
Not That!
Romano's Macaroni Grill Chicken Parmigiana
850 calories
11 g saturated fat
1,700 mg sodium
3. Macaroni & Cheese
480 calories
9 g fat (5 g saturated)
450 mg sodium
Ask Americans what they would eat for their last meal on earth and most would likely tell you mac and cheese. Too bad restaurants and frozen-food purveyors start their macaroni and cheese with a base of cream and butter--a recipe for caloric calamity. This version is based on bechamel--butter, flour, and milk--which helps cut the calories in half. We add jalapenos and prosciutto for some spicy, smoky goodness; feel free to leave them out.
You'll Need:
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 Tbsp flour
3 cups milk
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 lb elbow macaroni, penne, or shells
1/4 cup chopped Pickled Jalapenos
2 oz prosciutto or ham, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
How to Make It:
* Preheat the oven to 375°F.
* Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent (but not browned), about 3 minutes. Add the flour and stir to incorporate into the butter. Pour in the milk a few tablespoons at a time, using a whisk to incorporate the flour and prevent lumps from forming. When all the milk has been added, allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes, until it begins to thicken. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
* Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, drain, and return to the pot. Add the cheese sauce, jalapenos, and prosciutto and stir to fully incorporate. Divide the mixture among 6 individual crocks or pour into a large baking dish. Top with the bread crumbs and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
* Bake for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until the bread crumbs are golden brown and crispy, about another 3 minutes.
Makes 6 servings / Cost per serving: $1.03
MEAL MULTIPLIER
You can boost the health profile (and the hungers-quashing potential) of your mac and cheese by adding any of the following to the pasta when you toss it with the cheese sauce.
* 1 cup caramelized onions
* 2 cups roughly chopped or cherry tomatoes
* 6 oz grilled chicken and 1 cup sauteed mushrooms
* 2 cups chopped steamed or sauteed broccoli
Not That!
The Cheescake Factory Macaroni & Cheese
1,462 calories
45 g saturated fat
1,330 mg sodium
4. Loaded Alfredo with Chicken and Vegetables
540 calories
14 g fat (6 g saturated)
520 mg sodium
Here's how restaurants make Alfredo: cream, butter, and cheese. We ditched the cream and made a basic bechamel sauce with flour, milk, butter, and Parmesan. We solved the other major shortcoming of pasta Alfredo (that is, a dearth of any true nutrition) by adding chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, and, for good measure, sundried tomatoes.
You'll Need:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp flour
3 cups 2% milk
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups bite-size broccoli florets
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
8 oz cooked chicken breast, thinly sliced (store-bought rotisserie chicken works well)
12 oz whole-wheat fettuccine (we like Ronzoni Healthy Harvest)
How to Make It:
* To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk to prevent any lumps from forming. Add the garlic and simmer, whisking often, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until nicely thickened. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
* Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have lightly caramelized. Stir in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
* Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot, add the sauce and the chicken mixture, and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the pasta water to thin it. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.63
Not That!
Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo
1,220 calories
75 g fat (47 g saturated)
1,350 mg sodium
5. Grilled Steak with Red Wine Butter
380 calories
19 g fat (10 g saturated)
470 mg sodium
Few meals satisfy like a good steak. And few things will ruin a good steak quicker than a heavy-handed sauce. That's why it's best to take your steaks simply grilled when dining out, lest you end up eating 2 days' worth of saturated fat. We'll give you steak and a slab of spiked butter for a quarter of the cost.
You'll Need:
1 cup dry red wine
1 shallot, minced
4 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
4 steaks (flank, sirloin, skirt, or filet; 6 oz each)
How to Make It:
* Combine the wine and shallot in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons (it will have a thick, syrupy consistency).
* Let the red wine syrup cool, then stir into the softened butter with the rosemary and a few cracks of black pepper. Once fully incorporated, spoon the butter onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the wrap over the butter and twist the ends to create a log of red wine butter. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
* Preheat a grill, stovetop grill pan, or cast-iron skillet. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and cook until medium-rare (about 8 minutes total for skirt and flank and 10 to 12 minutes for the sirloin and filet). Remove the steaks and slice a coin of the butter over the top of each.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.72
Cooking Tip: Having flavored butter on hand means you have sauce in a second.
Not That!
Outback Steakhouse Roasted Filet Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce
895 calories
48 g fat (25 g saturated)
2,905 mg sodium
6. Grilled Pork and Peaches
430 calories
24 g fat (8 g saturated)
530 mg sodium
Restaurant pork chops are usually Flintstonian in size and skirted with enough fat to keep a bear warm in the winter. The result (as witnessed below with the Romano's chop): 196 percent of your day's saturated fat, plus more sodium than you'd find in 36 cups of salted popcorn. Our dish takes its cue from classic pork chops and applesauce, using grilled fruit and blue cheese to punch up the flavor without skyrocketing the calorie count.
You'll Need:
4 thick-cut (1"), bone-in pork chops (8 oz each)
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 firm peaches or nectarines, halved and pitted
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
How to Make It:
* Heat a grill to hot. Brush the pork with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. The outside should be charred (not burned), but the meat should be light pink in the middle.
* While the chops cook, brush the peach halves with oil and add them to the grill, cut side down. Grill for 5 minutes or until soft. Remove, slice, and toss with the pine nuts, onion, blue cheese, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Top each chop with half of the peach mixture and serve.
Makes 2 servings / Cost per serving: $7.71
Not That!
Romano's Macaroni Grill Grilled Pork Chops
1,380 calories
77 g fat (39 g saturated)
4,040 mg sodium
7. Cheesesteak Sandwich
400 calories
14 g fat (4 g saturated)
730 mg sodium
The famous sandwich from Philly is a nutritionist's nightmare: mounds of greasy beef and fried onions; a massive, oil-soaked hoagie roll; and to top it all off, a viscous deluge of Cheez Whiz (that's right, traditional cheesesteaks are made with Whiz). But we want you to have your steak and eat it, too, so we came up with this version, which relies on a lean flank steak, a whole-wheat roll, and a yogurt-based blue cheese sauce. It's a bit fancier than the sandwich from the City of Brotherly Love, but to our tastes, it's also better.
You'll Need:
2 Tbsp plain Greekstyle yogurt (we like Fage 2%)
2 Tbsp olive-oil mayonnaise
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
16 oz skirt or flank steak
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups arugula
2 tomatoes, sliced
4 whole-wheat sandwich rolls
Caramelized Onions (see page 305)
How to Make It:
* Combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, and blue cheese. Set aside.
* Heat a grill, stovetop grill pan, or cast-iron skillet until hot. Season the steak with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side (for medium-rare), until the steak is firm but still gives with gentle pressure. Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Slice the steak into thin strips.
* Divide the arugula and tomatoes among the rolls. Top with the steak and caramelized onions and drizzle each sandwich with the blue cheese mayo.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $5.00
Not That!
Quiznos Regular Prime Rib Cheesesteak Sub
1,070 calories
67 g fat (16.5 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
1,835 mg sodium
8. Green Chile Cheeseburger
320 calories
11 g fat (4.5 g saturated)
420 mg sodium
As bad as fast-food burgers can be, they look like nutritional superstars when stacked next to sit-down restaurant burgers. The bulk of the burgers at Applebee's, Chili's, Ruby Tuesday, Outback, and T.G.I. Friday's weigh in at 1,000 calories or more--before the massive mound of French fries that invariably accompanies them. The key to keeping the calories down is finding a lean but tasty cut of beef (we love sirloin); using healthy, flavor-packed condiments (e.g., roasted chiles, not fried onion rings); and finding a small, fiber-rich bun to house the creation.
You'll Need:
1 lb ground sirloin or brisket
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 can (4 oz) roasted green chiles, drained and chopped
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 potato buns (preferably Martin's Potato Rolls)
4 thick slices tomato
4 medium slices red onion
How to Make It:
* Heat a grill, stovetop grill pan, or cast-iron skillet. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Form 4 patties, being careful not to overwork the meat.
* When the pan is hot, add the burgers. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side (until nicely charred), then flip and immediately top each with a tablespoon of chiles and a slice of Swiss. For medium-rare burgers, continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the patties are just firm. Remove the burgers and toast the buns on the hot grill or pan. Dress the bottom of the buns with the tomato and onion slices, then top each with a burger.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $2.62
Not That!
Red Robin Santa Fe Burger
1,095 calories
68 g fat
1,508 mg sodium
9. Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Sandwich
400 calories
11 g fat (6 g saturated)
640 mg sodium
Not even the relatively healthy genre of grilled chicken sandwiches is a safe bet when you seek sustenance away from home. That's because places like Outback go long on the oil and the dressing, gobbling up (in this case) half you day's saturated fat and sodium. Our sandwich is a spicy-sweet combination of teriyaki-glazed chicken, juicy grilled pineapple, and fiery jalapenos--a chicken sandwich to end all fatty chicken sandwiches.
You'll Need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-6 oz each)
Teriyaki sauce
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 pineapple slices (1/2" thick)
4 whole-wheat buns
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Pickled Jalapenos
How to Make It:
* Combine the chicken and enough teriyaki sauce to cover in a resealable plastic bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
* Heat a grill until hot (you shouldn't be able to hold your hand above the grates for more than 5 seconds). Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill; discard any remaining marinade. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side; flip and immediately add the cheese to each breast. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the chicken is lightly charred and firm to the touch. Remove and set aside.
* While the chicken rests, add the pineapple and the buns to the grill. Cook the buns until they're lightly toasted and the pineapple until it's soft and caramelized, about 2 minutes per side. Top each bun with chicken, red onion, jalapeno slices, and pineapple. If you like, drizzle the chicken with a bit more teriyaki sauce.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $2.64
SAVE-MONEY STRATEGY
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts may be America's most popular protein, but they're not exactly its cheapest. Want to cut the tab for this sandwich nearly in half? Switch to frozen. An in-house taste test at Men's Health found little to no discrepancy in flavor. The only real difference? Fresh chicken breast runs around $6 a pound, while a pound of frozen works out to be less than $4.
Not That!
Outback Grilled Chicken & Swiss Sandwich
696 calories
33 g fat (10 g saturated)
1,323 mg sodium
10. Chinese Chicken Salad
380 calories
21 g fat (3.5 saturated)
23 g carbohydrates
Chinese chicken salad is one of the world's ultimate fusion foods. It's an Eastern-inspired dish popularized by an Austrian chef (Wolfgang Puck) in Beverly Hills (at his restaurant Spago back in the 1980s). Whatever its disparate origins, it's undeniably one of the most popular--and ubiquitous--salads in America, sharing space on menus in four-star restaurants and Wendy's alike. Too bad most versions are nutritional disasters, bogged down by too much dressing and too many fried noodles. This lighter version is true to Wolfgang's original inspiration but with about a third of the calories.
You'll Need:
1 head napa cabbage
1/2 head red cabbage
1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken (freshly grilled or from a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
1/3 cup Asian Vinaigrette
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make It:
* Slice the cabbages in half lengthwise and remove the cores. Slice the cabbage into thin strips. Toss with the sugar in a large bowl.
* If the chicken is cold, toss with a few tablespoons of vinaigrette and heat in a microwave at 50% power. Add to the cabbage, along with the cilantro, mandarins, almonds, and the remaining vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.30
Not That!
Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad
1,430 calories
16 g saturated fat
93 g carbohydrates
11. Spicy Potato Skins
310 calories
11 g fat (5 g saturated)
490 mg sodium
In 1974, T.G.I. Friday's gave birth to the potato skin. That timeworn combination of potato, Cheddar, and bacon has since made its rounds across the menus of America, infiltrating nearly every pocket of this country with hypercaloric, frighteningly fatty facsimiles. We'll take this version--true to the original but with a few delicious twists--any day.
You'll Need:
4 small russet potatoes Olive oil Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup 2% milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish
4 scallions, chopped, plus more for garnish
1/2 Tbsp minced chipotle pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
Pickled Jalapenos, optional
How to Make It:
* Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rub the potatoes with a bit of olive oil and lightly salt the skins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until tender.
* Cut the potatoes in half and, when cool enough to handle, carefully scoop out the warm flesh into a bowl (leave a thin layer of potato intact around the skin to help prevent it from tearing). Add the milk, butter, cheese, and scallions and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
* Preheat the broiler. Carefully scoop the mashed potatoes into the hollowed-out potato halves. Top with a bit of extra cheese and place under the broiler until the tops are brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes.
* Mix the chipotle with the sour cream and place a dollop on top of each cooked potato. Finish each with a bit of crumbled bacon and jalapenos.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $1.28
MEAL MULTIPLIER
Truth be told, while these potato skins are a vast improvement on the kind offered by Friday's and their ilk, you could make some improvements by folding any of dozens of different vegetables and healthy flavor additions into the formula outlined here. Simply replace the bacon, Cheddar, and sour cream with the following:
* Steamed broccoli and Parmesan
* Sundried tomatoes, chopped olives, artichoke hearts, and pesto
* Caramelized onions and goat cheese
* Chicken, asparagus, and roasted red peppers
Not That!
T.G.I. Friday's Loaded Potato Skins (half order)
1,310 calories
12. Crispy Quesadillas with Guacamole
310 calories
16 g fat (5 g saturated)
730 mg sodium
Next to nachos, quesadillas are the most perilous food to be found on a Mexican restaurant menu. Overstuffed with cheese and teeming with greasy toppings, quesadillas are all but guaranteed to pack quadruple-digit calories. Tussle with Chili's rendition and you'll take in 35 bacon strips' worth of saturated fat. Our quesadilla reverses the cheese-to-filling ratio, going long on the nutrient-dense vegetables and using just enough chorizo and cheese to make it feel like an indulgence.
You'll Need:
1/2 Tbsp canola oil
4 oz chorizo, casing removed
1 small red onion, sliced
4 oz white button mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
1 large poblano pepper, seeded, sliced into thin strips
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 medium whole-wheat tortillas
Guacamole (store-bought or use the perfect-guac recipe in Cook This, Not That!)
How to Make It:
* Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and chorizo; cook until browned, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces. Remove from the pan and drain all but a thin film of the fat. Return to the heat and add the onion, mushrooms, and pepper; saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are brown--5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
* Divide the cheese between 2 tortillas and top each with half of the vegetable mixture. Top with the remaining tortillas.
* Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray and cook each quesadilla individually, until the tortillas are brown and crispy and the cheese is fully melted. Cut into 4 or 6 wedges and serve with the guacamole.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.11
Not That!
Chili's Fire Grilled Chicken Fajita Quesadilla
1,480 calories
96 g fat (35 g saturated)
3,510 mg sodium
13. Chicken Fingers with Chipotle-Honey
250 calories
1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
350 mg sodium
Whether shaped like nuggets, stars, crowns, or fingers, deep-fried chicken bites do a major disservice to one of the planet's best sources of protein. Let the restaurant coat it in one of their special sauces and you could be downing nearly a full day's worth of calories on a food designed for children. In fact, Chili's popular Crispers pack in more calories than a dozen Fresco Beef Tacos from Taco Bell and more sodium than 24 small bags of Lay's potato chips. Make the switch to this oven-fried version once a week and you'll shed 25 pounds (and cut out 210,080 milligrams of sodium) in a year.
You'll Need:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenders
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chipotle pepper puree
1 Tbsp honey
How to Make It:
* Preheat the oven to 450°F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. Place the crumbs on a plate and season those, too. Dip the chicken tenders into the egg, then toss in the crumbs, being sure to coat fully.
* Place the breaded chicken pieces on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crumbs have browned and the chicken is firm.
* Combine the mustard, chipotle, and honey in a large bowl. Toss the cooked chicken tenders in the mixture so they are all evenly coated with the spicy-sweet sauce.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $2.00
Not That!
Chili's Crispy Honey-Chipotle Crispers
1,930 calories
108 g fat (17 g saturated)
4,390 mg sodium
14. Nachos with Chicken and Black Beans
330 calories
12 g fat (6 g saturated)
500 mg sodium
We've never found a nacho worth recommending in the restaurant world. The sad truth is that the tortilla chips are rendered a helpless vessel for thousands of calories of cheese, sour cream, and oily ground beef. And besides, who wants to dig through soggy nacho detritus in search of a chip crisp enough to bring from plate to mouth? This version ensures that every chip is evenly covered with protein-packed chicken and fiber-rich beans, plus enough salsa and lime-spiked sour cream to keep your mouth watering.
You'll Need:
6 oz tortilla chips (round chips are preferable)
1 can (16 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
11/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 red onion, diced
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup light sour cream
Chopped cilantro Salsa (either fresh or your favorite bottled salsa)
Pickled Jalapenos
How to Make It:
* Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the chips in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Spoon the beans evenly over the chips, then top with the cheese, chicken, and onion. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling. Remove.
* Combine the lime juice, sour cream, and cilantro. Spoon over the nachos. Top with the salsa and jalapenos.
Makes 6 appetizer servings / Cost per serving: $2.65
Not That!
Baja Fresh Charbroiled Chicken Nachos Price
2,020 calories
110 g fat (41 g saturated)
2,980 mg sodium
15. Waffles with Ham and Egg
270 calories
11 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
890 mg sodium
Waffle and pancake plates are bad enough at most restaurants and diners, but throw in a side of eggs and breakfast meats and you're bound to start your day with the caloric equivalent of a triple cheeseburger. We've made our own version of Denny's superpopular (and supercaloric) Slam by building an open-faced sandwich with a toasted waffle. The ingredients may sound like a strange combination, but the flavors are nicely balanced, the portion size is perfect, and the nutritional profile is just what you want for the most important meal of the day.
You'll Need:
4 thick slices Canadian bacon or deli ham
4 eggs
4 frozen wholegrain waffles
2 Tbsp maple syrup
4 Tbsp shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
Parsley (optional)
How to Make It:
* Heat a nonstick skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Coat with a bit of olive oil cooking spray and cook the Canadian bacon for a few minutes on each side, until well browned. Remove. Coat the same pan with a bit more spray and cook the eggs (2 at a time, if you must; avoid overcrowding the pan) sunny side up until the whites have set but the yolks are still runny.
* In the meantime, toast the waffles. Top each toasted waffle with a slice of meat, a drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkle of Cheddar, and the warm fried eggs. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley (if using).
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $0.92
Not That!
Denny's Belgian Waffle Slam
940 calories
53 g fat (17 g saturated)
1,820 mg sodium
