Ever since I was a child, my family and I have been fans of eating out. My parents like to diversify their weeknight meals by changing up the type of food we eat- it’s not always Indian! So I’m used to eating out a lot, and I think that’s trained me to make healthier decisions. I really don’t agree with nutritionists that come on let’s say The Today Show and tell you how to order food when your out. Here’s why:

1. They ALWAYS suggest a meaty dish- such as grilled chicken or turkey or something to that nature. That is NOT very helpful to an on-the-go vegetarian.
2. They almost ALWAYS suggest ordering steamed vegetables- EW who EATS steamed vegetables! No offense, that’s nasty and whoever is “cooking” steamed vegetables clearly does not know how to cook very well.
3. They almost NEVER suggest altering orders that are on the menu. Majority of restaurants are usually happy to accomodate vegetarians and healthy eaters- trust me i do at even NYC diners!

Eating out isn’t always fancy- especially when you’re a student living on a budget. SO that usually means frequenting chain restaurants or settling on a place that all your friends agree upon. Don’t worry there are STILL healthy vegetarian options available for these situations and that is exactly what I’m going to discuss.

Last night my parents went to CPK- California Pizza Kitchen and I am a BIG fan of this restaurant. Ok, aside from the horrible service and random objects in your food (happened to my friend), CPK offers a GREAT variety for vegetarians- and they’re all generally healthy! My favorite is the Tostada Pizza, which objectively looks VERY unhealthy. But I’m gonna show you how it can be turned into a healthy and scrumptious pie! Ok this is what the menu says:

Southwestern black beans, Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses topped with chilled shredded lettuce, and crispy tortilla strips with our homemade herb ranch dressing. Served with a side of homemade roasted tomato salsa. Also available with grilled lime chicken or grilled steak.

So basically how I order is by saying:

• light on the cheese
• ranch dressing on the side
• no tortilla strips

That way I can manage how much dressing to put, which you don’t really need a lot of, just a few drops and you still have the strong cheddar flavor, without the excessive amount or fat and calories! Also, the tortilla strips are yummy, but unnecessary (I think at least) because 1 tortilla CHIP not a strip has 1 gram of fat, and frankly the pizza taste awesome to me without it!

For a whole pie BEFORE the healthy adjustments its about 27 grams of Saturated Fat and 1438 calories. With the no dressing, no chips and light cheese, the calories are bound to be cut in half because the majority of the fat comes from the dressing to begin with! So keep eating out, just remember my healthy tips and tricks! Oh also, if they give you attitude about adjusting the order, you should make them WELL aware that you’re entitled to get it cooked the way you want it, and your paying for it 🙂

If you like the sound of this Tostada pie then you’ll DEFINITELY like my Easy Mexican Pizza that takes under 10 minutes to make!