italian food

At the end of a long day, hitting up your favorite Italian restaurant can be a comforting treat. But it's easy to find yourself famished, hit the speed dial, and order whatever pops to mind. Making conscious choices to lighten up your favorites can make all the difference in your standard Italian routine — and your waistline.

1. Pass on fried apps: A dish like mozzarella sticks may sound a great idea when you're hungry, but it's best to just pass on anything deep-fried, especially with cheese. If you dream in gooey cheese, relish its texture and flavor on your pizza or pasta. There's no reason to give it up altogether.
2. Start with soup or salad: Instead of garlic bread, arancini, or shrimp scampi, kick off your meal with a hearty soup or salad. Classic recipes for minestrone and pasta e fagioli are both packed full of beans and veggies — two healthy and fiber-rich ways to fill you up. When choosing salads, the house green with a balsamic vinaigrette is the way to go. Be sure to pass on extra salt; no need to overload on unnecessary sodium.
3. Choose breads wisely: Many Italian restaurants have taken notice of healthy food trends, and they have options for their clientele. Whole wheat dough or pasta may be available at your go-to spot, so be sure to ask. And always go for thin crust over deep dish. It's an easy way to enjoy pizza while substantially slimming things down.
4. Don't be afraid to dab: Blotting grease off your pizza may not have been your move in the past, but it's time to welcome this healthy habit. Sometimes it really makes a difference! If you see extra oil sitting atop your pie, don't be afraid to blot it off. Those are empty calories that aren't adding any extra flavor.

Keep reading for three more ways to healthier

I grew up eating cardoons, or cardoni, every Spring; my grandmother would braise them, and I was always so fond of their artichokelike flavor. Because of this, I'm always surprised when people aren't familiar with the classically Italian vegetable. If you've ever come across them at the market and walked on by because you weren't sure what to do with them, think again: when cooked properly, cardoons are tender, earthy, and satisfying.

A cardoon, which is essentially a giant thistle, looks like a bunch of oversized, beat-up celery stalks. The stalks happen to be a naturally occurring form from the same species as the globe artichoke. Cardoons are typically more of a Winter vegetable, but they also grow well through May, June, and July. The Mediterranean vegetable is hard to find in grocery stores, but can be located at farmers markets.

If you're new to cooking cardoons, know that they require a bit of special care to prepare for cooking. Long fibers run down the stalks that must be removed, which can be done with a vegetable peeler. Like artichokes, cardoons turn brown when exposed to air, so you must dunk them in lemon water while you wait to cook them.

Growing up, I typically enjoyed them braised as a side dish, and they can also be cooked and pureed into a spread, breaded and fried, or even baked with béchamel sauce. Have you ever tried cardoons?

• Mangia, mangia! Italian recipes minus the guilt, and all under 400 calories — Shape
• 21 marathons that will have you running into Fall — Active.com
• Black rice: the super food of kings and queens — DailySpark
• Easy ways to avoid wrist pain in your yoga practice — lululemon
• You give us four weeks, and we'll give you a fab set of gams — Health
• Straight from the mouths of doctors: forget BMI — Lemondrop

With the highly anticipated Eat Pray Love opening just weeks away, Julia Roberts is everywhere. And this is not a bad thing, BTW. BuzzSugar was lucky enough to catch up with the actress recently, and amongst other things, Julia talked about all the pasta and pizza she had to eat during filming. She told Buzz that she must have gained something like 11 pounds while filming in Italy, but "loved every pound." Julia is also on the cover of this week's Entertainment Weekly, where she talks more about food, but also about exercising and training for a half-marathon. Julia ran in the Santa to the Sea half-marathon last December with a time of 2:29:47.

Here are the EW interview highlights:

• On gaining weight while filming: "Pizza was what I ate all day. By the time we left Rome, I was seven to 10 pounds heavier. I could've used a bigger pair of jeans when I went off to India!"
• On training for a half-marathon while in India: "I trained a lot while I was doing the movie and it was so hot there. I think it was to my advantage that I had trained under such dire circumstances."
• On exercising: "I must admit, I don't love exercise, but I do love how I feel afterward: accomplishment, clarity, energy, strength, joy. These are all things I give myself through working out, and I can feel it in everything I do."

Bethenny Frankel isn't the only housewife with a penchant for healthy entertaining. Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice spent the weekend signing copies of her book, Skinny Italian ($12), at a bookstore in, of all places, New Jersey. Teresa, who's better known for flipping tables at dinner than serving it, shares all the classics — pesto and puttanesca sauces, veal piccata, and fettucine alfredo — but with a healthy twist.

I love Italian-American food but it's often carb-heavy with lots of cheese, butter, and beef. Teresa's recipes cut down on the fat but not flavor — there's less cheese, leaner meats, and a reduction of fats. Instead, flavors are boosted with herbs, garlic, olive oil, and peppers. Besides the recipes, Teresa offers lessons on making fresh pizza, canning your own tomatoes, and general cooking tips. Her mantra? "Eat spaghetti and still fit into your skinny jeans."

So, which "skinny" housewife's team are you on — Team Bethenny or Team Teresa?