FitSugar

Moe's Southwest Grill Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:30:00 PDT

When I'm on the road and in need of quick meal, I sometimes stop at Moe's Southwest Grill. It's like a Mexican version of Subway - you pick a type of burrito, taco, fajita, salad, or quesadilla, and then you choose exactly what goes in it (and you can watch them make it too). They use fresh veggies, but they don't use lard. Plus the meat is grilled right there. The food tastes great and seems healthy, but after looking at the caloric content of The Homewrecker and the Triple Lindy, I am happy that I split a burrito with my hubby.

To see the breakdown

Menu item	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Homewrecker (burrito made with 12 in. flour tortilla, grilled chicken, black beans, rice, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo)	890	33	14.8	120	2645	93	46
Triple Lindy (burrito made with 12 in. flour tortilla, ground beef, pinto beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo)	835	31	11.5	83	2735	94	38
Joey Bag of Donuts (burrito made with 12 in. flour tortilla, grilled steak, black beans, rice, cheese, and pico de gallo)	740	23	9.5	90	2300	86	44
Art Vandalay (burrito made with 12 in. flour tortilla, pinto beans, rice, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo)	755	27	13.3	60	2225	93	25
Overachiever (taco made with 6 in. flour tortilla, grilled chicken, pinto beans, cheese, guacamole, lettuce, and sour cream)	353	14	6.9	60	1063	30	21
Unanimous Decision (taco made with crispy corn shell, black beans, cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and lettuce)	240	12	5.6	30	523	21	9
The Funk Meister (taco made with crispy corn shell, ground beef, black beans, cheese, pico de gallo, and lettuce)	263	13	4.8	41	568	20	15
John Coctosan (quesadilla made with 10 in. flour tortilla, grilled chicken, pinto beans, cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo)	780	37	18.8	150	1925	59	48
Close Talker (salad made crispy taco bowl, grilled chicken, black beans, cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, sour cream, black olives, cucumbers, and chipotle ranch)	1030	68	14.8	98	2130	67	41

Nope, that last one is not a mistake. Talk about an unhealthy salad. Well, as disappointing as this info was, it's a great reality check. Just because something seems to be made with pretty basic ingredients, unless you make it yourself, you have no idea how much salt and fat it actually contains. I'll still frequent Moe's in a pinch, but definitely won't make a habit of it.

Black Friday: Food Court Survival Guide

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:30:03 PST

Black Friday. A day full of deals, long lines, and schlepping bags full of gifts around the mall. It's a shopping marathon and a gal needs to fuel for endurance events.

The holiday season is full wonderful home-baked treats, you don't want to waste precious calories on run-of-the-mill food court fare. I have found a few items that are lower in calories and saturated fat and though may not be the healthiest choices overall, like celeb trainer Valerie Waters says, sometimes you just have to just make the better choice.

From Dunkin' Donuts:
Multigrain bagel w/ reduced fat veggie cream cheese: 510 calories, 6.5 g saturated fat
Egg White Turkey Sausage Flatbread Sandwich: 290 calories, 3 g saturated fat
Egg White and Cheese Wake-Up Wrap: 150 calories, 3 g saturated fat

From McDonald's:
Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken: 320 calories, 3 g saturated fat
Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken: 220 calories, 3 g saturated fat
Snack Size Fruit & Walnut Salad: 210 calories, 1.5 g of saturated fat

Opt for no dressing or choose from these two:

Newman's Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette: 40 calories, 0 g saturated fat
Newman's Own Low Fat Family Recipe Italian Dressing: 60 calories, 0 g saturated fat

Not lovin' those option? Then look for more choices after the break.

Announcing the 2011 James Beard Award Winners!

Susannah Chen — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:42:50 PDT

After months of media buzz, the winners of this year's James Beard Awards are in. The awards - which are being bestowed upon the nation's top chefs thisveryminute by the likes of Tom Colicchio, Ming Tsai, and Traci Des Jardins - are taking place at a star-studded gala in New York's Lincoln Center.

As for the winners: José Andrés was predicted to take home the Outstanding Chef Award, which he did - while Eleven Madison Park in New York City took home the year's award for best restaurant. To see the most updated list of accolades, keep reading.

Food Court Survival: Healthy Fast Food Options

FitSugar — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:30:00 PST

If you're braving the mall this Black Friday, chances are you're going to need to refuel at the food court as well. Although there are choices galore on the food front, many of them are high in calories and fat, so here are some healthier options to munch on. They may not be the healthiest choices on the planet, but they're better than succumbing to a Big Mac attack.

From Subway:
6" Veggie Delite: 230 calories, 1 g saturated fat
6" Turkey Breast: 280 calories, 1.5 g saturated fat
6" Oven Roasted Chicken Breast: 310 calories, 1.5 g saturated fat

Not into those choices? Then

read more. From McDonald's: Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken: 320 calories, 3 g saturated fat Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken: 300 calories, 1 g saturated fat Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken: 220 calories, 3 g saturated fat Snack Size Fruit & Walnut Salad: 210 calories, 1.5 g of saturated fat Opt for no dressing or choose from these two: Newman's Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette: 40 calories, 0 g saturated fat Newman's Own Low Fat Family Recipe Italian Dressing: 60 calories, 0 g saturated fat From Wendy's: Chicken Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken Fillet: 490 calories, 7 g saturated fat Broccoli and Cheese Potato: 320 calories, 1.5 g saturated fat Grilled Chicken Go Wrap: 260 calories, 3.5 g saturated fat Ultimate Chicken Grill: 320 calories, 1.5 g saturated fat Premium Fish Fillet Sandwich: 450 calories, 3.5 g saturated fat Side of Mandarin Oranges: 80 calories, 0 g saturated fat From Taco Bell: Fresco Bean Burrito: 330 calories, 2.5 g saturated fat Regular Style Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco: 270 calories, 4 g saturated fat Regular Style Spicy Chicken Soft Taco: 170 calories, 2 g saturated fat Fresco Style Spicy Chicken Burrito: 340 calories, 3 g saturated fat Fresco Style Fiesta Burrito - Beef: 350 calories, 4 g saturated fat Fresco Style Chalupa Supreme - Chicken: 300 calories, 2 g saturated fat From Dunkin' Donuts: Multigrain bagel w/ reduced fat vegetable cream cheese: 520 calories, 8 g saturated fat Turkey and Cheese Sandwich: 510 calories, 6 g saturated fat Garden Salad: 240 calories, 5 g saturated fat Chicken Noodle Soup: 140 calories, 1 g saturated fat Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffin: 400 calories, 2 g saturated fat From Sbarro: Slice of thin-crust cheese pizza: 460 calories, 3.5 g saturated fat Fit's Tip: Another great option is to pack your own healthy snacks or sandwiches. You'll know it's low in calories and fat, will save you money, and you won't have to wait in those long lines.