It lets you enjoy all of your restaurant favorites with just a fraction of the fat, calories and sodium.
Leave it to a few fellow foodies to help pick us up from the dietary downs of dining out.
The latest in their series of books on how to carefully choose calories, authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding give us "Cook This, Not That!", a guide to taking restaurant favorites and slashing the fat and calories by cooking them at home.
Producer Cheryl Mettendorf and I put their recipes to the test.
Eating out can totally add up. What kind of dietary damage are we talking here?
"500 calories extra a day, times a week is equivalent to 1 pound a weight gain a week," explained Registered Dietician Emma Fogt.
Whoa! But don't go ditching your favorite restaurant dishes.
"Cook This, Not That" shows you how to serve up the same splurges at home with a fraction of the fat, calories and sodium.
We gave three recipes a whirl, starting with macaroni and cheese meant to mimic the Cheesecake Factory's popular plate.
It's hard to believe this is the low fat version real butter, real cheese.
But because we're using just a BIT of butter and milk, not cream, this recipe shaves off 982 calories a serving, even with Panko bread crumbs, grated parmesan, and the prosciutto which I think makes everything better.
Next, we slimmed down Chili's Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip by ditching the chips for whole wheat pita, ramping up the veggie to dairy ratio, and opting for olive oil mayo.
The savings? 770 calories. That is a lot of miles on the treadmill!
Finally, we scooped 1,000 calories out of TGI Friday's Loaded Potato Skins by using low fat milk, and cutting back on the butter, sour cream and cheese. And believe it or not, even though this is a low fat recipe we get to add bacon.
We plated up our healthier substitutes side-by-side with the restaurant staples and sent them out to Rittenhouse Square for some unofficial taste testing.
Our low-cal "mac" was the big cheese, chosen over the Cheesecake Factory's every single time.
"I think this one was better to begin with. This one was a little too greasy for me. So considering this one is less calories? Some good news," said one tester.
Some testers couldn't believe we'd cheated out a third of the calories.
"I really don't get it because there is cream, this has prosciutto or bacon. And that's more caloric? How come? How come?
Our potato skins were also the top pick.
"This one definitely wins my vote right here. It has way more flavor, and this one feels like it was in the fryer for hours."
You are saving 1,000 calories by eating ours.
"Yeah, 1000 calories less and it is delicious."
Even this TGI Friday's fan was surprised she'd picked the healthier potato.
Our ratings took a dip on the artichoke dip, but many converted when they heard how many more calories came with the Chili's choice.
"800 calories? Yea, that's insane!"
We listed the recipes we tried on 6abc.com and one more thing - not ONLY do you save fat, calories and sodium, but you're also saving cash.
Cook This, Not That Artichoke DipIngredients:
4 large whole-wheat pita
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 jar (12 oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1 box (16 oz) chopped frozen spinach, thawed
1 can (4 oz) roasted green chiles, drained and chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil mayonnaise (made by both Kraft and Hellmann's)
2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Cut the pitas into 6 to 8 wedges each and separate the layers. Spread on 2 baking sheets and bake at 400F for 5 minutes or until crisp.
Heat the butter in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add artichokes, spinach, chiles, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until hot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with pita wedges.
Makes 4 Servings / Cost per Serving: $2.07
270 Calories
10g fat (2.5 saturated)
520mg sodium
Chili's Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip:
1,040 calories
85g fat (39g saturated)
3,320mg sodium
SAVED: 770 calories and $5.92
Cook This, Not That Spicy Potato SkinsIngredients:
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 (I used reduced fat sour cream)
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
Pickled Jalapenos, optional
Directions:
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, OR 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
310 calories
11g fat (5g saturated)
490mg sodium
T.G.I. Friday's Loaded Potato Skins (half order):
1,310 calories
SAVED: 1,000 calories and $5.41
Cook This, Not That Macaroni & CheeseIngredients:
1 lb. of pasta
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 tbsp. flour
3 c. skim milk
2 c. shredded extra-sharp Cheddar
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 lb (can reduce) whole wheat elbow macaroni
1/4 c. chopped pickeled jalapenos
2 oz. prosciutto
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat oven to 375.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium hat. 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 for10 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. Pour into a large baking dish. Top with the bread crumbs and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Bake for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until the bead crumbs are golden brown and crispy, about another 3 minutes.
Makes 6 Servings/ Cost per serving: $1.03
480 calories
9g fat (5g saturated)
450mg sodium
The Cheesecake Factory Macaroni and Cheese:
1,462 calories
45g saturated fat
1,330mg sodium
SAVED: 982 calories and $4.92
