Eating Italian without feelings of guilt

Modern business life often involves dining and having lunch with project teams, clients, and Suppliers. Time is money and as a consequence often Italian restaurants are being chosen since they usually offer quick and qualitative service.

Italian restaurants are also very popular amongst youngsters or families with younger children. It’s quick, it’s easy, you often do not require advance reservations and the environment is child friendly.

However, there is a small downside to all of this, namely, excess calories. Pasta (or better pasta sauces), pizza, garlic bread etc … contain a lot of calories.

Here are some guidelines to make some healthy and figure friendly choices:

• Eat an apple 20-30 minutes before going to the restaurant. Apples contain pectin which is known for its appetite suppressant qualities
• Avoid greasy starters such as garlic bread, oily antipasti, or fried seafood; opt for Carpaccio’s, light salads, clear soups or some plain green olives
• Avoid pastas with heavy sauces like Pasta Carbonara, Pasta Alfredo or any Pasta topped with a heavy cream or cheese sauce; opt for pastas prepared with light (red) vegetarians sauces, a hint of olive oil or with seafood such as, Linguine Marinara, Penne Tonno or Pasta Napoli, Aglio et Olio – AVOID USING HEAPS OF PARMEZANO
• Avoid Risottos and Oven dishes, they are usually prepared with a lot of cream, oil and cheese
• Avoid Pizzas; if the restaurant serves Pizza only, avoid again the obvious calorie traps such as pizzas topped with salami, lots of cheese, eggs and cream sauces such as Aglio e Peperoncino, Al Poro, Calzone, opt for Margherita, Frutti di Mare, Rucola or Hawai instead
• Opt for meal salads, but ask to provide the toppings separately , even better ask some plain olive oil and half a lemon (lemons are low in calories, aid the digestive system, help cleans the body and a such improves the calcium absorption in the fat cells – which aids in burning calories and aids in limiting sugar absorption). Mixed Greens Salads, Seafood Salads, Tuna Salads or any vegetarian salad are an excellent choice
• Skip desert, take a tea or a coffee (cappuccino is your worst enemy); if you do wish to enjoy the pleasures of desert, avoid foods high in sugar and cream such as Tiramusa, Cioccolato Mousse and Panna Cotta, opt for light sorbets or fruit salads
• Limit alcohol to 1 glass, opt for a Spumante Brut

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE

Pasta Salad with Rucola and Basil

• Cook 200gr of Penne
• Cut 250gr of Cherry tomatoes in half
• Make a vinaigrette of chopped basil, garlic, olive oil, pepper, salt and balsamic vinegar
• Mix it all together
• Top with a few slices of Parmzan

Ivel 01