Should you be eating that?

Thereís no questioning the fact that the foods you eat go far in determining how quickly youíll meet your fitness goals.And if youíre eating a number of your meals out at restaurants, then youíre going to want to keep reading because the average restaurant meal contains more than 1,200 calories.Most people have no idea just how fattening restaurant entrÈes are. In fact, the following information may shock you.Here, in no particular order, are five of the most fattening restaurant dishes, along with tips that Iíve included to equip you in making lighter, healthier versions of these dishes at home.No. 1: Cobb saladCobb salads are loaded with cheese, bacon, egg and topped with a creamy dressing. Sure, youíre eating a salad, but that salad is likely to contain more calories than a burger.At-home version: Start with a dark lettuce, like spinach or arugula, to get the most nutritional value. Top it with hard boiled egg whites, baked turkey bacon, light cheese, avocado and drizzle lemon juice and vinegar for dressing. This at-home version has dramatically lower calories while still providing a satisfying, tasty dish.No. 2: Spinach artichoke dipWhen it comes to appetizers, spinach dip is filled with veggies so its calorie content is often underestimated. Donít be fooled: just half a cup of this creamy dip will set you back about 350 calories. And if you finish the bowl yourself then youíve just taken in 1,000 calories in dip alone, not to mention the chips or pita bread you scooped it with.At-home version: That delicious, creamy spinach flavor can be re-created at home by using low-fat milk, spinach, some olive oil and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. A quick Google search for ìlight creamed spinach recipeî will give you plenty of recipe options much lower in fat and calories than the restaurant version.No. 3: Chicken tendersFried chicken of any kind from a restaurant is going to be loaded with more fat and calories than youíd believe. Even a serving on the kidsí menu will tip the scales at over 800 calories.At-home version: Making faux fried chicken at home is easy and surprisingly delicious. Whip up a few eggs with some Dijon mustard, garlic powder and onion powder. Dip your skinless, boneless chicken tenders in the mixture and then coat with almond flour, thyme, paprika and salt. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until no longer pink, flipping once halfway through. Turn on the broiler for the last couple of minutes to make it nice and crispy.No. 4: SlidersSliders are so small, thereís no harm in enjoying a couple, right? Wrong. Despite their petite package, enjoy a couple sliders, and youíll have taken in more than 1,000 calories.At-home version: The biggest problems with the restaurant slider are its fatty meat content and the refined-carbohydrate bun. You can remedy these two issues by using lean, ground turkey to make petite patties. Use your grill pan to cook them with minimal oil. Instead of the carbohydrate-filled bun, use large pieces of butter lettuce to wrap around your patties. Add sliced tomato, low fat cheese and grilled onion and secure the whole thing with a toothpick. These at-home sliders are guilt-free!No. 5: PastaEating a pasta-based dish at a restaurant is weight-loss suicide. There is no way to escape all those carbohydrate calories unscathed. The 1,000-plus calories found in the noodles will quickly end up stored on your body as fat.At-home version: There are two really easy and guilt-free ways to mimic pasta noodles at home. Bake a spaghetti squash until tender, then scoop out the soft, angel hair-like strands and top with your healthy pasta sauce. Using a vegetable peeler, create long strips of zucchini and top with your healthy pasta sauce.Cooking more of your meals at home, using the tips above, will save you many hidden caloriesHerb Chicken, Arugula and Mango SaladThis recipe takes the concept of chicken salad to a whole new level. There is so much going on in the flavor department like sweet mango, savory chicken, tender asparagus, tangy arugula and creamy goat cheese.Servings: 4Hereís what you need. For the herb marinade:

• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

For the salad:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless, thin chicken breasts
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 8 cups organic arugula
• 2 small organic mangoes, peeled and sliced
• 6 oz. crumbled goat cheese

1. Combine the herb marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place 1 tablespoon of the marinade in a large Ziploc bag with the asparagus pieces, and the rest in another large Ziploc bag with the chicken breasts. Make sure the chicken and asparagus are fully coated with the marinade, and then place in the refrigerator for an hour.
2. Heat a grill pan and another medium pan. Place the chicken breasts on the grill pan, and cook 4 minutes each side, until there is no longer any pink in the middle. SautÈ the asparagus in the medium pan, stirring often while the chicken cooks. Remove both pans from heat.
3. Once the chicken has cooled, slice each breast into even strips.
4. In a large bowl, combine the arugula, mango slices and crumbled goat cheese.
5. Add the cooked asparagus and the chicken. Mix and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 332 calories, 13g fat, 740mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 34g protein