Chain Restaurant Favorites Get A Healthy Makeover: Chili’s Spinach and Artichoke Dip With Chips

Eating out used to be an occasional treat, but for many people it is now part of their regular routine. Unfortunately, that often means trading sound nutrition for convenience. The good news is you can still enjoy many of your favorite restaurant meals at home—and for a lot fewer calories. In the first of an ongoing series of healthy restaurant meal makeovers, we put a healthy spin on Chili’s Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Chips.

Chili's Spinach and Artichoke Dip With Chips: A Whopping 1440 calories

Your Homemade Healthy Version: Only 358 Calories

Dip Ingredients:

1 cup spinach, finely chopped

1 tsp. garlic

1 Tbsp. olive oil, canola oil or grape seed oil

1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup canned artichokes

dash of salt & pepper

Homemade tortilla chips ingredients:

2 whole-wheat, low-carb tortillas (La Tortilla Factory makes a good one) or other whole-grain tortilla with approximately 50 calories per serving

cooking spray

Directions:

Slice each tortilla into 8 pieces. Spray a baking sheet with non-fat cooking spray and place each tortilla slice individually on the pan so that they are not overlapping or touching each other. Bake tortilla chips at 350°F for about 3 minutes on each side.

In a medium saucepan, sauté spinach and garlic in the oil. Remove pan from heat and let it cool. Once mixture has cooled for a few minutes, stir in non-fat plain Greek yogurt and a dash of salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a serving bowl and enjoy with homemade tortilla chips. 

Nutrition Facts*:

Serves: 2, Serving Size: ½ of dip and 8 chips (1 tortilla); Calories Per Serving: 179; Total Fat: 6g; Protein: 21g; Carbohydrate: 19g; Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 0g; Sodium: 290mg

*This was analyzed using whole-grain tortillas containing 3.5 grams of fiber each.

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Chain Restaurant Favorites Get a Healthy Makeover: P.F. Changs Chicken Fried Rice

Eating out used to be an occasional treat, but for many people it is now part of their regular routine. Unfortunately, that often means trading sound nutrition for convenience. The good news is you can still enjoy many of your favorite restaurant meals at home—and for a lot fewer calories. In the second installment of an ongoing series of healthy restaurant meal makeovers, we lighten up P.F. Changs Chicken Fried Rice.

P.F. Changs Chicken Fried Rice: 1240 calories

Your Homemade Healthy Version: 246 calories

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 4-ounce raw chicken breast

1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil

3/4 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

3/4 cup frozen peas

½” x ½” piece of ginger

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1 egg white

1 cup brown rice, cooked

1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce 

1/2 cup bean sprouts

Directions:

Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan. Once hot, add chicken. Cook chicken breast on low- medium heat until fully done. Remove from the pan and finely chop the chicken breast into small pieces and set aside.

In another medium saucepan, add sesame oil along with carrots, mushrooms, peas, ginger and green onions. Cook on low-medium heat until tender.

In a small pan, scramble the egg white and set aside.

Once vegetables are done cooking, add brown rice, chicken and egg whites to the vegetable mixture. Add soy sauce and bean sprouts and mix all ingredients thoroughly. Allow fried rice to cook on medium heat for about 7 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts: Serves: 3, Serving Size: 1/3 of recipe; Calories Per Serving: 246; Total Fat: 9g; Protein: 19g; Carbohydrate: 25g; Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 5g; Sodium: 350 mg

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