10 Restaurant Dishes Made Healthy

Photo: José Picayo

Lightened Restaurant Dishes

We took classic restaurant dishes, kept the meal appeal, and cut the calories by a huge amount. Here are the ingredients and techniques that make that possible.

Deli sandwiches can get ridiculously big—some piled so high they're impossible to eat. You don't need sodium-heavy corned beef layered 3 inches high to get plenty of savory flavor. So we shrank the portion size to reap significant nutritional savings.

The Classic:
• 860 calories per serving
• 15 grams saturated fat
• 4,186 milligrams sodium

The Makeover:
• 336 calories per serving
• 5.6 grams saturated fat
• 790 milligrams sodium

View Recipe: Reuben Sandwiches

Photo: José Picayo

Lasagna

Lots of colorful, delicious baby veggies between pasta layers reduce the typical mounds of cheese. Red sauce often contains fatty meats like sausage, and standard white sauces rely on cream. Our white sauce is based on fat-free broth, and we add just a bit of cream and an egg to give it a silky texture. We boosted the amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Aged cheeses have rich, concentrated flavor, so you can get away with using less. We sprinkled the Parm within the layers to supplement the fontina that's used to give a crunchy-cheesy crust on top.

The Classic:
• 850 calories per serving
• 25 grams saturated fat
• 2,830 milligrams sodium

The Makeover:
• 401 calories per serving
• 7.5 grams saturated fat
• 802 milligrams sodium

View Recipe: Vegetable Lasagna

Lightened Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas

Photo: José Picayo

Beef Enchiladas

You can make all of the components ahead and simply assemble the enchiladas just before baking.

The Classic:
• 730 calories two enchiladas; no garnish
• 22 grams saturated fat
• 2,155 milligrams sodium

The Makeover:
• 343 calories two enchiladas; no garnish
• 5.8 grams saturated fat
• 540 milligrams sodium

View Recipe: Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas

Photo: José Picayo

Shrimp Fried Rice

This dish is best if you use day-old rice. Cook it and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet to cool completely. Then refrigerate overnight to allow it to lose any excess moisture.

The Classic:
• 1,154 calories per serving
• 4 grams saturated fat
• 3,352 milligrams sodium

The Makeover:
• 368 calories per serving
• 1.5 grams saturated fat
• 560 milligrams sodium

View Recipe: Shrimp Fried Rice

Lightened Beef Filets with Red Wine Sauce and Roasted Veggie Fries

Photo: José Picayo

Steak Frites

Coat potato wedges and baby carrots with a mixture of cornmeal and grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to add crunchy texture and golden-brown color to the plate.

The Classic:
• 1,560 calories per serving
• 36 grams saturated fat
• 2,080 milligrams sodium

The Makeover:
• 521 calories per serving
• 8.3 grams saturated fat
• 795 milligrams sodium

View Recipe: Beef Filets with Red Wine Sauce and Roasted Veggie Fries

Photo: Randy Mayor

Cheesesteak

What hot dogs are to Coney Island and wings are to Buffalo, the cheesesteak is to Philadelphia: iconic, tasty, and loaded with salt and fat. But, thanks to our lightened version, you'll be able to enjoy this meaty, gooey, and delightfully messy, sandwich all year.

The Classic:
• 1,151 calories per sandwich
• 27.3 grams saturated fat
• 1,480 milligrams sodium

The Makeover:
• 397 calories per sandwich
• 4.9 grams saturated fat
• 637 milligrams sodium

View Recipe: Philly Cheesesteak

Photo: Randy Mayor

Eggplant Parmesan

Talk about a dish that could stand to lose a few: The Italian-American favorite of eggplant, tomato sauce, and cheese—spelled variously "Parmesan," "parmigian," or "parmigiana"—knows no nutritional boundaries. We've revamped this tasty casserole to help it lose the heaviness, not to mention the grease, of the old standard. You'll have room for dessert.

The Classic:
• 1,053 calories per serving
• 30.4 grams saturated fat
• 1,965 milligrams sodium

The Makeover:
• 318 calories per serving
• 8.2 grams saturated fat
• 655 milligrams sodium

View Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan

Photo: John Autry

Gumbo

This is certainly not a soup to disrespect. To build all that great flavor with lower sodium, we began by making a quick homemade shrimp stock reduction, drawing lots of shrimp flavor from the shells. We slashed more sodium by ditching the sausage and instead using meaty chicken thighs for richness. The briny shrimp needed just a light dusting of smoked paprika to take the flavor to a whole new level—no extra salt required. Canola oil replaced saturated fat--heavy butter in the nicely darkened roux.

THE CLASSIC
• 890 calories per serving
• 2,501 milligrams sodium
• 14.8 grams saturated fat

THE MAKEOVER
• 334 calories per serving
• 539 milligrams sodium
• 1.6 grams saturated fat

View Recipe: Smoky Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo

Photo: Randy Mayor

Crab Cakes

Our version of crab cakes is ideal for the season: a vibrant and light dish that pairs perfectly with a crisp salad and glass of wine. We lightly season sweet, premium crab and use just enough mayonnaise, low-sodium panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), and egg to bind it all together. We don’t add any salt to the mixture, to keep sodium in check. The cakes are cooked in a slick of oil instead of deep-fried. We love a good rémoulade but overhaul the condiment to add a flavor punch without as much sodium.

THE CLASSIC
• 734 calories per serving
• 1,285 milligrams sodium
• 8.6 grams saturated fat

THE MAKEOVER
• 292 calories per serving
• 571 milligrams sodium
• 1.6 grams saturated fat

View Recipe: Crab Cakes with Spicy Rémoulade

Photo: Johnny Autry

Chicken Fingers

Instead of batter-coated, deep-fried chicken drowning in fatty sauce, our chicken gets a crunchy exterior from cereal and is served with just enough spicy mayo for dipping. Use less hot chile sauce (or none at all) if serving to children.

THE CLASSIC
• 703 calories per serving
• 1,000 milligrams sodium
• 10.7 grams saturated fat

THE MAKEOVER
• 414 calories per serving
• 495 milligrams sodium
• 1.5 grams saturated fat

View Recipe: Pan-Fried Chicken Fingers with Spicy Dipping Sauce