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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
We Asked RDs Their Favorite Chipotle Order—They All Said the Same Thing
Reviewed by Dietitian Kelly Plowe, M.S., RDChipotle can be a healthier fast-food option because you can customize your order. Dietitians agree it's what you fill your salad, burrito, bowl or taco with that counts. Experts suggest topping your order with lean proteins, whole grains, veggies and healthy you're a Chipotle lover, you're in good company. The chain keeps growing, with a 13% increase in revenue in 2024, totaling $2.8 billion. So, why all the love? 'Build-your-own restaurants like Chipotle are ideal places to get a meal to-go but on your terms,' says Heidi McIndoo, M.S., RD. Dietitians are fans, too. We asked several nutrition experts about their go-to order, and you may be surprised to learn that RDs enjoy burritos, burrito bowls and salads equally. One thing they all agree on, when it comes to placing your Chipotle order, is finding a nutritional balance with the add-ins used to fill your burrito, bowl, salad or taco. Chipotle has plenty of options when it comes to lean proteins, whole grains, veggies and healthy fats. Many people struggle to incorporate veggies when they order takeout, but this doesn't have to be the case at Chipotle. 'Chipotle's range of fresh vegetables makes it easy to build a phytonutrient-rich meal,' says Romy Nathan, M.P.H., RDN. 'Add as many veggies as you like—salad greens, fajita veggies, various salsas,' suggests Lisa Andrews, RD, LD. This adds fiber, vitamins and minerals, and helps you to feel full and meet your daily vegetable needs—something 90% of Americans don't do. Chipotle offers many options to get in whole grains. Brown rice and corn salsa are the most popular amongst the RDs we interviewed. 'To top it off, I like the roasted corn salsa—it's not too hot, and corn is so full of fiber,' says McIndoo. If your go-to order is tacos, you can opt for corn tortillas for whole grains. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends making at least half of your grains whole grains because they're richer in fiber and certain minerals than refined grains. If you prefer white rice, don't sweat it. Just be sure to incorporate plenty of whole grains in the rest of your meals and snacks, like oats, corn and whole-wheat bread. Dietary fats help your body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. To meet your daily fat needs, it's best to prioritize heart-healthy fats. 'If you're an avocado fan, the guac will give you a nice dose of healthy fats,' says McIndoo. A study found that eating two or more servings of avocado per week was linked with a 16% lower risk of cardiovascular disease. So don't shy away from topping your order with guacamole. This is a healthier option than sour cream or queso. Lean proteins are low in fat, especially saturated fat. They're best for managing heart health, since saturated fat can raise 'bad' LDL cholesterol. 'Chicken or beans will be lower in fat than beef or pork,' says Andrews. You can also try the sofritas—a flavorful protein pick made from tofu. According to Chipotle's website, one serving of beans or sofritas has 8 grams of protein. Adding beans not only adds more protein, but it also adds fiber. 'Black beans give me both protein and fiber, which helps fill me up and keep me feeling fuller longer,' says McIndoo. If you want a higher-protein option that's still lower in fat, RDs suggest chicken. 'My burrito bowl is filled with the new honey chicken—a great source of lean protein,' says McIndoo. Note that carnitas are the highest-fat protein option at Chipotle, with 12 grams of total fat per serving. If you're trying to be mindful of your cholesterol levels or dietary fat intake, stick to other proteins. Save half for later. Whether you enjoy a burrito bowl or a regular burrito, RDs suggest saving half to eat for later. Some days you may be hungrier than others, but for many people, half of an order is enough to meet their nutritional needs. 'I usually go for the bowl, because it's easier to save half for another meal, which is a great way to get your fave restaurant meals while not going overboard with portions,' says McIndoo. Ask for sour cream or queso on the side. These items can be high in saturated fat, which raises LDL cholesterol. So if you're trying to be mindful of your saturated fat intake but you still want to enjoy these additions, consider getting them on the side. 'The serving spoons can be generous, and this gives you more control over how much you eat,' says Nathan. When it comes to fast food, Chipotle has some of the most nutritious options out there. Dietitians enjoy everything from salads to bowls to burritos. What's most important is what you add to your order. RDs recommend centering your meal around beans, fajita veggies, salsas, corn, chicken or sofritas, guacamole and salad greens for a good balance of fiber, lean protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients. This helps fill you up and supports your overall health. Read the original article on EATINGWELL
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bored by leftovers? How to make everything from chicken to rice more exciting.
While leftovers are usually stashed away in the fridge with good intentions, they often end up forgotten or just plain ignored in favor of a brand-new meal. A once delicious entrée or side dish becomes a sad container of food, destined for the bin (hopefully, before it starts to grow mold). It's one of the reasons America has a food waste problem. A 2023 study estimates that U.S. households waste enough food to fill up 1 million dump trucks a year, with uneaten leftovers being one of the main culprits. People who frequently throw away leftovers (at least two or three times per week) toss out about 12 cups of food every week. But it doesn't have to be that way. With a little creativity, everyday leftovers can be transformed into appetizing meals and snacks. Plus, you'll cut down on food waste and make your food budget stretch further too. Here are easy ways to take your leftovers from dull to delightful: Arguably the most versatile source of protein, cooked chicken can be turned into tasty sandwiches, thrown on top of salads, stirred into soups, used as a stuffing for enchiladas and tacos, tossed together with pasta and so much more. Need a little inspiration? Try this barbecue chicken naan pizza recipe. Got leftover chicken and some pasta lying around? Check out these 17 chicken pasta dinner recipes that you can whip up in 30 minutes. If that's not enough, these 40 leftover chicken recipes — from buffalo chicken sliders to spicy lemon-ginger chicken soup — will give you some more ideas. Steak leftovers can be deliciously repurposed in salads, stews and sandwiches. But the wrong reheating method can leave you with tough and chewy steak, which no one wants. Skip the microwave and try throwing it in a stew or serving cold on a salad to avoid a dental dilemma. Check out these 15 stew recipes for some inspiration. But that's just scratching the surface. Here are 21 recipes for leftover steak, including a yummy heirloom tomato and steak caprese. Leftover ground beef shines in flavorful soups (hello, chili!), spaghetti Bolognese, quesadillas, shepherd's pie, ramen and more. Registered dietitian Heidi McIndoo recommends turning ground beef into super nachos for a scrumptious next-day meal or hearty snack. 'Layer the chips, the leftover meat, beans and cheese a couple of times and bake until the cheese melts,' McIndoo tells Yahoo Life. You can also shake things up with one of these 13 ground beef recipes. Leftover cold pasta doesn't hold much appeal all by itself; however, adding a sauce or dressing can quickly turn it into an appetizing side or main meal. Try tossing cold pasta with pesto and cherry tomatoes for a quick and easy pasta salad (here's an easy recipe for it). Prefer your noodles hot? Add them to a skillet with marinara, pesto, or lemon juice and olive oil, and a source of protein like chicken or shrimp, and heat until warmed through. Since this won't be the last time you'll have some extra noodles on hand, it's worth checking out these 18 creative leftover pasta recipes. Pasta frittata, anyone? Leftover rice makes great next-day fried rice — in fact, some say using leftover rice, rather than a freshly made batch, is the best way to make this dish. Stir-fry your favorite veggies and protein, and then add leftover rice, soy sauce and a lightly beaten egg to the pan for a fast and delicious meal. Or whip up something sweeter: McIndoo recommends adding milk and dried fruit to leftover rice to make rice pudding. 'It's yummy, a great way to use leftovers, and a protein- and calcium-rich snack thanks to the milk,' she says. Try this creamy rice pudding recipe. Can't stomach the thought of another piece of pizza? Try chopping it into cubes and air frying it to create pizza croutons (check out this easy recipe). Dip the croutons into tomato sauce for a snack or toss over a salad or into a creamy soup for a hearty twist. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even add diced pizza to a frittata or an egg scramble (such as this recipe) for a pizza-inspired breakfast. For more creative ways to transform leftover pizza, check out these recipes. Revive leftover mashed potatoes by turning them into crispy potato pancakes. Here's how: 'Form the mashed potatoes into a ball shape and place them in a frying pan with a small amount of oil,' registered dietitian Alyssa Smolen tells Yahoo Life. 'Once in the pan, use a spatula to flatten them. Cook on each side until they're golden brown.' (Here's a recipe.) Shepherd's pie is another delicious way to repurpose traditional mash. Want more options? Here are seven ideas for leftover mashed potatoes, including gnocchi. Cooked vegetables are super versatile and can be added to salads, sandwiches, soups, stir-fries, pizza, pasta, omelets and more. For example, roasted bell peppers and carrots are delicious additions to stir-fries, while grilled eggplant can be transformed into baba ghanoush (give this recipe a try). You can also make a comforting veggie lasagna inspired by one of these 15 high-protein vegetable lasagna recipes. The only limit is your imagination! While leftovers can make a great next-day meal, there are a few food safety considerations to keep in mind to ensure they're safe for consumption. After cooking, refrigerate leftovers within two hours and store in small, shallow containers to prevent bacterial growth. Leftovers can keep for up to four days in the fridge (or three to four months in the freezer). Anything older than that should go in the bin to avoid foodborne illness. Similarly, leftovers should be reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F all the way through. This is particularly important if you're reheating leftovers in the microwave, because it tends to cook food unevenly. With some creativity and know-how, boring old leftovers can become mouthwatering meals that your family will love. Edwina Clark is a registered dietitian.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The healthiest flours to take your baking to the next level, according to dietitians
Walk down your grocery store's baking aisle and you'll be met with a row of flours made from ground-up almonds, garbanzo beans, blends of white wheat mixed with rice or oats and a variety of ancient grains. Baking and cooking have never had so many options, and there are now a swath of choices safe for individuals with allergies and special diets or those who simply want to make their favorite recipes a little healthier. While this is a fantastic turn of events for anyone who wants to bump up their fiber and nutrient content without drastically changing their diet, the sheer variety of flours can sometimes seem overwhelming. As a registered dietitian myself, I reach for healthier flour choices in my everyday cooking and baking to add an extra nutritional punch to some of my favorite sweet and savory recipes. And in a quest to see what other dietitians are doing with flours in their own kitchens, I asked a few of my colleagues to chime in on which are the healthiest flours to keep stocked in the pantry and how to enjoy them in everyday cooking. When choosing a flour option, consider the nutritional value and the best uses of various flours. Refined flours, like basic white flour, go through extensive processing before they're packaged, ultimately stripping them of the whole grain wheat's built-in nutrition. While the flour remaining is excellent for baking, the vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber are taken out of the mix. Many of the newer flour varieties on the market are less processed and aim to leave the grain, seed or nut's nutritional content largely intact. Brannon Blount, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and owner of Brannon in Balance Nutrition, recommends considering the amount of fiber, level of processing, nutrient density and protein content in the options at hand. She explains that fiber "supports digestion and helps with blood sugar control," and some flours "naturally contain more vitamins and minerals" than others. Opt for more minimally processed flours, like stone-ground or milled versions, because they "retain more of their natural nutrients." That said, not all flours are ideal for all baking or cooking purposes, and many options may benefit from experimentation and mixing to end up with an ideal ratio of nutritional value and baking ability. Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD, registered dietitian and owner of FoodieMomRD, suggests selecting "the healthiest flour that will work in the recipe," adding, "100% whole wheat flour may not let your bread rise as much as you're used to, but as a roux or coating for chicken or fish, 100% whole wheat would work fine." In some cases, a blend of flours might be the best choice. Consider "using part whole wheat and part all-purpose flours to give you the best of both worlds — the nutrient boost from the whole wheat but the results you're looking for from the all-purpose," McIndoo says. This experimentation process may require you to adjust recipes. Some flours, such as whole grain or whole wheat varieties, may require you to add more water or other liquids to get the best results. There's still a place in your pantry for all-purpose flour (if you don't have a gluten intolerance or allergy, of course), but my colleagues and I agree that there are other options worth adding to your arsenal. Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian based in Charleston, S.C., and the owner of Nutrition Now Counseling, recommends keeping whole wheat flour for its fiber content and versatility, almond flour for a "low-carb option that's rich in healthy fats," coconut flour for its unique flavor and teff flour for "a nutrient-packed gluten-free option." Blount agrees that whole wheat flour is a must-have, especially for cardiovascular health, and she also recommends trying oat flour for its naturally sweet taste and its place in pancakes, muffins and thickening. She also likes chickpea flour because it's high in protein. As an avid baker, McIndoo says her pantry is never missing all-purpose, bread and whole wheat flour, referring to them as kitchen staples. If you feel like you don't cook or bake with flour enough to have multiple options on hand, she has another tip: Store them in the freezer to help keep them fresh. Still not sure where to start? Check out the healthy flours below (highlighting our experts' favorite options) to find one (or more) that suits your personal health goals and your favorite flour-dependent recipes. Brannon Blount, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and owner of Brannon in Balance Nutrition Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, registered dietitian and owner of Nutrition Now Counseling Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD, registered dietitian and owner of FoodieMomRD Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
