I will admit, when it comes to dining out, I am That Girl. So much so, that now before I even order I warn the waiter/waitress in my ever so charming way by saying, "I'm so sorry, I'm one of those girls"... Confidence in numbers, right?
Am I really sorry? No. But, quite frankly, I grew tired of being met with the roll of eyes time and time again so I just figured if I start out being really sweet and sincere, that it'll get me that much closer to getting what I want. And - when it comes down to it, I am SO appreciative when I actually DO get to eat something while dining out that I can feel GOOD about.
Some of you are sitting there nodding your head because you are That Girl too. On the other hand, some of you are wondering what the heck I am talking about...well, this one's for you then!
Eating out is part of almost every gal's life and living a clean diet shouldn't prohibit you from enjoying the experience. I used to get a touch of anxiety when I first embraced this lifestyle. It happened every time Mr. would ask me to go out to dinner because I knew that there would only be a select few menu items for me to choose from - if any. Ugh another salad...no thanks!
That was until a very wise person whom I have the pleasure to know showed me that I have the right to order essentially whatever menu item however I please. Even if I don't see what I am looking/hungry for, there's no harm in asking if it's available! At first, my other half would get slightly embarrassed of me being That Girl...but he soon learned that most people ended up looking at my plate - typically filled with color - in a bit of envy...including him!
Tonight, a group of us girls gathered to celebrate my best friend's upcoming wedding. It was a mild bachelorette party if you will. We were at a restaurant known for its quality in food and for the most part - the menu was made up of pretty clean concoctions. I read through the choices and settled on selection that only called for some minor changes.
From the menu...
Whitefish
Lake Superior whitefish baked on parchment with roasted fingerling potatoes, asparagus and herb butter, topped with roasted tomato sauce.
My order...
I attempted to order this without the herb butter or roasted tomato sauce - I just wanted it plain with a little olive oil and the veggies plain - no seasoning. I was told a no can do because the fish was already set to go in the parchment paper...well, then...next choice.
These are two menu items...
Vegan Cabbage Roll
Steamed swiss chard cabbage stuffed with wild rice, tomato, spinach, and preserved lemon on a bed of barley risotto with a caramelized onion broth and garlic roasted wild mushrooms.
Seared Scallops
Served with a light garlic broth, barley "risotto", roasted wild mushrooms; garnished with a micro green salad.
My order...
I asked if I could get the vegan cabbage roll as clean as possible; meaning no butter, cream, excess oils, no caramelized onion broth (just vegetable broth would do)...etc. So, we modified including removing risotto and any extra over the top seasonings. And then I mentioned that while the dish was great mix of complex carbs that it lacked protein...so I asked if I could get just two seared scallops - just lightly seared with touch of oil - no seasonings. Yes, I said all of that. -- hey, now - I'm still perfecting my concision - I am a woman with words after all!) :)
He was an awesome waiter and basically responded with, "Absolutely, clean - got it - will do." Love it when that happens!
So, have no fear in being That Girl. You are paying for the meal, and I have come to find, like tonight, most places have no issue accommodating special requests. There's no reason that dining out needs to keep you up all night with guilt! Throw those shoulders back (my ultimate confidence move), smile, and ask for what you want! Your body will thank you for it - not to mention you will rest easy knowing you completed another day filled with smart choices!
Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat
Am I really sorry? No. But, quite frankly, I grew tired of being met with the roll of eyes time and time again so I just figured if I start out being really sweet and sincere, that it'll get me that much closer to getting what I want. And - when it comes down to it, I am SO appreciative when I actually DO get to eat something while dining out that I can feel GOOD about.
Some of you are sitting there nodding your head because you are That Girl too. On the other hand, some of you are wondering what the heck I am talking about...well, this one's for you then!
Eating out is part of almost every gal's life and living a clean diet shouldn't prohibit you from enjoying the experience. I used to get a touch of anxiety when I first embraced this lifestyle. It happened every time Mr. would ask me to go out to dinner because I knew that there would only be a select few menu items for me to choose from - if any. Ugh another salad...no thanks!
That was until a very wise person whom I have the pleasure to know showed me that I have the right to order essentially whatever menu item however I please. Even if I don't see what I am looking/hungry for, there's no harm in asking if it's available! At first, my other half would get slightly embarrassed of me being That Girl...but he soon learned that most people ended up looking at my plate - typically filled with color - in a bit of envy...including him!
Tonight, a group of us girls gathered to celebrate my best friend's upcoming wedding. It was a mild bachelorette party if you will. We were at a restaurant known for its quality in food and for the most part - the menu was made up of pretty clean concoctions. I read through the choices and settled on selection that only called for some minor changes.
From the menu...
Whitefish
Lake Superior whitefish baked on parchment with roasted fingerling potatoes, asparagus and herb butter, topped with roasted tomato sauce.
My order...
I attempted to order this without the herb butter or roasted tomato sauce - I just wanted it plain with a little olive oil and the veggies plain - no seasoning. I was told a no can do because the fish was already set to go in the parchment paper...well, then...next choice.
These are two menu items...
Vegan Cabbage Roll
Steamed swiss chard cabbage stuffed with wild rice, tomato, spinach, and preserved lemon on a bed of barley risotto with a caramelized onion broth and garlic roasted wild mushrooms.
Seared Scallops
Served with a light garlic broth, barley "risotto", roasted wild mushrooms; garnished with a micro green salad.
My order...
I asked if I could get the vegan cabbage roll as clean as possible; meaning no butter, cream, excess oils, no caramelized onion broth (just vegetable broth would do)...etc. So, we modified including removing risotto and any extra over the top seasonings. And then I mentioned that while the dish was great mix of complex carbs that it lacked protein...so I asked if I could get just two seared scallops - just lightly seared with touch of oil - no seasonings. Yes, I said all of that. -- hey, now - I'm still perfecting my concision - I am a woman with words after all!) :)
He was an awesome waiter and basically responded with, "Absolutely, clean - got it - will do." Love it when that happens!
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| Made to order...essentially perfect...definitely a combination to feel good about! |
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| My best friend and I! She gets a kick out of this blogging thing that I do so naturally had to include her in this pic -red eyes and all! :) |
Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat
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