Smart indulgences

TOP 10 GUILTY RESTAURANT PLEASURES

10. Smart Indulgence #1: Smothered waffle:

A modestly sized Belgian Waffle, with its porous, sponge-like density, is actually less dangerous than it seems. The real harm lies in two nefarious accoutrements: butter and pancake syrup. Together, they burrow down into the waffles' hollowed pockets and turn each one into a little thimble of waistline destruction. The solution is simple: Find a better topping. IHOP tops this Belgian with a big scoop of sweet, caramelized apples and whipped cream—and the side slab of bacon, with its protein and fat, serves to slow the rapid digestion of fast-moving carbohydrates.

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IHOP Belgian Waffle w/ Cinnamon Apple Compote, Whipped Topping, and Bacon Strips (2)

580 calories, 23.5 g fat (12 g saturated), 955 mg sodium

9. Smart Indulgence #2: Ice cream sundae:

Not everything on Dairy Queen's menu is so safe; the average large Blizzard weighs in at an astounding 1,158 calories. But this sundae isn't nearly so dangerous. Actually, a little ice cream is good for you. The calcium slows the absorption of fat, and each half-cup contains 17 milligrams of choline, a B vitamin that improves blood flow. Add to that a potassium and fiber-rich banana, and you have a pretty stellar snack.

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Dairy Queen Banana Sundae (Medium)

330 calories, 10 g fat (6 g saturated), 42 g sugars

8. Smart Indulgence #3: Hamburger:

Unscrupulous restaurateurs have sullied the hamburger's reputation with fat-heavy toppings like bacon, tortilla strips, onion rings, butter-infused truffle oil—basically if it's legal, they've put it on a burger. But the truth is, a simple, quarter-pound burger, free from the frills that turn into body fat, is actually quite harmless. Cheese adds another 100 calories, so you have to decide if that's worth the splurge. Otherwise, load on the ketchup and mustard and enjoy.

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McDonalds' Quarter Pounder

410 calories, 19 g fat (7 g saturated), 730 mg sodium

7. Smart Indulgence #4: French fries:

Once Jack in the Box decided to cut the trans fat from its fries, the curly spuds suddenly emerged as a frontrunner in the low-calorie french fry battle. Plus, the saturated fat is admirably low, and the sodium load is partially offset by the fact that they also pack in 20 percent of your daily potassium.

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Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly Fries (small)

280 calories, 16 g fat (1 g saturated), 614 mg sodium

6. Smart Indulgence #5: Steak:

Steak is actually a hotbed of veritable nutrients. It's loaded with zinc, iron, B vitamins, and—believe it or not—a respectable load of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. So it's unfortunate that most restaurants serve oversized portions slathered with butter and oil. But with this dish, Olive Garden gets it right.

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Olive Garden Steak Toscano with Tuscan Potatoes and Bell Peppers

590 calories, 20 g fat (4.5 g saturated), 1,460 mg sodium

5. Smart Indulgence #6: Sausage pizza:

This pie isn't the lightest on the menu, but it's certainly among the most flavorful. The smoky sweetness of the roasted peppers pairs perfectly with the spicy richness of chorizo to elevate the flavor far beyond what the calorie count would suggest. But be sure to stick with the Brooklyn Style crust. Surprisingly, it packs the fewest calories into each foldable slice, cutting nearly a thousand calories per pie off the same pizza with a Deep Dish crust.

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Domino's Brooklyn Style Chorizo, Mushroom, Onion, and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza (2 slices, large pie)

520 calories, 22 g fat (10 g saturated), 1,290 mg sodium

4. Smart Indulgence #7: Fried Chicken:

Fried chicken alone is a waistline liability, but it starts sounding especially dangerous when you fold it into a cheddar tortilla alongside a mound of white rice. So how does Popeyes' pull it off? By keeping the bad stuff in moderation and tempering the damage with fiber-loaded beans. For 310 calories, this wrap gives you 14 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. You could do far, far worse.

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Popeyes' Loaded Chicken Wrap

310 calories, 13 g fat (6 g saturated), 890 mg sodium

3. Smart Indulgence #8: Stuffed seafood:

When it comes to seafood, "stuffed" either means injected with fat- and carb-heavy fillers or infused with flavorful shellfish accoutrements. Fortunately, Red Lobster's flounder is of the latter variety. This hearty fillet gets a flavorful boost from crab-and-seafood stuffing, and it keeps the fat load shockingly low. Meanwhile, Outback's version contains as much saturated fat as a quarter-pound of fried bacon and more sodium than a spoonful of straight table salt.

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Red Lobster Stuffed Flounder

320 calories, 11 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 1,520 mg sodium

2. Smart Indulgence #9: Hot wings:

Wings are one of those foods that fluctuate widely between reasonable and ridiculous. Although the meat is relatively lean, the skin-to-meat ratio is extremely high, and cost-cutting restaurants typically prefer the deep fryer to the oven rack. But done right, wings can be a solid source of protein, and as an appetizer, they're a good way to blunt your hunger before you start in on more damaging foods. Worried you'll eat too many? Make them as hot as you can stand. That will keep you from devouring the full dozen, and the capsaicins in the hot sauce will boost your metabolism.

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Kentucky Fried Chicken Hot Wings (5)

350 calories, 20 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 700 mg sodium

1. Smart Indulgence #10: Savory sub sandwich:

Hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, and spicy mustard create a trio of robust flavors unmatched by any lower-calorie sub. Best part is, the damage is minimal. On the calorie continuum, Swiss trounces both cheddar and American, and the spicy mustard is a leaner, and more flavorful, alternative to mayonnaise. The only drawback is salt. Because it's brined, pastrami is high in sodium. It's totally worth the indulgence; just don't eat it every day. 

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Blimpie's Hot Pastrami Sub (6-inch)

430 calories, 16 g fat (7 g saturated), 1,350 mg sodium

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