Eat NU~DE: What to Order at a Chinese Restaurant

There's an old cliche about Chinese food not satisfying your hunger for very long. Like all cliches, it's a pretty hefty distortion and not a blanket truth, by any means. Regardless of what type of food you eat, you can eat too much and be full for several hours. And at almost any restaurant it's possible to both control your portion sizes and eat low calorie and low fat food that will just tide you over for an hour or two. In fact, that's exactly what I'd like you to do.

Granted, at places where you have to option to enjoy several dishes, like at a buffet, it's much more of a challenge. When I go to those salad places, I try to cover no more than about half of my plate and keep the pile under two inches. That way when I go back for other stuff (yes, I said "when", not "if"), I haven't overloaded my stomach already and I don't leave regretting both my lack of self control and the uncomfortable "cutting" pressure on the waist of my pants.

So, assuming you're committed to disciplining that urge to over stuff, here are my recommendations for the most nutrient-dense (NU~DE) items on the menu:

Chicken Salad
Asparagus Chicken
Broccoli Beef
Mu Shu Vegetables
Egg Flower Soup
Wonton Soup
Dry Sauteed String Beans

There may be others that have slipped my mind, so feel free to comment with some suggestions of your own and I'll give you my take.

As always, preparation is key. Steamed is always great, stir-fried is usually fine, but drowning in grease, well, do I really have to say it?

How do you know if it's too fatty? See how much it glistens. If it looks like it's covered with a coat of varnish, steer clear. Some restaurants have a reputation for serving lighter, less fatty dishes, so ask around about those in your city or nearby areas.

And once you find one you like - go there often! Return customers and word of mouth referrals are the best ways to keep these places in business.