Italian

For most of us, Italian food means a heaping plate of lasagna or a large pepperoni pizza. Having such a narrow view of Italian food isn't just unfriendly to your waistline, but it means you've been missing out on a wide and varied cuisine that offers delicious soups and salads, small plates that can satisfy the biggest cravings, and healthy cooking methods such as grilling and roasting. 

EAT THIS

* Minestrone or Straciatella Soup are both delicious, healthy soups that are perfect to accompany a diet-friendly Italian meal and are filling enough to stand alone as an entree.  Minestrone is tomato-based and chock full of veggies and high-fiber beans, while Straciatella is a broth-based soup with egg whites (similar to egg drop soup in Chinese food) and has a light meaty flavor. 
* Steamed Mussels or Grilled Calamari are both great choices for appetizers (so long as they aren't breaded first.) 
* Caprese Salad - thick slices of fresh tomato, basil and mozzarella, drizzled with a little olive oil or balsamic vinegar, are just as tasty (and way more healthy) than any of the fatty, fried appetizers on the menu.
* House, Greek, Chef and Caesar Salads - luckily, Italian cuisine incorporates a love of fresh veggies and that means most restaurants offer an extensive list of delicious options.  Ask for a light vinaigrette on the side and skip the croutons.  The salads listed here are common examples, but is by no means an extensive list.
* Lean Meat (Without Pasta) Dishes - most Italian restaurants offer an entire section of meat entrees, so why not skip the pasta dishes altogether? Choose fish, seafood or lean meat cuts that are grilled, roasted or lightly sauteed
* Tomato-Based (Marinara) Sauce or Light/Healthy Sauce - look for key words in the sauce description.  If it is 'broth-based', 'lightly drizzled' or 'made from the meat's natural juices,' it's probably a good choice.  Healthy sauces should be light and used sparingly, not so thick/heavy/creamy that it blankets everything on the plate. 
* Wheat Pasta - some restaurants offer a more nutritious variety of wheat pastas right on the menu; others may make the substitution at your request.  And this is the ONLY time you should be ordering pasta while dining out!

AVOID THIS

* Bread and Bread Baskets - yes, they're hard to ignore, but they're really just starchy empty calories (and are usually loaded up with so much butter, oil and/or cheese that they contain as many calories as a full-sized entree.)
* Antipasto Salad - even though it has "salad" in the name doesn't mean it's healthy, and it's best to avoid this dish of fatty meats and cheeses if you're watching your calorie and fat intake.
 * Cream-Based or Alfredo Sauces
 * Parmigiano or Milanese Dishes - these are code names for "breaded and fried."
* Carbonara Dishes - only order these if you're planning on ingesting your week's allowance in calories and fat in one sitting, since they're traditionally prepared with loads of bacon, cheese, and not one-  not two-  but THREE kinds of fat (butter, cream and oil.)