What a Nutritionist Orders at a Pizza Joint

by Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

August 29, 2011 • 2 comments

Steve had a birthday this weekend which we celebrated with dinner and a movie Friday night. We resorted to pushing our group celebration off until September due to conflicting schedules. Our favorite pizza joints in the Phoenix area include Pizzeria Bianco (when we can bear the 2-3 hour wait), Cibo (in downtown Phoenix), and the much-closer-to-home-and-less-crowded Pizzeria Grimaldi’s, which is where we ate.

We need not gander at Grimaldi’s menu. Steve’s favorite pizza is thin crust with pepperoni, kalamata olives, and mushrooms. I can do without the cured meat (though I do enjoy it occasionally). Usually I ask the kitchen to replace the pepperoni on one half with spinach. I splurged on this special occasion since Grimaldi’s uses high-quality meats.

We also order Caesar salad, and if the thought of eating that makes you uneasy, ask for light dressing and croutons. I like the addition of anchovies and tomatoes as well. I enjoy an ample salad portion and one and a half large slices of pizza. Sometimes we order their Oreo cheesecake, as we did this celebratory evening. And, of course, a glass of red wine, such as the California Syrah I chose. I wish I had liked the movie as much as the dinner.

Saturday included a vigorous weight-training workout session followed by a nap (needed after the previous night’s late movie) and a friend’s baby’s birthday party that included even more pizza.

With record-high temperatures in Phoenix this weekend, we decided to visit the indoor Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall so I could scope out fall purses. I was excited to see a relatively new Pita Jungle in the food court, offering healthier, fresher fare than most quick-service restaurants.

I polished off three-quarters of the beef gyro, a Greek side salad, and flavored green tea sweetened with half a packet of Splenda (sugar doesn’t dissolve well in ice cold tea). I chose the kids’ hummus plate for Scarlet, so noshed on a few bites of that too.

We relaxed a bit more post-shopping sipping glasses of Sauvignon Blanc at the mall’s Kona Grill, and Scarlet accommodated us by miraculously dozing off in her stroller right after we sat down. We heard angels sing … even though we knew that a mountain of freshly washed laundry awaited folding upon our arrival home, prompting us to order carryout sushi for dinner.

This photo represents the dinner that Steve and I shared. I stuck to my usual order of yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, cilantro and ponzu sauce, an ahi avocado tuna tower, and edamame, and ended the evening by finishing the remaining few bites of Friday’s cheesecake before retiring in my room.

Estimated calories:

Friday (1067 dinner, 100 wine), Saturday (948 lunch, 520 dinner, 100 wine)

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