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Health & Fitness

Healthy & Delicious: Winking Lizard Tavern

This week Healthy & Delicious visits Winking Lizard Tavern located on Miles Road in Bedford Heights, OH.

This week Healthy & Delicious visits Winking Lizard Tavern located on Miles Road in Bedford Heights. If you don’t live near Miles Road, this restaurant has over a dozen other locations around the Greater Cleveland area and Columbus. 

Let’s be honest, those who have eaten at the Lizard know it is not exactly the place to get a “Healthy & Delicious” meal. The Lizard is good for delicious burgers, ribs, and wings − the typical “All American” cuisine.

Before I reveal the “Healthy & Delicious” dish, here is a trivia question:

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Which is healthier?

1. Chicken breast with lettuce and tomato on a white hamburger roll

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OR

2. Black bean burger with lettuce, corn salsa, cheese, and onion straws on a multi-grain hamburger roll

For those who guessed #1, you are correct!  While the black bean burger is probably comparable to the chicken breast with respect to protein, fat, and calories, the cheese and fried onion straws can contribute an additional (approximate) 253 calories, 13 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, and 450 mg sodium. With obesity affecting nearly one-third of adults and 12.5 million children and adolescents aged 2-19 years− who needs it?

Now, back to the meal:

"F” served me the Just Plain Fowl- a grilled chicken breast on a white hamburger roll with lettuce, tomato, and a side of mayo. Of the numerous sides (steak fries, grilled vegetables, shells & cheese, baked beans, steamed broccoli, steamed asparagus, steamed vegetables, or rice vegetable pilaf), I received the steamed broccoli.

Although basic, the chicken was juicy and tender and the broccoli florets (no stems) were steamed perfectly, as evidenced by their bright green hue.

Aside from the side of mayo and the oversized hamburger roll, this certainly was a “Healthy & Delicious” meal. To make it more “Healthy & Delicious,” I scooped out the excess bread from the bun and added a little bbq.  By scooping out the excess bread, I not only saved a few calories, but I was better able to taste the chicken.  I don’t know about you, but I would rather taste the inside of a sandwich than bread.  That is, of course, if you are not at Carnegie Deli in NYC, and then you want to taste both the rye and the corned beef.

Next time my husband asks me to go to the Lizard, I will definitely accept his offer− especially with this “Healthy & Delicious” option.

Note: Don’t be fooled by healthy-sounding side dishes. The grilled vegetables are smothered in Italian salad dressing which adds unnecessary fat and calories to your meal and you won’t find many vegetables in the rice vegetable pilaf. Better to go with the steamed sides, especially if you order a nice juicy bacon cheeseburger!

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