DINNER AT ZIZZI’S Zizzi is a contemporary Italian restaurant that offers a menu bursting with pasta, pizza and plenty of Italian charm. As a Slimming World member can you still have a pisa the action? Of course! We’ve taken a look at their large menu and picked out the most Food Optimising-friendly options, as well as highlighting some of the sneaky hidden Syns to steer clear of! Mama mia… These guidelines include suggestions and steers towards healthier options. Being able to ‘read’ restaurant menus – spotting the high-Syn items, the filling Free Foods and allowing for Syns used in cooking - is a great way of feeling 100% in control when you’re eating out without obsessing over exact Syn values.) Antipasti A great sharing starter is antipasti - a selection of Italian cured meats such as Parma ham (½ Syn per 28g) olives (8 olives are 1 Syn), mozzarella (45g is a Healthy Extra ‘a’ choice), with accompanying butternut squash, sweet peppers, aubergine and sun-dried tomatoes (28g is 1½ Syns). Watch out for olive oil-soaked items and fatty salamis – a sure-fire way of adding extra Syns to your starter. Watch out for... Delicious Italian breads such as ciabatta is around 10 Syns and an average garlic pizza bread is a whopping 44 Syns – that’s without cheese, pesto, olive oil or any other topping! Risotto, pasta and al forno dishes Pasta and risotto are the perfect choices for Food Optimisers as the main bulk of the dish are Free Foods. Knowing what to look out for when it comes to sauces and toppings – and how easily the Syns can start soaring – will really help you pave a route to success. To keep your Syns low choose a dish with a tomato based sauce – a healthier option than the creamy sauces such as carbonara (average bacon carbonara portion is 32 Syns on Extra Easy!) Our Zizzi favourites include… Risotto pesce – this rice dish is bursting with Free Foods like prawns, salmon, squid, courgette and spinach, and is one of the lower Syn dishes on the menu. Linguine ai gamberi – this king prawn linguine is tomato-sauce based and captures all the flavours of Mediterranean cooking. Squid ink linguine – un-battered calamari is a Free Food and is delicious mixed through the pasta. Count a couple of Syns for the scattering of olives in the sauce. Bolognese – this rich beef sauce is healthier option if you’re after a meaty main course. Note: only when you’ve cooked a meal yourself can you be absolutely sure that it’s totally Free. Some of the meals above may have a handful of Syns due to a splash or dab of oil in the pan etc however they are the healthier options. To protect your weight loss, count a couple of Syns even if your meal looks totally Free. Watch out for… Dishes described as cheesy, sautéed, fried/deep-fried, battered, crispy, creamy. These terms are a big hint that the dish is cooked in oil or cream and saturated with Syns. Also watch out for high-Syn pizzas, calzone and cheese-filled or topped pasta. Meat, fish and salads If you prefer to pass on the pasta then there are a few meaty and fishy options that are lovely and low-Syn. Sea bass al cartoccio – if you’re a big fan of fish then you’ll love this sea bass, squid, mussel and herb oven-baked parcel packed with Free Foods aplenty! Not only is this way of cooking a great way to seal the flavours of the fish – it’s healthier too! Lamb shoulder – this slow-roasted lamb shoulder is served with cannellini beans, sweet peppers and rosemary – all Free Foods! Fish stew – this is a fab fishy option as it’s filled with Free Foods like sea bass, prawns, calamari, mussels, smoked fish and new potatoes. Swap the ciabatta for a mixed salad, spring greens or fine green beans (all Free side dishes) and count a handful of Syns for the white and tomato sauce. Watch out for… While salads might always seem the most saintly options the ones on the menu at Zizzi’s contain cheese-galore and dough sticks on the side – so they’re stacked with Syns. If you fancy a posh salad you’re best to make your own at home piled high with Italian Free Food favourites like salad leaves, beetroot, peppers, tomatoes, courgettes and ham. If you’d love to replicate one of Zizzi’s pasta dishes – for hardly any Syns at all – take a look at our 10 ways with pasta feature
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 06:25:48 +0000
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