Lunch at Panera

Well... one successful meal behind me.  It certainly helps when I sleep until almost lunch time... make note of that.

We decided to go to Panera Bread in attempts to 'eat lite'. I did pretty well. I think the fact that my stomach was in jitter mode because of the open house going on at home helped me control my appetite. Unfortunately, this was only a temporary appetite suppressant, considering we won't be doing that much in the near future.  More on that later. 

I enjoyed a cup of the Black Bean soup and a half Orchard Harvest salad. Mmmmmm  

First of all, their black bean soup is fabulous. The red pepper and onion give it a great flavor without being overwhelming. The black beans are mild and have a great texture.  If it were me, I would add jalapeno. Here's a link if you're interested in making a version of it at home. 

http://www.recipezaar.com/Panera-Bread-Black-Bean-Soup-49737 

Best of all, there's about 319 calories in a serving (in this version), only 14 of those from fat. (Panera claims that there is only 250 calories in there version.)

I also had the Orchard Harvest half salad. 210 calories of deliciousness.  Romaine lettuce, dried cherries, pears, pecans and Gorgonzola with a cherry balsamic vinaigrette. OK, I'm a little hungry now thinking about it. If you have a Panera near you, you really should try it. 

Good Job Panera... you saved me from a dreaded day of 'eating right'.