Low-Fat Lifestyle

…Isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do. 

But yesterday, to celebrate a friend’s birthday and the end of the year for the amazing Thursday team at Fordham Nightly News, I was at Applebee’s.

This is NOT the easiest menu to navigate, but the restaurant makes it a little easier with their “Under 550 Calorie” and Weight Watchers options. My problem is that 1) low calorie does not equal low fat and 2) these dishes are so salty.

Fortunately, their Teriyaki Chicken Pasta was actually pretty good. It was from their “Under 550 Menu” and only had 8 grams of fat. It was just super salty. But, hey, I guess the flavor has to come from somewhere.

Image via www2.marketwire.com.

Of course, it didn’t look as good as the picture makes it out to be, but you get the idea.

One really disappointing thing about Applebee’s: NONE of their appetizers are low fat enough for me to eat. Zero. But, in all fairness, Applebee’s never really claimed to be healthy..

Bottom line: Stick with the entrees only (no appetizers, no dessert) and the diet menu when, and if, you go.

When I started my low-fat diet, I really missed meatballs.  Sadly, meatballs are not what most people would consider “low fat.” 

Thankfully, I have an incredibly supportive mom who helped me find low-fat alternatives to the foods I love, including meatballs. 

Here’s her recipe for amazingly delicious low-fat meatballs. And honestly, they don’t taste any different than their fattier counterparts.  

Ingredients:  1 lb ground beef (90% lean - This is the important part!!)

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Parmesan is relatively lower in fat compared to other cheeses.)

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. salt

pepper (a few shakes)

*Sidenote: Most meatballs are made with eggs, which significantly increases their fat content. These meatballs are miraculously made without eggs. 

Preparation: Mix all ingredients together. Mixture should be moist but not so moist that the meatballs fall apart.  Shape meatballs to desired size and place on a broiler pan. (Wet your hands before shaping each meatball so the meat doesn’t stick to your hands).  Broil until outside is slightly brown on one side and then turn and broil the other side.  When finished, add to spaghetti sauce and simmer at least 20 minutes.

Here’s her amazing meatballs with whole wheat pasta and mixed vegetables. Amazing.