Frying without so much fat

"Breaded" and "fried" are two of those tag words you're supposed to avoid if you're watching your weight, cholesterol, or most anything else related to your health. However, if you're like me and grew up on chicken fried steak, fried okra, and fried chicken, sometimes you just need a fix of the naughty stuff. So how can you get your fix without killing your waistline?

First, mix up your breading station. Generally you'd dredge your meat or vegetables in white flour (no nutritional value), then a buttermilk and egg mixture (fatty), and follow up with some type of breadcrumb (high in calories with no nutritional value.) Instead, I like to start with a mixture of whole wheat flour and almond flour. A whole grain flour is always better than processed and almonds are recognized as one of the world's healthiest foods with great cardiovascular benefits. Next I'll lightly brush some light or fat-free mayonnaise or salad dressing blend, adding flavor but no fat. Then I finish off with whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs mixed with fresh herbs.

To cook, I only pan-fry, never deep-fry. I pour enough omega-3 oil (the healthy fat!) to coat a hot (but not smoking) skillet, and make sure not to crowd the pan. If you try to cook too much at once, you'll end up steaming your food and won't get that crispy coating you want.

Try this technique with my Honey Mustard Pork Chops:

Honey Mustard Pork Chops