Lobster Rolls, Lightened Up
Tara Donne
Gobs of mayo and butter can wreck this summertime goodie. Lighten up your favorite recipe and dive in!
Restaurant offerings for lobster rolls range from 600 to 1440 calories and 34 to 98 grams of fat per serving! Lobster certainly isn’t the problem: 3 ounces of cooked lobster meat contains 83 calories, 1 gram of fat and 17 grams of protein. It also packs in 44 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin B12 and more than 50 percent of the mineral (and antioxidant) selenium.
Shellfish like lobster does contain a fair amount of cholesterol: a 3-ounce portion has 20 percent of the daily recommendation. But since shellfish like lobster and shrimp are low in saturated fat, they can still be incorporated into a heart-healthy diet.
So if lobster isn’t to blame, what is? Heaps of mayo and butter are to thank for the skyrocketing calorie counts.
Whether you prefer lobster prepared with creamy mayonnaise or silky butter, too much fat can weigh down your meal. Neither choice of fat needs to be completely off limits. Keep in mind that 1 tablespoon of mayo has 90 calories and 10 grams of fat while the same amount of butter has 100 calories, 11 grams of fat and 6 times more cholesterol than mayonnaise!
If mayo is your poison, cut down on the calories and fat by using 50% less than the recipe calls for or switch to a low fat version (get the low-down on light mayo options). Try blending mayonnaise with nonfat plain Greek yogurt to cut the fat but maintain a creamy texture.
For butter lovers, skip the side portions of melted butter and saute the lobster meat ahead of time in a more reasonable amount of butter. Then ramp up the flavor with fresh lemon juice (see recipe below).
Melt butter in a skillet and add lobster meat; season with salt, pepper and lemon juice and saute until lobster is just warm. Meanwhile, heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Gently split open hot dog buns. Place buns in skillet (open side facing down) and toast slightly. Fill toasted buns with lobster mixture and serve with lemon wedges.
Cooking Tip: Cooking for someone that avoids shellfish? They don’t have to miss out – make a “lobster roll” using a firm and mild white fish like tilapia or halibut.
Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition. See Dana's full bio »
