I’m not a believer in New Year’s resolutions. Though the Julian calendar was a pretty great innovation for its time, I don’t usually base my life decisions on ancient astronomy. After all, the Jewish year of 5785 already began in October and the Lunar Year of the Snake is coming at the end of this month. The Persian New Year, or Nowruz? It greets the spring in March. However, the end of the December holidays is as good a time as any to start on a healthier path. I spent December indulging in Korean barbecue, cream-filled pastries and meat-filled breakfast strata. Now, no matter which calendar I adhere to, it’s time to buckle down.
When I’m skipping meat, my go-to is the umami tofu recipe that helped me lose most of my freshman-food-writer 50. But I crave lots of protein to give me energy for my busy days, and I find that it’s most satisfying when it comes from an animal. One of my favorite meals is lean pork chops with a pan sauce. Still, there are times that I want to go even leaner and get some fiber, too. On those occasions, I prepare Vermont food writer Melissa Pasanen’s Lemon-Rosemary Turkey Meatballs. My backyard rosemary plants last through the Virginia winters, so I enjoy running outside to clip a sprig or two to add to the dish. The strong personalities of the lemon, herbs and Parmesan cheese all conspire to make this dinner—with only 345 calories per serving—incredibly satisfying.
The first time I made it, my husband commented that it reminded him of Swedish meatballs but with exponentially more flavor. He prefers ground chicken, so I use that instead of the turkey. After making that one major change, I cemented this recipe as a frequent MVP in our dinner rotation.
So far so high protein, but what about the fiber I mentioned? That comes from the bread I use to make the breadcrumbs to bind the ground meat. I keep a loaf of multigrain bread in the freezer and pull out 1½ slices about a half-hour before I plan on starting dinner. I tear the bread into pieces and grind them in a food processor before adding the other ingredients. Onion, garlic, grated lemon zest and rosemary combine with the bread to make moist, aromatic crumbs. In a large bowl, I fold the crumbs, as well as the Parmesan and salt and pepper, into the ground chicken. I like to make mini meatballs, so I usually end up with about 16, rather than the 12 that Pasanen recommends. I roll the meatballs in flour and then brown them in an oiled pan over medium heat.
With the meatballs reserved next to the stove, I make another change: my husband and I love the sauce so much that I make a little bit more than the recipe yields. Rather than pouring in ½ cup of white wine, I deglaze the pan using ¾ cup. I also use homemade chicken stock instead of canned chicken broth. My version is a little more strongly flavored with wine, which I think amplifies the 4 teaspoons of lemon juice also added to the sauce. Before I add the acid, though, I return the meatballs to the pan to braise. I usually do this for about 10 minutes, but once when my husband was stuck in rush-hour traffic, I left them at a low simmer for 40 minutes and didn’t detect much of a difference.
When the meatballs are ready to serve, I add the lemon, as well as the remaining flour and just enough butter to give the sauce a silky texture. I don’t strain the sauce as instructed because it’s already pretty perfect in my estimation. I also don’t serve the dish over pasta, as appealing as it looks in the recipe photo. When I’m trying to follow a high-protein eating plan, I prefer to skip even whole-wheat spaghetti in favor of crispy air-fried broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
At this time last year, I had gained 8 pounds that I was afraid would hang on forever. But I realized that entering my 40s wasn’t the life sentence I had feared. I’ve dropped all 8 of those pounds and am working on getting to a point that my old jeans are even a little bit loose. Maintaining a high-protein regime has always worked for me, combined with regular workouts on my Peloton. I’m not in my 20s anymore, but frankly, I’ll take the wisdom I’ve accrued across those extra years over fitting into my old size-zeros anytime. After all, that’s how I know that New Year’s resolutions aren’t for me. And how I know that eating healthfully is an everyday habit, not just something to do when my pants feel tight.
