Hot dog! There's hope for those looking to go lean

Once in a while, I enjoy eating a good hot dog.

Since the beginning of this column I've been on a quest to create a hot dog healthier than the one's I'd grown to love at a small place in Evanston.

When that first column appeared in 1992, I'd been maintaining a 100-plus- pound weight-loss for two years, and in order to remain lean had banished a variety of foods. Hot dogs were definitely on that "can't-have-it" list because of their high calorie, fat and sodium content.

In that column, I told how I'd re-created a Bill's Drive-In hot dog by using what was then a new fat-free hot dog. Thanks to all the generously applied toppings: mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes and celery salt; those dogs tasted pretty good to me.

If you haven't looked lately, a single standard all-beef Ball Park brand frank, weighing 2 ounces, delivers 180 calories and an amazing 16 fat grams. But, they taste really good.

Oscar Mayer's fat-free dog: just 40 calories and tastes just OK. The difference between those dogs may not seem like much, but if you're like me, you can't eat just one hot dog: three make a meal. Three Ball Parks total 540 calories (no bun or condiments); Oscar's come in at a mere 120. Now that's a major difference.

Over the years, fat-free and reduced-fat hot dogs have come and gone. But, there are still some fairly good lighter hot dog choices available. I like Hebrew National's 97 percent fat-free beef dogs. They deliver a decent, spicy flavor and OK texture and just 45 calories, 1½ fat grams and one point for those who count them.

Last summer, Consumer Reports rated hot dogs. By taste, the highest rated lower fat hot dog was Hebrew National's Kosher Reduced Fat Franks. Do not confuse these with Hebrew National's 97 percent fat-free franks though, since those reduced-fat franks deliver almost three times the calories (120) and more than six times the fat (10 grams).

Consumer Reports ranked Boar's Head Lite Skinless Beef franks right after Hebrew National's. Each of the 1.6-ounce franks had just 90 calories and 6 fat grams. Plus they contained the least sodium (270 milligrams) of all the hot dogs rated in their "very good" category.

Ball Park's Fat Free Franks landed at the very bottom of Consumer Reports taste test. I haven't tried them, but when parked in a steamed bun and dressed to the nines, most fat-free franks are better than no hotdog at all.

Today, you can find whole grain and whole wheat hot dog buns to go with your leaner dogs. These buns add nutritional value and big flavor notes to the package.

For me, ketchup belongs exclusively on a hamburger, never a hot dog. However, some children like ketchup on a hot dog. One tablespoon of regular ketchup contains 15 calories, where Heinz's new sugar-reduced ketchup delivers just 5 calories. That may not seem like much savings, but for those who really pour it on, the savings can add up fast.

Here's how I still make a hot dog that mirror's the one's I used to get at Bill's Drive-in. Don't limit yours to my ingredients; add some warm sauerkraut and turn your dog into one like those sold by New York street vendors.

Don's Drive-in Red Hots

8 light lower-fat, all-beef hot dogs (such as Hebrew National's 97 percent fat free beef franks)

8 white-wheat hot dog buns (such as Sara Lee)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium tomato, sliced thin, and then cut crosswise in half

Yellow mustard

Sweet pickle relish

Celery salt

Add 1 to 2 inches of cold water to a 4-quart saucepan, place over medium-high heat and bring water to a boil. Add hot dogs, and just before the water returns to a boil remove from the heat.

Place a steamer basket into the pan (nestling the legs between the hot dogs if necessary), place a paper towel on the steamer, stack the buns on the paper towel, place another paper towel on top of the buns and place a cover on the saucepan. Let hot dogs heat and buns steam for 5 minutes.

While hot dogs cook, peel and chop onion, and core and slice tomato. Remove the lids from or open mustard, pickle relish and celery salt containers.

Using tongs since they could be too hot to handle, remove buns from steamer, and place side-by-side on one plate, cut sides up. Insert a hot dog into each bun. Garnish, as desired, with mustard, relish, onion and tomato. Dust tomato slices lightly with celery salt. Serve immediately.

Serves eight.

Nutrition values per serving: 161 calories (21.8 percent from fat), 3.9 g fat (1 g saturated), 26.9 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 11 g protein, 15 mg cholesterol, 907 mg sodium.