Q: I've noticed you have made over several of Paula Deen's recipes and I've tried and loved them all. Can you tackle her Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf? I'm afraid to know what the nutrition information is for her version.

Elaine Magee / Special (ENLARGE)

Lean ground sirloin lowers the amount of fat in Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf.

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A: Be afraid ... be very afraid. Seriously though, there are countless ways we can lighten the original recipe. A pound of ground chuck starts off the ingredient list; I used a very lean ground sirloin. Instead of 10 slices of bacon, I used about 5 slices of turkey bacon. The original recipe calls for 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, so I added 1 1/2 cups of reduced-fat sharp cheddar. I also deleted the 1/4 teaspoon of salt and used one higher omega-3 egg and 1/4 cup egg substitute instead of 2 large eggs. I processed 2 slices of whole-wheat bread into soft crumbs instead of white bread crumbs.

Then the recipe calls for 1/4 cup mayonnaise; I used 2 tablespoons of fat-free sour cream blended with 2 tablespoons of light mayonnaise. Deen normally finishes off the meatloaf with a 3-ounce can of french fried onions. But this meatloaf tastes so wonderful, you don't really need it. If you are into the onions though, you can top each serving with a spoon of caramelized onions (instead of fried).

Better-for-You Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf 6 servings

Hands on: 25 minutes Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

This has been remade with 40 percent fewer calories, 60 percent less fat and saturated fat. The original recipe contains 575 calories, 47 grams fat, 17 grams saturated fat and 180 milligrams cholesterol per serving.

2 small slices whole-wheat bread

1 pound ground sirloin (usually is one of the leanest ground beef choices)

5 to 6 slices turkey bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1 1/2 cups shredded, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

1 large egg, higher omega-3

1/4 cup egg substitute (or 2 egg whites)

2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

2 tablespoons light or low-fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

Caramelized onions, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 -by 5-inch loaf pan generously with canola cooking spray. Toast whole-wheat bread until lightly brown and let cool for a few minutes. Add to a small food processor and pulse it into soft crumbs. If you don't have a small food processor, just finely chop the bread into crumbs. In a large bowl, combine the ground sirloin, turkey bacon pieces, cheddar cheese, large egg, egg substitute, bread crumbs, fat-free sour cream, light mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and pepper.

In small bowl, combine ketchup and mustard, then stir 1/4 cup of this into the meatloaf mixture. Press the meatloaf mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Spread remaining ketchup mixture over the meatloaf. Bake in center of oven for 50 minutes or until meatloaf is cooked throughout. Top with caramelized onions, if desired, after 40 minutes, then return it to oven to finish cooking for about 10 minutes.

For optional onions: Add a teaspoon canola oil to medium nonstick frying pan. Over high heat, stir in 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion rings. Continue to cook and stir until the onions are golden brown. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar over the top during the last minute of cooking, if desired.

Per serving: 330 calories (percent of calories from fat, 43), 29 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 16 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 90 milligrams cholesterol, 684 milligrams sodium, 0.2 gram omega-3 fatty acid, 2 grams omega-6 fatty acid, 8 Weight Watchers points.

Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian and author of 25 books on nutrition and healthy cooking. Need us to help make your recipes healthier? E-mail Elaine Magee at betterhealth@ajc.com.