Healthy Potato Skins
Potato skins are good for you, but the ones at chain restaurants can be loaded with fat and calories. Instead of being doused in butter and fried, this version uses an oil spray, turkey bacon and reduced-fat cheese.
Ingredients
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| Potato Skins |
1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
8 tsp turkey bacon pieces
1 tbsp fresh chives
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Canola oil non-stick cooking spray
Salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour or until tender. When potatoes have cooled enough so you can handle them, make two lengthwise cuts through each potato, resulting in 3 1/2-3/4 inch slices. Discard the middle slices or save them for a separate dish of mashed potatoes. This will leave you with two potato skins per potato.
With a spoon, scoop some of the potato out of each skin, being sure to leave about 1/4 inch of potato inside the skin. Pop oven temperature up to 450°F. Spray the entire surface of each potato skin with a light coating of canola oil spray. Place the skins on a baking sheet, open side up, salt each one and take for 12-15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of cheese on each potato skin. Sprinkle 1 tsp of bacon pieces on top of the cheese on each potato skin. Bake the skins for another 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove the skins from the oven and transfer them to a serving plate. Combine the chives with the sour cream and serve in a small sauce cup in the center of the plate, with the skins arranged around the sour cream, like spokes on a wheel.
Nutrition Facts
For 1 serving (3 potato skins)
178 calories
9 g fat
Reduced-Fat Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip
Here is a tasty hot artichoke and spinach dip so that you can enjoy your favorite appetizer guilt-free.
Using reduced-fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt, this recipe cuts the fat and calories of the original dish nearly in half.
Ingredients
Makes 1 1/2 cups (3 total servings)
1 cup chopped frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and diced
2 tbsp water
4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
4 oz 2% Greek yogurt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp low-fat milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 pinch ground black pepper
1/2 tomato, diced
For Dipping
Crackers
Toasted bread
Pita chips
Raw sliced vegetables
Directions
Combine diced artichoke hearts and chopped spinach in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water, cover bowl with plastic and poke a few holes in it to vent. Microwave vegetables on high for 6 minutes.
Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Add the steamed artichokes and spinach and place pan over medium/low heat, stirring often for 10 minutes or until simmering. Just before serving, you may wish to broil the dip in an oven-safe dish for 1 to 2 minutes (under high broil) or just until slightly brown on top. Arrange the diced tomato in a pile in the center of the dip and serve with crackers, toasted bread, pita chips or raw vegetables for dipping.
Nutritional Facts
For 1 (1/2 cup) serving
230 calories
14 g fat
Healthy Mini Burgers
A healthy version of an American classic: the hamburger. Each one of these recipes includes a fat-burning trick to help you shed pounds without feeling deprived.
Instead of an all-beef burger, mix the beef with carmelized onions and mushrooms, to make the burger half-meat and half-veggie. That cut the calories in half and enhanced the tast! Plus, the onions have quercetin, an antioxidant that can help battle belly fat.
Sliders with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (about 3 oz.) cremini mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 pound lean ground beef
8 whole wheat slider rolls
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
Directions
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the oregano, parsley, and sea salt, turn off the heat and transfer to a medium bowl to cool.
Place the ground beef in a large bowl, add the cooled mushroom mixture, and gently fold the two together. Divide the ground beef mixture into 8 equal balls and then gently form each into semi-compact 2 1/2- to 3-inch thick patties. Split the rolls in half and brush the cut side with some of the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Set aside.
Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the burgers and grill on each side until browned, about 2 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a plate while you grill the rolls, cut-sides down, until golden and etched with grill marks from the pan, about 1 minute. Place each patty on a bun bottom and top with a slice of tomato. Spread some honey mustard on the other bun half and top of the slider.
Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
Serves 4
Sauce
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
1 tsp water
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
Burgers
1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp chipotle adobo, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated and peeled
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1 pound ground turkey
4 (2-ounce) sandwich rolls with sesame seeds
1 cup arugula
Directions
Prepare grill. Then add onions, chipotle adobo, ginger, soy sauce, salt and ground turkey in a food processor and blend until coarsely ground. Divide mixture into four equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty. Place patties on a grill rack and grill for approximately 4 minutes on each side or until done. Place rolls, cut side down, onto grill rack and grill for approximately 1 minute until toasted. Place 1 patty on the bottom half of each roll, topping with approximately 1/4 cup of arugula and 1 tablespoon of sauce; add top half of roll. To prepare sauce, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, water, rice vinegar and garlic, stir with a whisk until smooth.
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