Appetizers and Snacks

Nonfat Yogurt Cheese

(Yields 8-2 oz servings)

  • 1 quart nonfat yogurt, no gelatin added

Place in a cheesecloth-lined colander overnight or longer and refrigerate until approximately half of the original volume.

Per Serving: Calories: 185 Fat: 0 gm Protein: 19 gm

Carbohydrates: 27 gm Sodium: 270 mg

 

Seasoned Lowfat Yogurt Cheese

(Yields 8-2 oz servings)

  • 1 quart Lowfat yogurt, no gelatin added
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh herbs, chopped (2-3 Tbsp. dried)
  • 1 Tbsp. roasted garlic paste (see marinade section)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Serve with fresh vegetables in season: cucumbers, jicama, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots. It is also good spread on garlic croutons.

Per Serving: Calories: 196 Fat: 2 gm Protein: 20 gm

Carbohydrates: 28 gm Sodium: 318 mg

 

Garlic Croutons

  • 1 sweet baguette
  • 1 whole garlic clove, peeled

Slice baguette in thin diagonal slices and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes until crisp. Rub lightly with a garlic clove before serving.

Per Serving: Calories: 80 Fat: 1gm Protein: 3gm

Carbohydrates: 15 Sodium: 175 mg

         

Pears with Blue Cheese Spread

The pears should be firm and very sweet. The contrast of the sharp cheese and sweet pear is really wonderful.

(12 servings)

  • 3 ripe red Bartlett or Comice Pears, thinly sliced
  • 4 oz. tangy blue cheese
  • 8 oz. nonfat cream cheese
  • ½ tsp. minced garlic
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper

Place cheeses and spices in Cuisinart and whip until smooth, scraping down often. Don't overmix or the mixture will liquefy. Slice pears as close to serving time as possible. If serving spread in a separate bowl, sprinkle the top with minced chives or parsley. If spreading ahead, remember a very thin spread has a lot of flavor.

Per Serving: Calories: 78 Fat: 3gm Protein: 6gm

Carbohydrates: 9gm Sodium: 207mg

 

Smoked Eggplant Dip

This is the second or third generation of an adaptation of Elizabeth David's recipe for Babaganoush. It is wonderful as a dip or used in sandwiches.

(12 servings)

  • 2lb. eggplant, grilled and roasted until soft
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
  • 1 ½ cups nonfat yogurt cheese
  • 2/3 tsp. salt, or to taste
  • ½ tsp. black pepper, or to taste
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Place eggplant directly over flame and cook until skin is charred. Place charred eggplant on a cookie sheet and roast in a 350F preheated oven for 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle peel roasted eggplant and put pulp in a food processor. Puree until smooth and whip in other ingredients by hand. Best if refrigerated overnight.

Per Serving: Calories: 106 Fat: 0 gm Protein: 9gm

Carbohydrates: 17gm Sodium: 325mg

 

Phyllo Triangles

Try these triangles without the smoked cheese and use fresh or dried dill in place of the other spices. This dish is even more delicious made with lowfat dairy products if you are not on a restricted diet.

  • 1lb. fresh phyllo dough
  • 1 2/3 cup chopped onion
  • 1 ½ tsp. minced fresh garlic
  • 2 lb. fatfree ricotta
  • ¼ lb. fatfree mozzarella cheese, grated
  • ¼ lb. fatfree smoked cheddar, grated
  • ½ lb. fatfree Parmesan
  • 1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. dry basil
  • 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 3-4 Tbsp. liquid egg substitute

Unwrap the phyllo dough and cover with a clean lightly dampened towel. Wilt the onion and garlic with ½ tsp salt. Add the pepper and dry spices and cook for a few minutes. Cool the onion mixture thoroughly before adding to the various cheeses. Lay one sheet of phyllo on a clean flat work surface. Spray lightly with nonstick spray (2-3 second spray) and cover with another sheet of dough. Repeat until there are three sheets. Cut the sheets into three strips lengthwise. Dollop 1/3 cup of cheese mixture on the bottom corner of each strip and fold like a flag. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and spray the top lightly. Bake triangles in a preheated 350F oven approximately 35-40 minutes until golden and puffy.

Per Serving: Calories: 252 Fat: 0gm Protein: 20gm

Carbohydrates: 30gm Sodium: 912mg

 

Vegetarian Sushi

These are really fun to make and eat. The mats are available at most health food stores but much less expensive at an Asian grocery store.

(12 servings)

  • 4 cups sushi rice or short grain brown rice
  • 6 cups water
  • ½ cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • toasted sushi nori
  • bamboo mat for rolling

Suggested fillings:

green onion slivers, daikon radish, julienne carrots, sweet potato, cucumber, Chinese mushrooms

Combine the rice and water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover the pot and continue to cook for approximately 20 minutes. Turn off flame and keep covered, continuing steaming for another 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile bring vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil. Stir often and cook until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate and cool thoroughly before using.

Place cooked rice in a stainless or Pyrex roasting pan and drizzle on vinegar- sugar mixture while working the rice in a horizontal motion with a plastic spoon or sushi paddle.

Place a sheet of pretoasted nori on the bamboo mat roller, shiny side down. Scoop 1 ½ cups sushi rice onto nori and dip your fingers in the vinegar before spreading.

Leave a ¾ inch border without rice on the top edge. About 2 inch up from the bottom edge lay a strip of your filling. Roll a little by hand to insure capturing your filling. Continue to roll firmly. You may need to moisten the end flap with vinegar to stick securely.

Let rolls sit in refrigerator for 25-30 minute before slicing. Slice each roll into 9 slices. Wipe your knife blade on a wet rag between cuts. Serve with Wasabi, soy dipping sauce (see sauce section) and pickled ginger.

Per Serving: Calories: 178 Fat: 1gm Protein: 4gm

Carbohydrates: 32gm Sodium: 590mg

 

Aram Sandwiches Made with Hummus

These sandwiches are also wonderful made with the lowfat yogurt cheese when it is drained long enough to be quite firm.

(12 servings)

Hummus Spread:

  • 3 cups canned garbanzo beans, rinsed
  • 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. minced fresh garlic
  • ½ tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. salt

For sandwiches:

  • Armenian cracker bread or lavosh
  • cucumbers, sliced thin
  • tomato slices
  • green leaf lettuce, chiffonade
  • red onions, sliced thin

Puree the hummus ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Moisten the cracker bread under running water for 10-15 seconds on each side and place between dampened towels. Cover the entire tray of moistened cracker breads with saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. This step can be done a day ahead.

Season your cucumber and tomato slices with a little salt and black pepper. To assemble sandwich rolls, spread a thick even layer of hummus on each softened cracker bread, leaving about ¼ inch border around three of the edges and ½ inch at the top edge. Layer the vegetables in thin even layers and begin rolling as firmly as possible without squishing the tomatoes. Lay the roll on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll again twirling the edges to secure. Refrigerate for an hour or more before slicing each roll into 12 slices.

Per Serving: Calories: 175 Fat: 1gm Protein: 5gm

Carbohydrates: 32gm Sodium: 405mg

 

Mexican Fritatta

Serve in bite size pieces with the fresh tomato salsa or mix a little salsa into some fatfree sour cream.

(12 servings)

  • 2 cups diced red bell pepper
  • 2 cups diced yellow onion
  • 2 cups thawed frozen corn or fresh kernels
  • 2 cups canned diced green chilies, drained
  • 2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¾ tsp. black pepper
  • ¾ tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
  • 6 2/3 cups egg substitute

Wilt all the vegetables together in a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan with a tight fitting lid. Add water as necessary. Add spices and cook off remaining liquid; vegetables must be very dry before adding them to the eggs or your fritatta will be soggy. Cool before mixing with egg mixture. Prepare ½ sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper and nonstick spray. Spread mixture evenly in pan. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20-30 minutes until set and puffed. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before freeing edges. Cut ½ sheet pan into 24 pieces

(6 x 4) and then cut each in half diagonally.

Per Serving: Calories: 115 Fat: 0gm Protein: 15gm

Carbohydrates: 14gm Sodium: 563mg