The Greek Yogurt Miracle Solution (11 page)

Serves 6

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

My biggest problem with many crab cakes? Not enough crab! Good-quality crabmeat is essential here; this isn't the time to use the fake stuff (when is it, really, other than for California Roll?). Broiling these crab cakes in the oven saves calories and is a lot easier than flipping them in a pan. Because crab meat is lean, I used a little low-fat mayonnaise for some creaminess and egg whites to help bind it together. Spicy yogurt aioli makes a perfect dipping sauce and is a great alternative to the full-fat mayo-based dip that usually accompanies crab cakes.

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs (gluten-free, if desired)

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup low-fat olive oil mayonnaise

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large), whisked until foamy

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 lb lump crabmeat, drained, picked over for shells and patted dry with paper towel

Spicy Yogurt Aioli

3/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup low-fat olive oil mayonnaise

2 tbsp Sriracha sauce

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat broiler to high.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup panko, bell pepper, green onions, garlic, dill, mayonnaise, egg whites, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne, gently mixing with a spatula. Gently fold in crab meat. Place remaining 1/2 cup panko in a shallow dish.

Divide crab mixture into 1/4-cup portions. Dip each portion into reserved panko, lightly pressing to form rounded patties about 1 inch thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and mist tops of each cake with cooking spray.

Broil for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Using a spatula, gently flip cakes over, mist with cooking spray and broil for another 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and heated through.

Meanwhile, prepare aioli: In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, mayonnaise, Sriracha and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve crab cakes with sauce on the side for dipping.

Per Serving

Before: 618 calories, 43 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 340 calories, 9.5 g total fat

Nutritional information: 0.8 g saturated fat, 18.4 g carbohydrates, 1 g fibre, 17.3 g sugar, 43.1 g protein, 1460 mg sodium, 116 mg cholesterol

Serves 12

Hands-on Time: 60 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes + 90 minutes rising time

When a
Steven and Chris
viewer challenged me to create a healthy pizza, I wanted to make one that tasted like junk food but was actually good for you. Lots of pizza joints have bacon double-cheeseburger pizza, so that was the perfect choice! I cut some of the fat in the beef by swapping half of it for cremini mushrooms and using my mom's burger-enhancing secret ingredient, Worcestershire sauce, along with steak spice to amp up the beefy goodness. The Greek yogurt–mustard sauce brings the whole dish together. The result? The
S&C
crew gobbling it up faster than I've ever seen, and everyone exclaiming that it tasted like a fast-food burger, but better! Mission accomplished.

8 medium cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1/2 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

12 oz extra-lean ground beef or sirloin

1 tbsp Montreal steak spice

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp finely ground cornmeal

1 ball
Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough
or 1 lb prepared whole-wheat pizza dough

3/4 cup jarred all-natural tomato sauce

1/4 cup jarred all-natural BBQ sauce (or homemade version, see below)

1 cup shredded low-fat aged cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

1/2 large red onion, diced

2 medium plum tomatoes, diced

3 slices
Perfect Crispy Bacon
, crumbled

1/3 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

3 tbsp yellow or Dijon mustard (or combination of the two)

1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

BBQ Sauce

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp smoked paprika

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups passata

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup honey

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F.

In a food processor, finely chop mushrooms, yellow onion and garlic.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and steak spice and cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, for 8 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and no liquid remains in bottom of pan. Add mushroom mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is fragrant and liquid is evaporated. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Line a large (about 11- × 16-inch) baking sheet with parchment paper, mist with cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal. Stretch dough to fit sheet.

To prepare BBQ sauce: Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat; mist with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic to pan and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Add chili powder and paprika and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, passata, vinegar, molasses and honey. Bring to a boil, partially cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Mix tomato and BBQ sauces together and spread in an even layer onto pizza dough. In a bowl, combine the cheddar and mozzarella, then sprinkle half the cheese mixture overtop the sauces. Spread beef mixture over cheese. Top with remaining cheeses, red onion, tomatoes and bacon.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese is golden brown.

While pizza is baking, combine yogurt and mustard. To serve, slice pizza, drizzle with yogurt sauce and top with shredded lettuce.

Per Serving

Before: 562 calories, 31 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 214 calories, 9.7 g total fat

Nutritional information: 3.6 g saturated fat, 18.5 g carbohydrates, 2.9 g fibre, 4.4 g sugar, 14.8 g protein, 407 mg sodium, 27 mg cholesterol

Serves 12 (makes one 8-inch round cheesecake)

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours + 5 hours cooling and chilling time

Is it possible to make a cheesecake with all the flavour but half the calories? Yes! I love serving this at dinner parties. It's a sure-fire crowd pleaser.

Crust

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup organic sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch sea salt

Filling

2 cups low-fat cream cheese

1/3 cup organic sugar

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 large egg

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large)

Pinch sea salt

Topping

3 cups frozen mixed berries, thawed, or fresh berries in season

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup organic sugar

1 tbsp tapioca starch, arrowroot powder or cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Prepare crust: In a food processor, pulse oats, almonds and flour to a fine powder. Add sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Pulse until combined and crumbly.

Gently press crust evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature. Increase oven temperature to 500°F.

Prepare filling: In food processor, pulse cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until combined and smooth. Add yogurt, egg, egg whites and salt; pulse again until smooth. Pour filling into cooled crust.

Place cheesecake in the centre of a 14-inch-square piece of foil. Wrap bottom and sides of pan entirely with foil to prevent water from seeping in. Place in a bain-marie and bake for 10 minutes (see Note below). Reduce oven temperature to 200°F and continue to bake for 1 hour, until cake is just slightly wobbly in the centre and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre reads 150°F.

Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Run a thin, sharp knife between cake and sides of pan, leaving cake in pan. Allow to cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

While cake is cooling, prepare topping: Combine berries, lemon juice, sugar and 3/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Return sauce to saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.

In a small bowl, stir tapioca starch with 1 tbsp water until smooth, to form a slurry. Stir into berry mixture and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate. (continued overleaf )

To serve, release springform from cheesecake. Fill a pitcher or bowl with warm water. Using a sharp knife, slice cheesecake into 12 pieces, dipping knife into water and carefully wiping it clean with a kitchen towel after each slice. Place a dollop of berry topping on each serving and garnish with fresh berries. Serve immediately.

Note:
A bain-marie is a culinary term for a hot water bath, which uses indirect heat to cook delicate foods, such as custards and cheesecakes. The heat from the oven is transferred to the food through water, which ensures a more even, gentle bake. To make a bain-marie, simply place the cheesecake or custards in a large roasting pan and fill the pan halfway full with boiling water; transfer to the oven and bake as directed.

Tip:
If using fresh berries, reserve a few for garnish.

Per Serving

Before: 500 calories, 30 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 309 calories, 15.3 g total fat

Nutritional information: 7.5 g saturated fat, 32.9 g carbohydrates, 3.8 g fibre, 18.5 g sugar, 11.1 g protein, 154 mg sodium, 50 mg cholesterol

Serves 12 (makes one 8-inch round cheesecake)

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours + 5 hours cooling and chilling time

Chocolate cheesecake is one of the most ubiquitous decadent treats. There is nothing guilt-free about it — until today! I've hidden a touch of ground oats in the crust for added fibre and use better-for-you chocolate wafers. For the filling, low-fat cream cheese, non-fat Greek yogurt and egg whites do the trick to lighten things up. For the ganache topping, I've replaced 35% cream with non-fat Greek yogurt and added a little cocoa powder to bump up the rich chocolate flavour and reduce fat.

Crust

1/2 cup rolled oats

3 oz gluten-free or whole-grain chocolate wafer cookies

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tbsp organic sugar

Filling

8 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or greater), chopped

2 cups low-fat cream cheese

1/3 cup organic sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process is best)

1 large egg

1/3 cup egg whites (about 3 large)

3/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Pinch sea salt

Topping

4 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or greater), chopped

1 1/2 cups non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process is best)

1/4 cup organic icing sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Prepare crust: In a food processor, pulse oats and cookies to a fine powder. Add butter and sugar; pulse until combined and crumbly. Gently press crust evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature. Increase oven temperature to 500°F.

Meanwhile, prepare filling: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a pot of barely simmering water. Make sure water does not touch bottom of the bowl. Pulse cream cheese in clean food processor until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add sugar, sift in cocoa powder and pulse until incorporated and smooth. Add melted chocolate and pulse until fully incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed with a spatula. Add egg and egg whites, pulsing until incorporated and scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula as needed. Add yogurt, vanilla and salt; pulse until incorporated. Pour filling into cooled crust.

Place cheesecake in the centre of a 14-inch-square piece of foil. Wrap bottom and sides of pan entirely with foil to prevent water from seeping in. Place in a bain-marie and bake for 10 minutes (see Note below). Reduce oven temperature to 200°F and continue to bake for 1 hour, until cake is just slightly wobbly in the centre and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre reads 150°F.

Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Run a thin, sharp knife between cake and sides of pan, leaving cake in pan. Allow to cool at room temperature for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare topping: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a pot of barely simmering water. Make sure water does not touch bottom of bowl. While chocolate is melting, sift cocoa powder into yogurt and add icing sugar, stirring to combine. Stir chocolate into yogurt until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture over centre of cooled cheesecake, spreading out evenly with the back of a spoon or spatula.

Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

To serve, release cheesecake from springform. Fill a pitcher or bowl with warm water. Using a sharp knife, slice cheesecake into 12 pieces, dipping knife into water and carefully wiping it clean with a kitchen towel after each slice. If you wish, garnish with fresh berries. Serve immediately.

Note:
A bain-marie is a culinary term for a hot water bath, which uses indirect heat to cook delicate foods, such as custards and cheesecakes. The heat from the oven is transferred to the food through water, which ensures a more even, gentle bake. To make a bain-marie, simply place the cheesecake or custards in a large roasting pan and fill the pan halfway full with boiling water; transfer to the oven and bake as directed.

Per Serving

Before: 470 calories, 32 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 339 calories, 10.3 g total fat

Nutritional information: 6 g saturated fat, 53 g carbohydrates, 7.1 g fibre, 25.8 g sugar, 13.2 g protein, 236 mg sodium, 17 mg cholesterol