The Greek Yogurt Miracle Solution (7 page)

Serves 6

Hands-on Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes (bacon not included)

1 tbsp olive oil

4 cups sliced leeks, white and light green parts only (about 3 large leeks), rinsed well and drained

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

1 cup 1% milk

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 cup shredded low-fat aged cheddar cheese

3 slices
Perfect Crispy Bacon
, crumbled

3 green onions, thinly sliced

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add leeks, thyme and 1 tsp salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add potatoes, stock and bay leaves. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

Using an immersion blender or working in batches using a blender (do not use a food processor or soup will become gluey), purée soup until smooth. [Make-ahead: Prepare soup to this point up to 48 hours in advance, cover and refrigerate.] Return soup to medium heat, stir in milk and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until heated through. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with yogurt, cheese, bacon and green onions.

Per Serving

Before: 500 calories, 40 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 212 calories, 5.5 g total fat

Nutritional information: 1.9 g saturated fat, 26.8 g carbohydrates, 2.1 g fibre, 5.6 g sugar, 15.4 g protein, 1079 mg sodium, 11 mg cholesterol

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

The Americanized version of the French croque monsieur sandwich, the Monte Cristo sandwich is typically dipped in batter and fried in a lot of oil. Swapping the batter for crushed brown rice crisp cereal still gives you the crispiness and deep-fried flavour.

1 large egg

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large)

3 tbsp skim milk

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch sea salt

2 cups coarsely crushed brown rice crisp cereal

4 tsp non-fat plain Greek yogurt

4 tsp Dijon mustard

8 slices whole-grain bread

4 oz all-natural smoked turkey breast, thinly sliced

4 oz all-natural Black Forest ham, thinly sliced

4 oz shredded low-fat Swiss cheese (or 4 1-oz slices)

1/4 cup organic icing sugar

1/2 cup all-natural no-sugar-added raspberry or black currant jam

Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a shallow dish, whisk together egg, egg whites and milk. Season with nutmeg and salt. In a separate shallow dish, place crushed cereal.

In a small bowl, mix together yogurt and Dijon. spread about 1 tsp of the mixture on one side of each bread slice; place, yogurt spread side up, on work surface. Layer turkey, ham and cheese on 4 bread slices. Top each with remaining 4 bread slices, yogurt spread side down, pressing gently.

Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat; mist with cooking spray.

Using a spatula, carefully dip one side of a sandwich into egg mixture (egg mixture should go about halfway up the bottom slice of bread when immersed). With your hand on the top of the sandwich and spatula underneath, carefully flip to immerse the other side in egg, then gently transfer to crushed cereal, turning once to coat. Transfer to a small plate or baking sheet. Repeat with second sandwich. Mist both sandwiches with cooking spray on both sides and transfer to hot pan. Sear sandwiches, turning once, until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.

To serve, dust with icing sugar and serve with a dollop of jam for dipping.

Tip:
To crush cereal, pulse in a food processor until cereal resembles a coarse flour. Alternatively, place in a resealable bag, squeezing out all the air before sealing. Lay the bag on a work surface and crush by rolling over it with a rolling pin, can or jar. To prevent the bag from breaking, I like to drape a clean kitchen towel over it before rolling.

Per Serving

Before: 508 calories, 15 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 577 calories, 10.1 g total fat

Nutritional information: 2.7 g saturated fat, 82.3 g carbohydrates, 8.1 g fibre, 38.3 g sugar, 38.7 g protein, 1128 mg sodium, 79 mg cholesterol

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes (ketchup not included)

Russian Dressing

1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup
Homemade Ketchup
or organic ketchup

2 tbsp minced dill pickle

4 tsp minced green onion (about 1 green onion)

1 tsp prepared horseradish

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sandwiches

8 slices dark rye bread

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

8 oz lean corned beef, thinly sliced

8 oz Montreal smoked turkey breast, thinly sliced

1 1/3 cups sauerkraut, drained

4 slices low-fat Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese (4 oz)

How can you go wrong with a fried sandwich piled with fatty corned beef, cheese and Russian mayo dressing? Perhaps it's not surprising that a classic Reuben has 967 calories and 70 grams of fat — it's almost like eating
two
fast food double-stacked burgers. With a few simple swaps and a much lighter dressing that uses Greek yogurt, you can't miss with this Reuben.

Prepare dressing: In a bowl, stir together yogurt, ketchup, pickle, green onion, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare sandwich: Butter bread slices on one side and arrange, butter side down, on a cutting board. Spread dressing over top bread slices. Top 4 slices with corned beef, turkey, sauerkraut and cheese. Top each with remaining 4 bread slices, dressing side down.

Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat; mist with cooking spray. Cook sandwiches for 5 to 7 minutes per side, flipping once with a spatula, until bread is crispy and filling is heated through.

Note:
If working in batches, preheat oven to 350°F. After searing each sandwich, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and warm in oven for about 5 minutes, until heated through.

Per Serving

Before: 967 calories, 70 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 385 calories, 12.8 g total fat

Nutritional information: 6 g saturated fat, 41.6 g carbohydrates, 5.6 g fibre, 10.7 g sugar, 25.5 g protein, 1624 mg sodium, 51 mg cholesterol

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

As a child I professed to hate hard-boiled eggs, so my mom called egg salad “Dinosaur Dip” — and I loved it. For this sandwich, I swap full-fat mayonnaise for non-fat Greek yogurt and use mostly egg whites to cut down on the total fat.

12
Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

2 celery ribs, finely diced

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh dill (optional)

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tsp dry mustard

3 tbsp non-fat plain Greek yogurt

Pinch cayenne pepper or a few dashes hot sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 slices whole-grain bread

1 1/3 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce

Peel eggs, reserving 8 yolks for another use. Place egg whites and remaining 4 yolks in a food processor. Add celery, dill (if using) and green onions and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and add mustard, yogurt, cayenne, salt and pepper, stirring with a spatula to combine.

Top 4 bread slices with egg salad and lettuce. Sandwich with remaining bread slices.

Per Serving

Before: 485 calories, 34 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 366 calories, 9.5 g total fat

Nutritional information: 2.4 g saturated fat, 42.3 g carbohydrates, 7.3 g fibre, 8 g sugar, 26.9 g protein, 567 mg sodium, 216 mg cholesterol

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

1/3 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp minced dill pickle

1 tbsp chopped capers

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

4 tsp Dijon mustard

Dash hot sauce

1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large)

1 1/4 cups fresh whole-wheat or regular panko bread crumbs (gluten-free, if desired)

1/3 cup whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 lb Pacific cod, halibut or Mediterranean sea bass fillets, cut into 3-oz pieces

4 whole-grain hamburger or thin sandwich buns, toasted

4 large leaves leaf lettuce

4 slices or 1 cup shredded low-fat aged cheddar cheese (about 4 oz)

Fish is naturally low in fat until you deep-fry it, smother it with mayonnaise and top it with cheese. You can make this fast-food favourite at home with all of the flavour and without giving up the health benefits of eating fish.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

For tartar sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, pickle, capers, lemon juice, 2 tsp Dijon and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare breading station: In a separate bowl, whisk together egg whites and remaining 2 tsp Dijon. On a shallow plate, combine panko, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place flour in a second shallow plate.

Dredge each fish fillet in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg white mixture. Gently press fillet into panko, coating all sides evenly, and transfer to prepared baking sheet.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; mist with cooking spray. Working in batches if necessary, sear fillets for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown, misting tops with cooking spray before flipping. Place fillets on baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes, until cooked through.

To assemble sandwiches, split buns and spread with tartar sauce. Layer bottom halves of buns with lettuce, fillets and cheese. Cover with top halves of buns.

Per Serving

Before: 1100 calories, 54 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 487 calories, 5.5 g total fat

Nutritional information: 1.8 g saturated fat, 54.3 g carbohydrates, 6.6 g fibre, 6.3 g sugar, 51.6 g protein, 990 mg sodium, 80 mg cholesterol