The Greek Yogurt Miracle Solution (9 page)

Serves 8

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Given the “Dish Do-Over” requests I received, it seems many of you love creamy pasta dishes but want to know how to make healthier versions. Although you may think all that butter and cream are what make fettuccine Alfredo delicious, my version has half the calories and one-third of the fat, and tastes even better!

Alfredo sauce

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp rice or whole-wheat flour

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 small yellow zucchini, shredded (about 2 cups lightly packed)

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1 cup 1% milk

1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch cayenne pepper

Pasta

Extra-virgin olive oil, for tossing

1 lb whole-wheat or brown rice fettuccine noodles

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5 oz each), thinly sliced

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Prepare sauce: in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add onion and half the garlic; cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until translucent. Stir in flour and continue to cook, stirring for about 1 minute, until flour is light brown. Stir in bay leaf, thyme, zucchini, stock and milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and discard bay leaf and thyme. Stir in Parmesan and yogurt. Purée in a blender or directly in saucepan with an immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Cover and keep warm.

Prepare pasta: While sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, rinse and toss with oil. Spread on a baking sheet to cool. Set aside pasta pot for reheating pasta later.

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, season chicken with remaining 1 tbsp oil, remaining garlic, salt and pepper. Cook chicken for about 2 minutes, until golden. Stir in broccoli, mushrooms and bell pepper and cook for another 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are al dente. Stir in 1 cup sauce.

Return pasta to pot and stir in remaining sauce. Gently stir pasta and cook over medium-high heat until pasta is heated through. Transfer to a bowl for serving and top with chicken and vegetables.

Tip
: salted cooking water is essential for infusing pastas and boiled vegetables with flavour. While it might sound straightforward, most home cooks under-salt the water and end up with a flavourless product. For maximum flavour, cooking water should taste as salty as the ocean. Use about 1 tbsp salt for every 4 quarts of water.

Per Serving

Before: 910 calories, 52 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 406 calories, 11.7 g total fat

Nutritional information: 4.1 g saturated fat, 55.4 g carbohydrates, 2.8 g fibre, 4.1 g sugar, 21.7 g protein, 397 mg sodium, 33 mg cholesterol

Serves 8

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Macaroni and cheese is quite possibly the most perfect food on the planet. The original version uses full-fat cheese, cream and white pasta; the whole dish is pretty much fat and carbs. My version uses creamy sweet potato to thicken the sauce and add nutrients and flavour, evaporated milk so the sauce doesn't separate during baking and brown rice pasta.

2 1/2 cups sweet potato, peeled and chopped (1 medium)

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup whole-wheat or brown rice flour

2 tsp dry mustard

1 can (13 oz/370 mL) non-fat evaporated milk

1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups shredded low-fat aged cheddar cheese

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Dash hot sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

4 cups whole-wheat or brown rice macaroni (1 lb/454 g)

1 cup panko bread crumbs (gluten-free, if desired) or fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place sweet potato in a steamer basket set over a saucepan of boiling water. Steam potato until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Mash until smooth.

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until golden brown. Stir in mustard and sweet potato.

Whisk in evaporated milk and stock until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually stir in cheddar and 1/2 cup Parmesan until smooth. Season with nutmeg, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Whisk in yogurt until mixture is smooth.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente (if given a range of cooking time, choose shorter time, otherwise cook for 2 minutes less). Drain, reserving 1/3 cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to pot and stir in sauce, adding as much reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 9- × 13-inch baking pan misted with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine panko, parsley and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Sprinkle mixture over pasta and mist with cooking spray. Bake for about 30 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and topping is golden brown and crispy

Per Serving

Before: 836 calories, 52.6 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 480 calories, 11.2 g total fat

Nutritional information: 3.7 g saturated fat, 73.4 g carbohydrates, 3.1 g fibre, 9.8 g sugar, 22.5 g protein, 704 mg sodium, 15 mg cholesterol

Serves 6

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

This one-dish wonder is a retro favourite that's designed to be quick, easy and inexpensive. With a few swaps, it can be a healthy choice too. Look for egg noodles made without yolks — you'll save fat and won't notice the difference in taste. True to tuna noodle casserole form, it was the first dish empty at the potluck I took this baby to, with everyone asking for the recipe. Well, here it is, ladies!

8 oz no-yolk extra-broad egg noodles (about 3 cups)

1 batch mushroom
Creamy Condensed Soup Substitute

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock

3/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

2 cans (6 oz/170 g each) non-sodium, water-packed chunk albacore tuna, drained

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed and drained

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or a few dashes hot sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions until al dente (if given a range of cooking time, choose shorter time, otherwise cook for 2 minutes less). Drain and lightly mist with cooking spray to prevent noodles from sticking.

In a large saucepan, whisk together mushroom soup, stock, yogurt, Dijon and tamari until smooth. Warm over medium heat, stirring frequently, until steaming, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in tuna, peas and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly mist a 9- × 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; transfer mixture to dish.

In a small bowl, combine panko and Parmesan. Sprinkle over casserole and mist with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes, until crust is golden and sauce is bubbling.

Per Serving

Before: 697 calories, 34.2 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 396 calories, 5.3 g total fat

Nutritional information: 1.2 g saturated fat, 54.5 g carbohydrates, 5.6 g fibre, 11.1 g sugar, 29.9 g protein, 638 mg sodium, 24 mg cholesterol

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

This has been a family favourite for decades and makes a quick weeknight dinner. you can lose the fat and sodium by adding cremini mushrooms to a leaner beef and using your own condensed soup substitute.

1 lb chuck shoulder or eye of round beef, trimmed of visible fat and sliced into 1/4-inch strips

1/4 tsp each sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/4 cup whole-wheat or brown rice flour

1 tbsp grapeseed oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms

1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 batch mushroom
creamy condensed soup substitute

8 oz no-yolk extra-broad egg noodles (about 3 cups)

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

3/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

Pat beef dry with paper towel, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, then toss in 2 tbsp flour to coat on all sides.

In a large non-stick, high-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, sear beef on all sides until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain excess fat.

Add onion, garlic and mushrooms to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and mushrooms are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in remaining flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add beef and stock, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in Dijon, Worcestershire sauce and mushroom soup. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until beef is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and lightly mist noodles with cooking spray. Stir noodles and dill into beef mixture until noodles are evenly coated and warmed. Serve topped with a dollop of yogurt.

Per Serving

Before: 582 calories, 32.1 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 638 calories, 16.5 g total fat

Nutritional information: 4 g saturated fat, 73.7 g carbohydrates, 7.1 g fibre, 15.7 g sugar, 47.3 g protein, 920 mg sodium, 70 mg cholesterol