The Greek Yogurt Miracle Solution (6 page)

Serves 8

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes + 1 hour chilling time

My sister makes this delicious salad for many family get-togethers. I try to convince myself that because it's mostly broccoli, it's not so bad for me — oh, the little white lies we tell ourselves. I've swapped mayo for Greek yogurt, switched to low-fat cheese and reduced the amount, and traded bacon for ham.

1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 6 cups)

3/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp honey or organic sugar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 cup diced smoked cooked ham (about 6 oz)

1 cup shredded low-fat aged cheddar cheese

1/3 cup dried cranberries

3 green onions, thinly sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup
toasted sunflower seeds or slivered almonds

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli florets and cook for about 90 seconds, until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain and rinse under cold water or in an ice bath. Arrange in a single layer on a kitchen towel–lined baking sheet, gently patting dry with another kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, honey, vinegar and garlic powder. Add ham, cheese, cranberries, green onions and drained broccoli and gently mix until broccoli is coated with dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

To serve, gently stir in sunflower seeds.

Per Serving

Before: 340 calories, 21 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 146 calories, 4.7 g total fat

Nutritional information: 1.3 g saturated fat, 14.3 g carbohydrates, 2.3 g fibre, 9.2 g sugar, 13.8 g protein, 518 mg sodium, 16 mg cholesterol

Serves 8

Hands-on Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Any recipe that involves frying potatoes is going to be trouble. For my version, I use a fraction of the oil, thanks to the help of a non-stick pan, and I choose yogurt and unsweetened applesauce for the toppings. Be sure to remove any dark brown bits from the bottom of the pan after each batch is cooked so they don't burn.

1 1/2 lb russet potatoes, peeled (about 3 1/2 cups grated)

3/4 lb parsnips, peeled

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 large egg white

1 large egg

3 tbsp fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Grate potato and parsnips into a large bowl of cold water. Allow to soak for 2 minutes after all are grated. Drain well in a colander. Transfer to a large, clean kitchen towel. Working over the sink, gather ends of the towel; twist and squeeze very hard to wring out as much liquid as possible. Open towel on work surface; use your fingers to gently loosen vegetables. Wring out once more.

In a large bowl, whisk together onion, egg white, egg, bread crumbs, baking powder, salt and pepper. Add vegetables and mix well.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; mist with cooking spray. Working in batches, drop 2-tbsp dollops of latke mixture into pan, gently flattening with a spatula. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown, misting tops of latkes with cooking spray before flipping. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.

Once all latkes are cooked, transfer baking sheet to oven and bake for about 5 minutes, until latkes are heated through. Serve with applesauce and yogurt on the side.

Per Serving

Before: 283 calories, 8 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 144 calories, 2.7 g total fat

Nutritional information: 0.4 g saturated fat, 25.9 g carbohydrates, 3.1 g fibre, 6 g sugar, 5.1 g protein, 181 mg sodium, 24 mg cholesterol

Serves 8

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes + 90 minutes draining time

I once catered for a wedding where the bride and groom just could not agree on creamy or vinegar coleslaw. This debate also happened on a regular basis in my house when I was growing up, so my mom acquiesced and made both to keep the peace. Cool, refreshing coleslaw is an essential salad for summer BBQs in my books, but even just 1/2 cup can add 16 grams of fat to your plate. I've cut the full-fat mayo and opted for a lighter, buttermilk-based dressing with all the tang and flavour of the original. Salting the cabbage ahead of time is the key to leaching a lot of water out of the leaves so the dressing isn't runny.

1 medium green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 8 cups lightly packed)

2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

1/4 cup 1% buttermilk

1/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp honey

Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, toss cabbage, carrot and onion with 1 tsp salt. Transfer to a large colander set over a bowl and allow to drain for 90 minutes. Rinse well under cold water and place in a thin layer on a kitchen towel–lined baking sheet, gently patting with another kitchen towel to dry completely.

While the cabbage mixture is draining, in a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, yogurt, parsley, vinegar, Dijon and honey. Add cabbage mixture, tossing to coat well. Season with salt and pepper.

Per Serving

Before: 300 calories, 14 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 69 calories, 0.5 g total fat

Nutritional information: 0.1 g saturated fat, 15.1 g carbohydrates, 2.8 g fibre, 10.8 g sugar, 3.2 g protein, 145 mg sodium, 1 mg cholesterol

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

The problem with most sweet potato fry recipes is that the fries are soggy, even the deep-fried ones! Egg whites and cornmeal are the trick to crispy, oven-baked sweet potato fries.

Sweet Potato Fries

3 medium sweet potatoes

1/4 cup egg whites (about 2 large)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp finely ground cornmeal

Garlic Yogurt Aioli

3/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup low-fat olive oil mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Position racks in top and bottom thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Peel and slice sweet potato into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, salt, cumin and cayenne until foamy. Add potato wedges and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cornmeal and gently toss to coat.

Mist prepared baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping potatoes over and switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through cooking time, until golden brown and crispy.

Meanwhile, prepare aioli: Whisk together yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, Dijon and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Serve fries with aioli on the side for dipping.

Per Serving

Before: 472 calories, 36 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 219 calories, 6.4 g total fat

Nutritional information: 0.6 g saturated fat, 32.4 g carbohydrates, 4.1 g fibre, 9.9 g sugar, 8.7 g protein, 438 mg sodium, 8 mg cholesterol

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

One of the easiest ways to make soup taste luxurious is by adding cream. It should come as no surprise that this technique packs loads of fat into each humble bowl. In this soup, I've removed the cream, butter and white flour yet achieved the same richness and texture with a few fat-saving tricks. I use lots of mushrooms, roasting them first to develop the flavour, and add zucchini, which melts right in to help thicken the broth. Then I top each bowl with a dollop of non-fat Greek yogurt to complement the woodsy mushrooms with its bright tangy flavour.

2 cups quartered medium cremini

2 cups quartered white mushrooms

2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed

2 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced 1 inch thick

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium zucchini, ends trimmed, diced (about 1 cup)

1/3 cup dry red wine

4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives

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

Arrange mushrooms on prepared baking sheet and mist with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half of thyme and season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until tender and golden.

in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, zucchini and remaining thyme and sauté until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in roasted mushrooms. Stir in wine and simmer until evaporated, about 1 minute. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Purée soup with an immersion blender. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Ladle soup into serving bowls and top each with yogurt and chives.

Per Serving

Before: 337 calories, 24 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 136 calories, 4.4 g total fat

Nutritional information: 0.5 g saturated fat, 16.6 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g fibre, 7.4 g sugar, 10.3 g protein, 615 mg sodium, 1 mg cholesterol

Serves 8

Hands-on Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

There is much debate over whether beans belong in chili. I say, bring on the beans! They add fibre and nutrients, cut down on the fat and are much less expensive than meat. In short, beans rock. I use kidney and pinto beans here, but feel free to use black beans or whatever variety you have in your pantry. To cut down on the fat, I replace regular ground beef with extra-lean ground beef or sirloin. When choosing sirloin, be sure to look for extra-lean or lean, or check the nutritional content; otherwise, it could be just as calorie-dense as regular ground beef. A great chili is all about the layering of flavour, so I've added tons of aromatic spices and a bit of cocoa powder for a rich undertone. Top it all off with non-fat Greek yogurt instead of full-fat sour cream, and with low-fat cheddar instead of full-fat, and you've got a hearty bowl of chili that won't tip the scales.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 lb extra-lean ground beef or sirloin

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1 tsp adobo sauce

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

1 can (28 oz/796 mL) unsalted diced tomatoes

2 cups passata

1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock

1 can (15 oz/398 mL) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz/398 mL) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 cup shredded low-fat aged cheddar cheese

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon and stirring frequently, until browned and no liquid remains in pan, about 5 minutes.

Add tomato paste, chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, oregano, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in diced tomatoes, passata and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until thickened. Stir in kidney and pinto beans and simmer for another 10 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon chili into bowls and garnish with yogurt, cheese, green onions and cilantro. Serve with hot sauce and
Chili-Lime Baked Tortilla Chips
or your favourite packaged baked tortilla chips for dipping.

Note:
Chili is even better the next day, after the flavours have had time to blend. This chili tastes best prepared at least a day — and up to 3 days — in advance. Cover and refrigerate; reheat over low heat when ready to serve.

Per Serving

Before: 628 calories, 24 g total fat

Dish Do-Over: 333 calories, 10.8 g total fat

Nutritional information: 3.9 g saturated fat, 28 g carbohydrates, 7.4 g fibre, 8.1 g sugar, 31.7 g protein, 778 mg sodium, 52 mg cholesterol