Appetizer Tasting

We had a recipe tasting at the Candlelight Inn. Our guests tasted some low-calorie, low-fat appetizers in an effort to find some that really taste good.

I, like most of you I’d wager, have tried low-calorie recipes time and time again and have come to the conclusion that most of them are just not good. If food isn’t good, what is the point of eating it? For me, that is medicine. Now eating is a true, bona fide pleasure for almost all of us. Most of us get three or four times a day to indulge in this pleasure—but why would we turn it into a nose-holding operation done to survive? So, while I am very conscientious about health and weight, I am not willing to give up on pleasure in food. Therefore, I am looking for healthy, light dishes that really taste wonderful and satisfy me.

Our guests at the inn participated in testing and rating seven appetizers and three wines. The wines were selected by Kip Earney from West End Liquor. Here are the results and the recipes for the top three:

Sweet potato butter with pita chips scored 2.7 out of a possible 4.0
Black Bean and Mango Salsa scored 3.3
Jalapeno Pepper rings scored 3.0
Festive Cheese Log scored 3.5
Hot spinach-Artichoke Spread scored 2.8
Mozzarella melts scored 2.9
Mini Spring Rolls with plum sauce scored 3.6 and was a hands down favorite.

These recipes were adapted from two cookbooks: 12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi and More Healthy Homestyle Cooking by Evelyn Tribole.

Mini Spring Rolls with Plum Sauce

Plum Sauce
2 jars (4 ounces) baby food strained plums with apples
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 piece fresh ginger (1” thick), peeled
1 garlic clove, minced

Spring Rolls

2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 cup finely shredded Napa cabbage
1 small carrot, shredded
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ pound ground turkey
8 sheets phyllo dough

To make plum sauce: In small saucepan, combine the plums, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. When cool, remove and discard the ginger.

To make the Spring Rolls: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat 1 large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Coat a large skillet with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce and sugar until smooth. Set aside. Set the skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, carrot, celery and garlic and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables and set aside. In same skillet cook the turkey and stir for 5 minutes until no longer pink. Add the soy sauce mixture and mix well. Stir in the cooked vegetables and remove from the heat.

Arrange the sheets of phyllo dough in a single stack. Cut crosswise into 3 strips. Transfer 2 stacks of the strips to plastic wrap and cover with a damp dish towel to prevent drying out as you work. Place 1 strip of phyllo on a work surface and lightly coat with nonstick spray. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling at the short end of the strip, centering it between the edges. Roll up the strip and filling one-third of the way. Fold the left and right sides of the phyllo over the filling and continue rolling to the end. Place the roll, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets and filling. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Serve hot with the sauce.
Makes 24 spring rolls; 1 ½ cups sauce. Per spring roll with 2 teaspoons sauce: 41 calories

Festive Cheese Log

4 ounces goat cheese
4 ounces fat-free cream cheese, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil
½ tsp cracked mixed-color pepper
½ tsp. poppy seeds

In food processor, using metal blade, process goat cheese, cream cheese and garlic until smooth. Scrape onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a log about 10” long. Wrap well and chill for at least 2 hours or until firm. Sprinkle the basil, pepper and poppy seeds evenly over a sheet of waxed paper. Unwrap the cheese log and roll it in the seasoning mixture, pressing gently so that the seasonings adhere on all sides. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Per 2 Tablespoons: 33 calories

Black Bean and Mango Salsa

1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped fresh mango
½ navel orange, peeled and chopped
Juice of ½ lime
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine the beans, tomato, jalapeno, mango and orange in a bowl. Add the lime juice and cilantro and toss to combine with the other ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Per 1 Tbsp: 14 calories

The wines: Bogle Merlot, 2005; Forest Glen White Merlot, 2005; Sebastiani Chardonney, 2005.

The Merlot scored 3.1; the White Merlot, 3.9; the Chardonney 2.6