Category: Appetizers

3 points/3 stickers + sauce

Dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

Dumplings:
1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced carrot
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 cups chopped skinned cooked turkey
24 (4-inch) gyoza skins
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 cup water, divided

To prepare dipping sauce, combine first 5 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk.

To prepare dumplings, place mushrooms, onions, carrot, ginger, and vinegar in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping sides. Combine mushroom mixture and egg whites in a large bowl; add turkey, stirring until combined.

Working with 1 gyoza skin at a time (cover remaining skins to keep from drying), spoon about 1 tablespoon turkey mixture into center of each skin. Moisten edges of skin with water. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal. Place dumpling on a baking sheet (cover loosely with a towel to keep from drying). Repeat procedure with remaining skins and turkey mixture.

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange half of dumplings in pan; cover and cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn dumplings; add 1/4 cup water. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Wipe pan dry with a paper towel. Repeat procedure with remaining vegetable oil, dumplings, and water. Serve warm with dipping sauce.

Yield:  8 servings (serving size: 3 pot stickers and about 2 teaspoons dipping sauce)

• CALORIES 144
• FAT 2.5g
• FIBER 0.9g

 

1 point

1 teaspoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach
1/2 cup basil leaves, loosely packed
1/3 cup (about 3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add salt and spinach; sauté 3 minutes or until the spinach wilts. Place spinach mixture in a colander, pressing until mixture is barely moist.

Place spinach mixture, basil, cream cheese, and pepper in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon spinach mixture into a medium bowl. Add yogurt and Parmesan; stir to combine. Chill.

Yield: 2 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup)

• Calories: 63
• Fat: 4.2
• Fiber: 0.9

3 points

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 (13.5-ounce) package baked tortilla chips (about 16 cups)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and next 6 ingredients (through spinach) in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips.

Yield: 5 1/2 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup dip and about 6 chips)

• Calories: 148
• Fat: 5 g
• Fiber: 1.5 g

2 points

6 small Yukon gold or red potatoes (about 2 pounds)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely grated white cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped smoked salmon (1 ounce) (or center cut bacon or prosciutto)

Preheat oven to 400°.

Rub potatoes with oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place potatoes on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes.

Switch oven to broil.

Cut potatoes in half crosswise; cut off a small portion of the rounded edge so the potato will stand upright. Carefully scoop out about half the pulp from each half, leaving the shells intact. Spray the shells with cooking spray and broil briefly to make them crispy.  Turn oven back to bake at 400°.

Combine potato pulp, milk, butter, pepper, cheese, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon potato mixture into each potato shell. Arrange stuffed potatoes on a jelly-roll pan; top each with 1/2 teaspoon chopped salmon.

Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed potato half)

• Calories: 96
• Fat: 2.2 g
• Fiber: 0.9 g

1 point/4 mushrooms

Cooking spray
1/4 cup minced shallots (about 1 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
40 medium button mushrooms (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 400°.

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add minced shallots and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Place shallot mixture in a medium bowl.

Remove stems from mushrooms; chop stems. Add chopped mushroom stems, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and smoked cheddar cheese to shallot mixture; toss with a fork until blended. Add olive oil and 1 teaspoon water; stir well to combine.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon filling into each mushroom cap. Arrange mushrooms, filling side up, on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until filling begins to brown and cheese melts. Serve warm.

Yield:  10 servings (serving size: 4 mushrooms)

• CALORIES 51
• FAT 2.5g
• FIBER 0.3g

2 points

Serve with toasted pita wedges or sourdough baguette slices.

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (12-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained

Place all ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 2 1/2 tablespoons of dip)

• Calories: 75
• Fat: 4.4
• Fiber: 0.9

2 points

3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
24 apple slices

Place first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat until smooth. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 tablespoons dip and 2 apple slices)

• Calories: 107
• Fat: 3.2
• Fiber: 1.4

3 points

2 spray(s) cooking spray
1 medium potato(es), baking, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium garlic clove(s)
2 oz low-fat cheddar or colby cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
2 tbsp fat-free sour cream
24 item(s) wonton wrapper(s), round (about 6 oz total)
1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
1 tbsp chives, fresh, minced

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine potato and garlic in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and set pan over high heat. Bring to a boil and boil until potato is fork-tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer potato and garlic to a large bowl; add cheese and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Mash mixture together with a fork until lumpy.

Place wonton wrappers on a flat surface. Drop potato mixture by tablespoonfuls onto center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with wet fingers, fold over one side to make a half circle and press sides together to seal. Transfer filled wrappers to prepared baking sheet and coat surface with cooking spray.

Bake until wontons are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/4 cup of sour cream and chives. Mix well and serve with potato dumplings.

Yields 4 wontons and 1 tablespoon of dip per serving.

2 points

Cooking spray
8  ounces  lean ground pork
1/3  cup  chopped green onions (about 2)
1  tablespoon  low-sodium soy sauce
1  teaspoon  sesame oil
1 1/2  cups  packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw
3  tablespoons  water
1/2  teaspoon  cornstarch
30  gyoza skins
1  tablespoon  peanut oil
1  cup  water

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 6 minutes or until done, stirring to crumble. Add onions, soy sauce, and sesame oil; cook 30 seconds. Stir in coleslaw, and cook 30 seconds or until cabbage wilts, stirring frequently.

Combine 3 tablespoons water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to pork mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.
Working with 1 gyoza skin at a time (cover remaining skins to prevent drying), spoon 1 scant tablespoon pork mixture into center of each skin. Moisten edges of skin with water. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer (cover loosely with a towel to prevent drying). When all skins are filled, remove towel and cover with plastic wrap; freeze until firm. Place in zip-top plastic bags, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Arrange the frozen pot stickers in a single layer on a baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap, and thaw in refrigerator overnight.

Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Arrange pot stickers in pan in a single layer; cook 2 minutes or until browned on bottom. Add 1 cup water to pan; cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 3 pot stickers)

• Calories: 118
• Fat: 3.9g
• Fiber: 1.1g

 

less than 1 point

Serve with crudités, pita, or crispy flatbread.

2  quarts water
1  pkg frozen spinach thawed
2  teaspoons butter
1/3  cup finely chopped sweet onion
1  garlic clove, minced
1/2  teaspoon salt
1  cup plain fat-free organic yogurt (such as Stonyfield Farm)
1/4  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8  teaspoon ground cinnamon

Squeeze spinach to remove water.
Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 6 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in spinach and salt. Cool to room temperature.
Combine spinach mixture, organic yogurt, black pepper, and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled.

Yield: 13 servings (serving size: about 2 tablespoons)

• Calories: 20
• Fat: 0.7 g
• Fiber: 0.3 g