Posted on: Wednesday, March 2, 2005
RECIPE DOCTOR
Lighten up with some hot crab dip
By Elaine Magee
My favorite type of seafood, by far, is crab. According to my taste buds, lobster's got nothin' on crab. It usually pains me to take freshly cracked cooked crab and mix it up with all sorts of other
ingredients. But this recipe from Paula Deen, of the Food Network's "Paula's Home Cooking," sounded like it had potential.
By making a few ingredient switches, such as reduced-fat instead of regular cheese, 1/4 cup light mayo plus 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream instead of 6 tablespoons of regular mayo, and bumping up some of the high-flavor ingredients (roasted garlicand green onions), we trimmed more than 50 calories, 6.7 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated fat) and 9 milligrams cholesterol per serving.
The lighter dip still tastes awesome and still looks all bubbly fresh from the oven.
Each 1/4-cup serving of the original dip contained 140 calories, 11.4 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, and 42 milligrams cholesterol.
HOT (AND LIGHT) CRAB DIP
Heat oven at 325 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Spoon into a large ramekin or small baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly.
Serve with reduced-fat, whole-wheat crackers or fresh sliced sourdough or French bread.
NOTE: To roast garlic, trim 1/3 inch off the top of a garlic bulb to expose the cloves. Wrap the bulb in a small sheet of foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes (or until garlic skins are golden brown and cloves are completely soft.) Squeeze garlic cloves from skins to use in the recipe. Makes 2 cups.
• Per 1/4-cup serving (just dip): 88 calories, 9 g protein, 2.4 g carbohydrate, 4.7 g fat (1.6 g saturated fat, 1 g monounsaturated fat, 1.3 g polyunsaturated fat), 33 mg cholesterol, .1 g fiber, 226 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 49 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids .4 g. Omega-6 fatty acids .9 g. Weight Watchers points, 2 Elaine Magee's book is "Fry Light, Fry Right." Reach her at www.recipedoctor.com. Personal responses can't be provided. This column is distributed by Knight Ridder News Service.
