Layered spread a festive holiday treat | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Layered spread a festive holiday treat | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

Posted on: Wednesday, December 26, 2007

TASTE
Layered spread a festive holiday treat

•	Celebration!

By Elaine Magee

Q. Do you have an interesting but lightened appetizer I can make for a New Year's Eve party? I'm tired of the same old, same old dips and spread.

A. I just love those colorful layered spreads around the holidays. They are festive before you even take a bite. This one is a light version of a spread that has a Mediterranean twist. I cut the fat and calories by making some simple ingredient substitutions, such as reduced-fat feta and light cream cheese instead of regular. Then instead of a stick of butter, I used 1/4-cup less-fat margarine and 1/4-cup fat-free sour cream. You can make your own lighter pesto but if you are buying it from the store, make sure it uses one of the preferable oils (olive oil or canola oil). The result is a dip that has 44 percent fewer calories, half the fat, and two-thirds less saturated fat and cholesterol than the original recipe.

You can also keep this appetizer light and healthful by serving it with low-fat whole-grain (higher fiber) crackers.

The original recipe contains 160 calories, 15.5 g fat, 8 g saturated fat and 35 mg cholesterol per serving.

8-Layer Mediterranean Spread

1/4 cup less-fat margarine (with 8 grams fat per tablespoon)

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

3/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese (i.e., Athenos)

8 ounces light cream cheese

2 teaspoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons minced or chopped shallot

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

2/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes, rinsed and drained well (about half of an 8-ounce jar)

1/2 cup pesto sauce (i.e., Armanino frozen pesto)

Add margarine, sour cream, feta cheese, cream cheese, garlic, shallot and white pepper to food processor and process until smooth, scraping the sides partway through (an electric mixer can also be used).

Drape two long pieces of plastic wrap in the inside of a medium-size bowl or a gelatin-type mold with the extra plastic wrap outside the bowl on all sides (we will use this to fold over and cover the mixture while in the refrigerator).

Layer the spread into the prepared bowl or mold as follows:

Half of the sundried tomatoes, then half of the pine nuts, then spread half of the pesto and on top of that and finally, spread half of the cream cheese mixture in the bowl or mold.

Repeat the layers again with the remaining ingredients. Pat down gently into the mold with a spatula and cover with the extra plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.

Unwrap the top of the spread and place the serving plate on top of the bowl or mold. Turn them both over to set the spread right side up on the plate. Finish unwrapping the mold and serve with whole grain crackers or slices of whole-grain bread, such as whole-wheat baguette.

Makes 20 appetizer servings.

Per serving (spread only): 90 calories, 4 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate, 7.4 g fat, 2.4 g saturated fat, 3 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, .5 g fiber, 185 mg sodium. Calories from fat, 74 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids, .2 g. Omega-6 fatty acids, 1.6 g. Weight Watchers points, 2.

Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian and author of "Comfort Food Makeovers." Learn more at www.recipedoctor.com.

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