The EatingWell makeover of this pesto appetizer boasts about half of the calories and a quarter of the fat of the original recipe. Serve with crostini, crackers or French bread.

Servings: 16 servings
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes plus cooling time
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Cuisine: American
Health: Low Calorie, Low Carb, Low Sat Fat, Low Cholesterol, Low Sodium, Heart Healthy

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups nonfat cottage cheese , pressed

1 10-ounce package frozen, chopped spinach , thawed and squeezed to remove excess moisture

1 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese , cut into pieces

1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

1 each large egg

2 each large egg whites

2 cloves garlic , minced

2 teaspoons dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

Steps:

1: Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2: Place pressed cottage cheese, spinach, cream cheese, Romano cheese, egg, egg whites, garlic, basil, salt and pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth. Spoon the spinach mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until firm, about 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.

3: Place the pan on a serving plate, run a knife around the outer edge and remove pan sides. Garnish with tomatoes or basil leaves, if using.

Nutrition: (Per serving)

Calories - 74
Carbohydrates - 4
Fat - 3
Saturated Fat - 2
Monounsaturated Fat - 1
Protein - 8
Cholesterol - 24
Dietary Fiber - 1
Potassium - 106
Sodium - 260

Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Related Links:

  • Herbed Olives
  • Search for More EatingWell Recipes