Italian comfort food makeovers

If you are Italian, or just love Italian food, you probably already know how high in calories some of the most-loved dishes are. Why? Because Italians like fatty meats (sausage, ground beef, pork) and tend to drown everything in olive oil before topping it with a thick layer of cheese. Occasionally you'll find a leaner meat, like chicken breast, on an Italian menu but it's typically going to be dipped in egg, dredged in flour, and fried in oil- a process that adds enough calories to completely negate the benefit of the low-fat meat. Even seemingly "light" meals like chicken Florentine or sole Francese are often loaded with oil and/or butter. And then there's eggplant parmigiana... leave it to the Italians to take a vegetable and turn it into the nutritional equivalent of a triple cheeseburger.

Being part of an Italian family and having married into another one, it has been a challenge to cook satisfying and authentic meals without sacrificing my principles. But, it can be done. Today I will share a few "recipes" (we Italian cooks don't follow recipes; we make it up as we go) that I have used to convert some traditional dishes into healthier versions of themselves.

Broccoli Rabe and Sausage-esque Turkey

Broccoli rabe is definitely one of my top 3 favorite vegetables. I posted a general recipe for broccoli rabe a while back, but in this follow up, I provide instructions for making your own turkey sausage. As I discussed a couple posts ago, commercially available turkey sausage isn't always what it's cracked up to be. If you make it yourself, you know for sure how lean it is. The recipe for the rabe is the same (see above link). To make the turkey sausage, simply combine 1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey with the following (approximate measures):

1/2 tsp caraway seeds, toasted

2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted

1 - 2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. dried sage

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Then cook the turkey in a skillet, sprayed with oil spray, and add the steamed broccoli rabe.

"Stuffed" Artichokes

Another traditional Italian appetizer is whole artichokes stuffed with breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs, and olive oil. Aside from having a less than optimal nutritional composition, this recipe is also somewhat labor-intensive to make and to eat.

Here is a super simple and light version:

Halve 1 can of whole artichokes and dry with paper towels

Place artichoke halves on an oil-sprayed baking sheet

Top with 1 tbs. seasoned breadcrumbs, 1 tbs. grated parmesan cheese, salt & pepper to taste, and another light spray of oil

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees until lightly browned

Finally, my favorite lightened-up Italian recipe,

Eggplant Parmigiana

You will need:

Eggplant

Tomato sauce (homemade or store-bought, heated)

Part-skim shredded mozzarella (you may use 2% reduced-fat mozz, but don't use fat free)

Parmesan cheese, grated (1- 2 tbs.)

Slice the eggplant into 1/2" slices

Lay eggplant slices on layers of paper towel, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for a few minutes to half an hour (depending on how much time you have to wait!)

Press on the eggplant with the paper towels to absorb excess water

Place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, sprayed with canola or olive oil spray and broil each side until golden brown

Remove the slices and place on paper towels to absorb any excess oil

Add enough tomato sauce to coat the bottom of a baking pan

Layer the eggplant slices on top

Continue alternating sauce and eggplant, and (optionally) cheese

Top the final layer of eggplant and sauce with mozzarella and grated parmesan

Place the baking pan under the broiler (on low setting) until cheese is melted and slightly browned

Because this recipe does not call for breading or frying the eggplant, it will be substantially lower in calories than the traditional version. The actual calorie content will depend on the type of sauce you use and the amount of cheese. Here are some tips for keeping the calories low: choose a tomato sauce that has 40-50 calories per 1/2 cup, use 1/4 cup or less cheese for each person or serving.

As an example, I made a large portion of this (enough for an entree for normal people) for my husband and these were the nutritional stats:

Calories: 365

Total fat :11.5 g

Saturated fat: 6.5 g

Carbohydrates: 47 g

Fiber: 22 g

Protein: 29 g

This recipe is also packed with vitamins and minerals, and with the unhealthy stuff left out, it is a nutritional powerhouse of a meal. Unfortunately, I can't find a reliable source of nutrition information for a restaurant serving of eggplant parm, but take my word for it- it would be a lot more calories and saturated fat!