Ess Gezint: Everyone Should Know These “Secrets of Skinny Cooking”

Jun 10, 2017 by Susan Rosenbluth

The co-authors of Secrets of Skinny Cooking: Mouthwatering Recipes You Won’t Believe Are Low Calorie, sound like a marriage made in heaven. Popular food writer Victoria Dwek is a prolific cookbook author as well as the managing editor of Whisk, the kosher food magazine published by Ami Magazine, and Shani Taub is a Lakewood-based certified nutritionist and diet consultant.

Together, they have created this beautiful new cookbook from Mesorah Publications, which deserves a place in every kosher kitchen. Each recipe comes with not only a calorie count but also tips on how to prepare the same dish for the whole family along with great ideas from both Ms. Dwek and Ms. Taub.

Zucchini Bruschetta

2 small or medium zucchini
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt, for sprinkling
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
⅟₂ small red onion, finely diced
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
⅟₂ tsp dried basil
⅟₂ tsp salt
Pinch coarse black pepper

Preheat oven to 400⁰. Coat a baking sheet or pan with non-stick cooking spray. Trim the ends of the zucchini, and slice in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and slice each half zucchini into 3-4 zucchini “boats.” Season zucchini with crushed garlic and sprinkle with salt. Place zucchini, cut side up, onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, vinegar, basil, ⅟₂ tsp salt, and pepper. To serve, spoon-filling into zucchini boats. Makes about 12-16 boats, about 13 calories each.

Super Creamy No-Carb “Mac” and Cheese

1 Tbs whipped butter or 2 tsp stick butter
1 Tbs flour
1⅟₂ cups whole milk
3 tsp salt, divided
2 (24 oz) bags frozen cauliflower florets (completely thawed and drained)
2⅟₂ oz (⅟₂ cup plus 2 Tbs) shredded mozzarella and/or cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350⁰. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour. Add milk, and whisk to combine. Bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the sauce is very thick and not watery (be careful not to burn). It should coat the back of a spoon. Season sauce with 1 tsp salt.

Put thawed cauliflower into a colander and press to get out as much water as possible. In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with the remaining salt, sauce, and about 1⅟₂ oz of cheese. Transfer to a 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 45-60 minutes. Makes 4 servings, 210 calories per serving.

Chocolate Brownies

¼ cup cocoa
1 tsp instant coffee granules
¼ cup sugar
½ cup flour
1½ tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
4 (6 oz) jars sweet potato baby food
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350⁰. Coat a 9-x-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl or directly into the baking pan, whisk together cocoa, coffee granules, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together sweet potato puree, eggs, and vanilla. Combine with dry ingredients either into the bowl or directly into the baking pan. Melt chocolate (or leave unmelted for crunchy bits in the brownies). Fold into batter. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool. Yields 12 large squares, 119 calories each.