how to pan sear
To cook food in a skillet over medium-high heat using very little oil for a short amount of time.
what you need
A heavy-bottomed skillet big enough to hold the food you are cooking in a single layer with at least 1 inch between the pieces. A cast iron or stainless steel skillet is an excellent choice.
how it’s done
Heat the skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles when dropped onto the surface, about 5 minutes. Add just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom (1 teaspoon of oil will coat a 12-inch skillet). Season the food and add it to the skillet. Wait 2 to 3 minutes for the color of the food to begin to change from the bottom up: Seafood will turn opaque; beef and pork will turn brown. Turn the food over and continue cooking to the desired doneness.
tuna crostini with lemony white bean spread
Serves 8
1 (15½-ounce) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (½-pound) tuna steak, about 1 inch thick
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
1 (8-ounce) whole wheat baguette, cut on the diagonal into 16 slices, toasted
2 scallions, thinly sliced
16 thin slices English (seedless) cucumber
1 Combine beans, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of oil, and garlic in medium bowl; coarsely mash with fork.
2 Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle tuna with salt and pepper. Add tuna; cook 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare or until desired doneness. Transfer tuna to cutting board; let stand about 5 minutes.
3 Cut tuna into 16 slices. Spread each baguette slice with about 1 tablespoon of bean mixture; sprinkle with scallions. Top each with 1 slice cucumber, then with 1 slice tuna.
PER SERVING (2 crostini): 176 Cal, 4 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 17 mg Chol, 338 mg Sod, 22 g Carb, 4 g Fib, 13 g Prot, 70 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 4.
chicken, mushroom, and spinach quesadillas
Serves 8 • Ready in 20 minutes or less
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 (10-ounce) package white mushrooms, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups baby spinach
1½ cups shredded cooked chicken breast
3 ounces reduced-fat goat cheese, crumbled
4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until spinach has wilted, 1 minute.
2 Sprinkle one quarter of mushroom mixture, chicken, and goat cheese on half of each tortilla. Fold unfilled half of each tortilla over filling, pressing down lightly.
3 Wipe out skillet and spray with nonstick spray; set over medium heat. Cook quesadillas, one at a time, until crisp and heated through, about 3 minutes per side. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges; arrange on platter. Serve with pico de gallo.
PER SERVING (2 quesadilla wedges and 1 tablespoon pico de gallo): 140 Cal, 5 g Total Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 26 mg Chol, 309 mg Sod, 12 g Carb, 2 g Fib, 13 g Prot, 27 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 4.
cook’s note
If you don’t have time to make the Sweet Onion Pico de Gallo, serve the quesadillas with store-bought pico de gallo or fat-free salsa.
Chicken, Mushroom, and Spinach Quesadillas and Sweet Onion Pico de Gallo
gefilte fish
Serves 12
3 carrots, sliced
2 small onions, sliced
2 pounds skinless cod fillet, cut into chunks
2 large eggs
¼ cup matzo meal
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 cups low-sodium fish broth
4 cups water
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
¼ cup prepared horseradish in vinegar, drained
1 Combine 1 carrot and 1 onion in food processor and pulse until chopped. Add cod, eggs, matzo meal, salt, and pepper; pulse until mixture is fairly smooth. Transfer to medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
2 Combine broth, water, parsnip, remaining 2 carrots, and remaining onion in large pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
3 Meanwhile, with damp hands, form fish mixture into 12 ovals, using about ⅓ cup for each. Increase heat to medium-high and drop ovals into broth mixture; return to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until gefilte fish is cooked through, 50–55 minutes. Remove from heat and cool in pot.
4 Transfer gefilte fish and vegetables to large plastic container and spoon in enough broth to cover; reserve remaining broth for another use. Chill gefilte fish and vegetables at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. With slotted spoon, transfer to platter; serve with horseradish.
PER SERVING (1 piece gefilte fish, ¼ cup vegetables, and 1 teaspoon horseradish): 131 Cal, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 71 mg Chol, 309 mg Sod, 9 g Carb, 2 g Fib, 18 g Prot, 38 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 3.
cook’s note
The flavor of this delicate dish deepens and improves as the gefilte fish sit in the poaching liquid, so make it a day or two ahead if you can.
smoked trout spread with dill
Serves 12
3 ounces light cream cheese (Neufchâtel)
½ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 ounces skinless smoked trout fillet, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon minced red onion
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Small dill sprigs
36 thin whole grain crackers
1 Combine cream cheese, yogurt, and lemon juice in food processor and pulse until blended. Add trout, chopped dill, onion, and pepper and pulse until blended. Scrape spread into small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.
2 Just before serving, transfer spread to serving bowl; garnish with dill sprigs. Serve with crackers.
PER SERVING (3 tablespoons trout spread and 3 crackers): 71 Cal, 4 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 13 mg Chol, 104 mg Sod, 5 g Carb, 0 g Fib, 5 g Prot, 27 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 2.
cook’s note
To store any leftovers, transfer spread to an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
shrimp with tomato-chipotle relish
Serves 6 • Ready in 20 minutes or less
1 pound tomatoes, seeded and chopped
¼ cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice
½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile
1½ teaspoons canola oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
⅛ teaspoon salt
1¼ pounds large cooked shrimp
6 lime wedges
1 To make relish, stir together tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, chipotle, oil, garlic, and salt in medium bowl.
2 Spoon about ¼ cup of relish into each of 6 small bowls; top evenly with shrimp. Serve with lime wedges.
PER SERVING (about 4 shrimp and ¼ cup relish): 83 Cal, 2 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 107 mg Chol, 186 mg Sod, 5 g Carb, 1 g Fib, 12 g Prot, 34 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 2.
cook’s note
This smoky tomato relish is also delicious to serve with baked tortilla chips, tacos, or tostadas.
grilled shrimp with mango-ginger dipping sauce
Serves 6
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
5 tablespoons lime juice
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon salt
1¼ pounds large peeled and deveined shrimp (about 18 shrimp)
1½ large ripe mangoes, peeled and pitted
3 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 Spray grill rack with nonstick spray; preheat grill to high or prepare high fire.
2 Combine oil, lime zest, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, half of jalapeño, ½ teaspoon of ginger, and ¼ teaspoon salt in zip-close plastic bag; add shrimp. Squeeze out air and seal bag; turn to coat shrimp. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
3 Meanwhile, to make sauce, combine mangoes, remaining 3 tablespoons lime juice, and remaining ½ teaspoon ginger in food processor or blender and puree. Transfer to small bowl and stir in onion, cilantro, and remaining half of jalapeño and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
4 Remove shrimp from bag and discard marinade; place shrimp on grill rack and grill until just opaque in center, 2–3 minutes on each side. Serve shrimp hot or at room temperature with dipping sauce.
PER SERVING (3 shrimp and ¼ cup sauce): 141 Cal, 2 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 146 mg Chol, 802 mg Sod, 15 g Carb, 2 g Fib, 17 g Prot, 75 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 4.
cook’s note
To make it a meal, serve this appetizer with Chicken, Black Bean, and Corn Chili.
crispy coconut shrimp with pineapple salsa
Serves 4
6 tablespoons flaked unsweetened coconut
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
24 medium shrimp (about ½ pound), peeled with tails left on, deveined, butterflied, and patted dry
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2 Combine coconut, panko, flour, and salt in large shallow dish. Beat egg whites in large bowl until frothy; add shrimp to egg whites and toss to coat. Lift shrimp from egg whites one at a time, letting excess drip back into bowl; coat shrimp with coconut mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere. Place shrimp in single layer on baking sheet. Spray shrimp lightly with nonstick spray. Bake until golden outside and opaque inside, 8–10 minutes.
3 Meanwhile, to make salsa, stir together pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice in medium bowl. Serve shrimp with salsa.
PER SERVING (6 shrimp and ½ cup salsa): 180 Cal, 6 g Total Fat, 4 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 63 mg Chol, 664 mg Sod, 20 g Carb, 3 g Fib, 12 g Prot, 52 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 5.
cook’s note
If you have canned pineapple rings packed in juice on hand, you can dice them and use them instead of fresh pineapple.
Crispy Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa
steamed shrimp dumplings with soy dipping sauce
Serves 6
2 cups coleslaw mix
2 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
24 medium shrimp (about ½ pound), peeled and deveined
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon sesame oil
24 (3-inch) round wonton wrappers
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon chili-garlic paste
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
1 Bring medium saucepan two thirds full of water to boil over high heat. Add coleslaw mix and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and drain again. Pat dry with paper towels.
2 Put scallions and cilantro in food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add shrimp and coleslaw mix and continue to pulse until finely chopped. Add egg white and sesame oil and pulse until blended.
3 Lay wonton wrappers on work surface and spoon 1 level tablespoon of shrimp mixture into center of each. Gather up edges, pleating wonton wrappers around filling, but leaving filling uncovered at top. Press down lightly on filling with moistened finger so that dumplings resemble small flowers.
4 Fill large, deep skillet with 1 inch water. Set steamer basket in skillet and spray basket with nonstick spray. Arrange half of dumplings in basket. Set skillet over high heat and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium, cover skillet tightly, and steam dumplings until filling is firm and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer dumplings to platter and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining dumplings.
5 Meanwhile, to make sauce, stir together soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, and chili-garlic paste in small bowl; sprinkle with scallions. Serve dumplings with sauce.
PER SERVING (4 dumplings and 1 tablespoon sauce): 136 Cal, 1 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 41 mg Chol, 479 mg Sod, 22 g Carb, 2 g Fib, 8 g Prot, 39 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 3.
cook’s note
Wonton wrappers come in round and square varieties. If you can’t find round ones, you can use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut rounds from square wonton wrappers.
crabmeat and avocado salad in endive
Serves 6 • Ready in 20 minutes or less
3 ounces crabmeat, picked over
1 plum tomato, diced
¼ avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon seafood seasoning
12 large Belgian endive leaves (from about 2 heads endive)
Toss together crabmeat, tomato, avocado, onion, parsley, lemon zest and juice, and seafood seasoning in medium bowl. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of crabmeat mixture into each endive leaf and arrange on serving platter. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate up to 1 hour.
PER SERVING (2 stuffed endive leaves): 27 Cal, 1 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 14 mg Chol, 74 mg Sod, 2 g Carb, 1 g Fib, 3 g Prot, 23 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 1.
cook’s note
To make this appetizer for serving with the Christmas Dinner menu, double all the ingredients and prepare as directed.