Potato Cakes-Thinny style!

Thinny Potato-Cakes! I was in the mood for something crunchy on the outside and yummy in the middle! So I decided to make these...What I love about these cakes is that when it comes to the topping there is a lot of versatility, they taste great with so many flavors! I have been addicted to Tzatziki sauce ever since I was a kid after eating it in a greek diner. So I like to top mine with a dollop of that, (see recipe at bottom of page) if that's your thing.

Things you'll need
2 large peeled potatoes or 4 small cooked then mashed, I used my little food processor
1 onion diced
3 minced garlic cloves
1 package mushrooms (diced)
1/2 pepper diced
1 stalk celery diced
2 eggwhites
1 whole egg for coating, but you will probably have some left over. (I did)
Garlic powder
breadcrumbs for coating (italian style)
Fresh dill
Chives-(optional)
Oil for sautéing the veggies.

Step 1

Get your mushrooms, celery stalk, onion and 1/2 a pepper-wash, and dice them all up. (set aside)

Step 2

Peel your potatoes and steam them, or boil, or even microwave them till soft-If you do microwave them, check on them so that they don't burn. Once they are done, either blend them in a food processor or a potato masher. (if using a food processor add a tiny bit of oil before processing.) After its mushed, put it in a bowl, let it cool off.

Mashed up potato and fresh dill

   Step 3

Get your pan, pour a shallow layer of oil and heat it; once hot, add all your diced veggies and cook till soft and translucent add a bit of salt, set aside and let it cool down, while that is cooling, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Once the mushroom mixture is cooled add it to the potatoes, along with 2 whisked egg whites, 3 minced garlic cloves, and the chopped fresh dill, salt, pepper and a little shake of garlic powder and Mush that all up well using nice clean hands.

Step 4

Take your breadcrumbs and shake some onto a plate, take 1 whole egg and crack and whisk it into a bowl.  Start forming patties one at a time, if you have a brush, use it to spread a little egg on each side of the cake, if you don't ..Do what I did, hold the patty in one hand and dip your fingers into the egg and brush it onto both sides of the patty (evenly), then coat with bread crumbs and place onto a baking sheet (after you have sprayed it with cooking spray) Do this until all cakes have been made -it should make 8
once they are all on the sheet, use the cooking spray and give it a good once over.
*Pop them in the oven!

Cook for 30 minutes, gently turn cakes over half way through cook time.

Topped with Romano cheese and Chives

Tzatziki and chives

Condiment ideas

Sourcream(light)

little parmesan or romano cheese

Tzatziki sauce

Applesauce

Ketchup

Hot Sauce

Tartar sauce and lemon

Drizzle of Honey mustard, ranch, any lite dressing of your preference, I think it works best with something in the creamy family! 

Salsa, and/or guacomole,

Another yummy topping for this is my white sauce, (see creamy lasagna rollups for recipe).

Tzatziki Recipe
1 container of reduced fat sour cream, or greek yogurt, the sour cream has a slightly sweeter thicker flavor and consistency, the yogurt is thinner and more tangy, so this is your preference, I like both. You could even do half greek yogurt, half sour cream..this is one of those recipes that everyone has a certain version of how they like it. So taste as you go! :)

1 cucumber, peeled, then cut lengthwise, scooped and shredded,  whatever you can't shred, dice it up, using a cheesecloth or paper towels, drain as much water out of the cucumber as you can, once that's done, cut the shredded cucumber pieces, so they are not sooo long.

Add the cucs and the rest of the ingredients below to a bowl, combine well 

1 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of a half a lemon (or a little more, taste as you go)
3 regular sized minced garlic cloves,  or 4 small ones.
Salt  to taste

Fresh dill, about 1 tsp.(optional)

Fresh oregano (optional) 

Put in the fridge for at least one hour, and serve with whatever you like! 

Garlic Herbed Baby Carrots!

This really couldn't be any easier or cheaper to make! and it's REALLY good for you.

Things you'll need

1 bag baby carrots(I use organic, cause I don't like my carrots soaked in chlorine!)

1/4 cup olive oil or a bit more, your preference.

Liberal amount of dried Thyme (eyeball it)

Salt and pepper, not too much, but enough to flavor, and if you want to add more after it's finished, that's fine, just go easy on the salt. 

6  large garlic cloves minced 

Fresh chives to top, or dill, or whatever fresh herb that you would like to pair it with!

(I use what I grow, right now my chives are growing like crazy!)

*Roast the baby carrots with the fresh minced garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, Thyme, salt and pepper, mix it well with carrots so it's nicely coated, once that's finished,  lay those babies on a baking sheet in a single layer.


*Place in a preheated 350 degree oven-Roast until garlic is browned and carrots are soft, this is one aroma that will make your mouth water and your home smell delicious!

This is a great side dish, or just a snack! 

Light & creamy Lasagna Rollups!

These are my 'Thinny Roll-ups', I was really in the mood for something rich and creamy, but also didn't want to have a 1,000 calorie dinner! These came out great and the whole family loved them, nobody could tell they were a 'Thinny' Recipe! That was the point, flavor without all the bad stuff, but still not tasting like rabbit food! 

Filling 

15 oz low fat ricotta

1 egg

Hand full of chopped Chives

9 lasagna noodles

2 packages of mushrooms(baby ports or white) Sliced.

Salt &Pepper
1-2 minced garlic clove

Fresh herbs from my garden, Oregano and chives!

Step 1
Sauté mushrooms in a little olive oil and salt-set aside and let them cool down.


Step 2
Combine Ricotta cheese, 1 egg, cooled sautéed Mushrooms, chopped chives, minced garlic cloves, blend it well, add a bit of salt and pepper. 

Step 3
*Cook Lasagna noodles in a pot of boiling water till soft. let it cool off before rolling, put a bit of olive oil on a baking sheet,(very shallow layer, just enough so that the noodles don't stick) lay one noodle at a time on the baking sheet that you will be using, and spread the filling evenly over the noodle (not thick, but a nice layer of mushroom filling) Roll it up, loosely; seam side down, repeat until all Noodles are rolled. Cook for about 30 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.  Check on it after 25 minutes, because some ovens cook faster, you don't want the noodles to crisp up, unless that's how you like it! 

Pre oven Roll-Ups

*Right out of the oven*

White sauce

Shallow layer of Olive oil (for the pan)

5 cloves fresh minced garlic

Bunch of Fresh chopped oregano (but dry can be used)
Juice of 1 Lemon

Salt & Pepper
1/2 cup (frozen) cooked peas

1 larget tomato, diced and drained-Or, if you must- italian style diced tomato can drained

1/2 bar Neufchatel cheese, that's 6 Tbsp. cubed (1/3 less fat Philly cream cheese is what I used, if I had organic cheese I would have used that)

*Take your pan and put it on a medium heat with the olive oil, once the oil is hot, throw in minced garlic cloves, the cubed cheese, chopped Oregano, diced tomato and peas- Stirring gently till it's nice and smooth. Adjusting heat accordingly. Once that's warm and smooth, turn the heat off and add the juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper to taste,  stir till well blended, pour 1 rounded Tbsp. of warm sauce on finished rollups! Great Served with a side of roasted Asparagus, and a fresh green salad!

MANGIA!!