Home
In this issue
Nov. 25, 2009
Daniel Pipes: Islamism 2.0
JWisdom.com: No God … No You! Know God, Know You! with Rabbi Yitzchok Fingerer (8 minutes)
Nov. 24, 2009
Rabbi Avi Shafran : The Atheists' unintended gift
JWisdom.com: You are a Philanthropist with Aliza Bulow (5 minutes)
Nov. 23, 2009
JWisdom.com: Actually, it really is all about you with Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff
Nov. 20, 2009
Rabbi David Aaron: How to make every second of your life come first
Caroline B. Glick: Whither American Jewry
Nov. 19, 2009
Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: Please Listen to this Godcast (5 minutes)
Jonathan Tobin: ADL Crosses the Line with Report Bashing Obama Critics
Nov. 18, 2009
Rabbi Yonason Goldson: What Judaism has to say about the secret of the Mona Lisa's smile
JWisdom.com: The (Jewish) Dating Game with Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff (8 minutes)
Nov. 17, 2009
Steven Emerson: How Does the 4th Amendment Impact Terror Finance Investigations?
JWisdom.com: If Frank Sinatra married Edith Piaf with Rabbi Y.Y. Rubinstein (2 minutes) Life lessons from what would be regarded as the most inappropriate lyrics ever sung
Nov. 16, 2009
The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : When borrowing is stealing
JWisdom.com: Deconstructing faith with Rabbi Warren Goldstein (9 minutes)
Nov. 13, 2009
JWisdom.com Sarah's subjective reality with Rabbi Sroy Levitansky ( 6 minutes)
Caroline B. Glick: Obama's failure, Netanyahu's opportunity
Nov. 12, 2009
The Kosher Gourmet By Marialisa Calta : A sweet sweet potato treat
JWisdom.com Does God get tired? with Rabbi Harvey Belovski ( 5 minutes)
Nov. 11, 2009
Rabbi Avi Shafran: Jews and money: When anti-Semitism isn't
JWisdom.com Marriages are not made in Heaven with Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff (VERY fast 15 minutes)
Nov. 10, 2009
Michael Doyle: Author of book exposing CAIR ordered to remove supporting documents from Web
JWisdom.com If the creation so loudly shouts the existence of the Creator, why aren't more people believers? with Rabbi Naftali Brawer (9 minutes)
Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review Nov. 7, 2007 / 26 Mar-Cheshvan 5768

Tempted by Stouffer's Corner Bistro Margherita Flatbread? Don't be. Here's a recipe that can be made at home, healthier!

By Kathy Manweiler


Printer Friendly Version

Email this article


http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT) Stouffer's says that its Corner Bistro Margherita Flatbread brings the taste of a restaurant meal into your home.


It sounds pretty nutritious. Topping off the flatbread, which is seasoned with basil and Parmesan cheese, are tomatoes, basil, garlic, red onions and mozzarella cheese in a tomato olive oil sauce.


However, a look at the nutrition label shows that the calorie count is anything but healthy. With 550 calories per flatbread, you'd save almost 100 calories by eating two medium slices of hand-tossed cheese pizza from Pizza Hut instead.


Plus, the pizza would be cheaper because each flatbread costs about $4.


But the photo on the Stouffer's box made me hungry, so I went home and put this flatbread on a diet.


My cheese-tomato topping is easy to make, and it tastes good with very little oil, which saves calories and fat grams.


Instead of mozzarella, I use an Italian blend of provolone, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses made with 2 percent milk.


The healthiest changes happen in my homemade flatbread, which is adapted from a "Cooking Light" recipe.


First, I use white whole-wheat flour in place of half of the all-purpose flour, putting more fiber and nutrients into the mix.


Most flatbreads contain quite a bit of oil, but mine doesn't need much, thanks to the additions of fresh basil and Parmesan cheese to the dough.


And this flatbread doesn't take long to bake, so you'll only have to spend a few minutes in a hot kitchen.


If you eat my margherita flatbread instead of Stouffer's, you'll save 230 calories and 11.2 fat grams. My version is also lower in sodium and carbs.


But even if you don't want to make the flatbread from scratch, you can still save some calories by topping flatbread from a bakery with my cheese-tomato mixture.


For example, one serving of my cheese-tomato topping on 4 ounces of focaccia contains about 100 fewer calories than Stouffer's version.


KATHY'S MARGHERITA FLATBREAD

For basil-Parmesan flatbread:


  • 1 cup boiling water

  • 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

  • 1 package dry yeast (about 21/4 teaspoons)

  • 1/4 cup warm water

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup white whole-wheat flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

  • Cooking spray

  • 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal, divided

  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, divided

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, divided


Note: If you use whole-grain cornmeal, you'll need to increase the all-purpose flour to 1 1/4 cups.


Combine boiling water and 1/3 cup cornmeal in a bowl; let stand 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Combine flours and salt with cornmeal mixture. Add yeast mixture and 2 teaspoons of oil, stirring until well-blended. (You may need a little more warm water, a few drops at a time, to completely blend the ingredients.) Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly 4 or 5 times.


Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until dough is doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If the indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)


Punch dough down, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Divide dough into six equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Gently press 1/2 teaspoon each Parmesan cheese and basil into each ball of dough. (Cover remaining dough while working to prevent it from drying.)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees.


Roll each ball into a 6-inch by 5-inch oval.


Place three ovals on a baking sheet lightly dusted with 1 1/2 teaspoons cornmeal. Repeat procedure with remaining ovals on an additional baking sheet.


Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then cool flatbread on wire racks.


For tomato-cheese mixture:


  • 2 cups tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped

  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely minced

  • 2 tablespoons red onion, finely minced

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 1/2 cups Italian three-cheese blend made with 2 percent milk, finely shredded


Preheat the oven's broiler.


In a bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic and olive oil. Top each flatbread with one-sixth of the tomato mixture (about 1/3 cup). Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over the tomato mixture and broil the flatbreads for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.


Serves 6.


Per serving: 320 calories, 38 carb grams, 15.2 protein grams, 435mg sodium, 3.7 grams fiber, 11.8 fat grams, 16mg cholesterol.

Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

To comment, please click here.

© 2007, The Wichita Eagle Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services