Here is another low calorie version of my Crunchy Cauliflower with Ranch Dressing. A healthy low calorie alternative to the traditional comfort food that is usually deep fried and covered with Parmesan cheese (and very high in calories).
You can use vegan yogurt and mayo if you prefer. On the other hand, if you like a creamier, richer flavor, use more mayonnaise and less of the yogurt. Just remember, yogurt has 154 calories per cup, and mayonnaise has 916 calories per cup.
This is best eaten as soon as it is cooked. Use the thick asparagus, because the thin kind gets too well cooked and will droop like the face of a teenager asked to do the dishes on a Sunday morning. You won’t get a really thick layer of breadcrumbs, but as you can see, there is enough.
- For the Ranch Dip
- 1 tsp Fresh Parsley - Chopped
- 1 Tbs Fresh Basil - Chopped
- 1 Tbs Fresh Dill - Chopped
- 1 tsp Fresh Chives - Chopped
- 2 - 4 Cloves Garlic – Peeled
- 1 Tbs Onion
- 1½ Cup Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbs Mayonnaise
- ½ Fresh Lemon or Lime
- Dash Honey or Stevia - to Sightly Sweeten
- 1 Jalapeno Chopped – Seeded (leave a few seeds if you like the heat)
- Red Pepper Flakes – Optional
- Freshly Ground Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- Beat eggs in a bowl.
- Wash asparagus and chop off fibrous tail.
- Add some chopped garlic to the breadcrumbs and season. Use freshly make breadcrumbs, the dry pre-packaged crumbs won't stick well.
- Dip asparagus into egg and cover with breadcrumbs.
- Spray with oil and place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 425F. Check every 5 minutes so they don't burn.
- For the Ranch Dip
- Blend everything in a food processor, except fresh chopped herbs. Have as smooth or chunky as you like it.
- Add herbs and pulse a few times but not enough to make the dressing turn green. Unless you want that.
- Chill in a mason jar.
Storage Tip:
I keep all my rice, herbs, spices and nuts in Mason Jars in a spare fridge in the garage. It keeps everything fresh and its easy to find. No more small old jars of spices that have completely lost their flavor, and 2 or 3 of the same thing, because you couldn’t find something and bought another jar. I say, throw everything out that is more than 6 months old and start from scratch with specific spices and herbs for specific dishes. You will be so happy you did.
You can use mason jars to keep your food fresh in the fridge instead of Tupperware. It is easy to see the contents and there is no plastic smell or BPA leaching into your food. Potato, chicken or egg salad, lives for ages in a mason jar. Take a soup for lunch to work. Just take the lid off and pop it straight into the microwave. Perfect! Make ice tea in a mason jar and have it on hand in the fridge all summer.
You can easily freeze food in mason jars if you leave 1/2 inch at the top of the jar. I have jars of frozen persimmons, lime juice and oranges, so I can enjoy the fruit from our trees all year round. Freeze a jar of soup or chili and have a lunch ready to go when you don’t have time to cook.
We also use small mason jars as drinking glasses. With such house full of clumsies, thin glass doesn’t stand a chance. And of course you can use them for canning food.
If you would like to buy some mason jars, click HERE
