At most chain restaurants, just one serving of this very popular appetizer (I love them!) can register between 500 and 1,000 calories, half of which come from fat. The fat content in this version has been reduced from 36 grams per serving to a paltry 5.3 grams per serving. The combination of a reduced-fat cheddar cheese and baking instead of deep-frying is the secret. Jalapeños bake so nicely, I wonder why poppers were ever deep-fried in the first place!

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　6 jalapeño peppers

　　1/2 cup shredded 75% reduced-fat cheddar, such as Cabot

　　1/4 cup reduced-fat whipped cream cheese, such as Weight Watchers

　　4 scallions (white and green parts), chopped fine

　　1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

　　1 1/2 cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs, such as Ian’s All-Natural

　　4 large egg whites

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　Nonstick cooking spray

　　1/2 cup fat-free sour cream, such as Breakstone’s

　　

Step 1

Preheat the broiler on high. Place a wire baking rack on a foil-lined baking sheet.

　　

Step 2

Cut each jalapeño in half and scrape out the seeds and membranes. Place the jalapeños on the prepared baking sheet and broil until they begin to char slightly and are partially cooked, about 2 minutes. Allow the jalapeños to cool completely.

　　

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 450˚F.

　　

Step 4

In a small bowl, mix together the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and half of the scallions. Using a teaspoon, fill each jalapeño half with the cheese mixture, packing it in tightly.

　　

Step 5

Put the flour in a shallow dish. Put the panko in a small dish. In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks.

　　

Step 6

Working in batches, dredge the jalapeños in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the jalapeños to the egg whites and toss to coat completely, being careful not to let the filling come out. Add the jalapeños, a few pieces at a time, to the panko and coat completely.

　　

Step 7

Spread the jalapeños out on the wire rack and season them generously with salt and pepper. Spray the jalapeños lightly with cooking spray. Bake until the breading is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is melted throughout, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 8

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and the remaining scallions. Season with salt to taste.

　　

Step 9

Serve the scallion sour cream with the hot poppers.

　　

nutrition information

Step 10

Fat: 36g (before), 5.3g (after)

　　

Step 11

Calories: 447 (before), 144 (after)

　　

Step 12

Protein: 10g

　　

Step 13

Carbohydrates: 16g

　　

Step 14

Cholesterol: 14mg

　　

Step 15

Fiber: 3g

　　

Step 16

Sodium: 239mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.