My mom recently made this recipe. She called my office and told Stephanie, our “Test Kitchen Goddess,” that it should be called Polish Paradise. She was shocked at how quick and easy it was to make, especially for as much as she and my dad loved it. When spooning the sauerkraut into the measuring cup, it doesn’t actually need to be drained, but it shouldn’t be accompanied by a lot of excess liquid. Please note this isn’t a dish that should be eaten every night if you’re watching your sodium intake, since the amount of sodium is pretty high. That said, the recipe has only a fraction of the sodium it would have if you were to eat something similar in most restaurants.

　　

Ingredients

makes 1 serving

　　3 potato and Cheddar pierogies (2.5 g of fat or less for 3 pierogies; I used Mrs. T’s)

　　Olive oil spray

　　2 ounces smoked turkey sausage or kielbasa (5 g of fat or less per 2-ounce serving), cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds on a diagonal (look for it packaged in the refrigerated section, usually near the breakfast meats)

　　1/4 cup sauerkraut from a bag or jar (not canned; look for it in the refrigerated section near the pickles)

　　

Step 1

Boil the pierogies according to package directions.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, place a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly mist the pan with spray and add the sausage and sauerkraut. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the sausage is warmed through and begins to brown in spots.

　　

Step 3

Drain the pierogies and transfer them to a serving bowl. Top them with the sausage and sauerkraut mixture. Serve immediately.

　　

nutrition information

Step 4

Calories: 263

　　

Step 5

Protein: 15g

　　

Step 6

Carbohydrates: 38g

　　

Step 7

Fat: 8g

　　

Step 8

Saturated Fat: 2g

　　

Step 9

Cholesterol: 40mg

　　

Step 10

Fiber: 2g

　　

Step 11

Sodium: 1,470mg

　　Reprinted with permission from I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening! by Devin Alexander. Copyright © 2010 Devin Alexander. Published by Clarkson Potter Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Devin Alexander is the author of The Most Decadent Diet Ever, Fast Food Fix, and coauthor of The New York Times bestsellers The Biggest Loser Cookbook and The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. She was a chef on NBC's The Biggest Loser and the host of Healthy Decadence on Discover Health and FitTV.