Though boxes of pierogies tend to provide many cooking options, my favorite for this dish (and many others) is to boil them. They stay nice and tender, and there’s no need to add any fat. The flavor of this dish is subtle, so it’s particularly great for those who aren’t as in love with spicy foods as I am. Either way, though, it’s a great, refreshing recipe for a summer evening.

　　

Ingredients

makes 1 serving

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

　　1 teaspoon light butter (from a stick, not tub; I used Challenge Light)

　　1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

　　1 teaspoon drained capers

　　Salt and pepper, to taste

　　

Step 1

Boil the pierogies according to package directions. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cooking liquid.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, add the butter and lemon juice to a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until the butter is just melted. Add the capers and the reserved cooking liquid, and continue heating until the sauce is warm, 1 to 3 minutes. Drain the pierogies and add them to the pan. Gently toss them until they are coated with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

　　

nutrition information

Step 3

Calories: 199

　　

Step 4

Protein: 6g

　　

Step 5

Carbohydrates: 35g

　　

Step 6

Fat: 5g

　　

Step 7

Saturated Fat: 2g

　　

Step 8

Cholesterol: 10mg

　　

Step 9

Fiber: 1g

　　

Step 10

Sodium: 647mg

　　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.