Some say the Reuben—corned beef brisket, Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, bread—was invented by an Omaha grocer named Reuben Kulakofsky to provide sustenance to participants in a late-night poker game. This reformed version was invented to help you eat better. (Following that logic, don’t stay up late playing poker, either.)

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　12 ounces sauerkraut, very well drained

　　8 slices sprouted-grain bread, such as Ezekiel 4:9

　　1/2 cup “Russian Island” Dressing (page 203) or store-bought low-calorie Russian or Thousand Island Dressing

　　4 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese (1 ounce each)

　　8 ounces sliced smoked turkey (from the deli counter)

　　Nonfat cooking spray

　　

Step 1

Place the sauerkraut in a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Microwave on high power until it is hot, about 2 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Heat 2 nonstick sauté pans over medium-low heat.

　　

Step 3

Lay 4 slices of the bread on a work surface, and spread each slice with 1 tablespoon of the “Russian Island” Dressing. Top each slice with a slice of cheese, and then a portion of the smoked turkey. Divide the warm sauerkraut among the 4 sandwiches, and spoon the remaining Russian dressing over the sauerkraut. Finally, top the sandwiches with the remaining slices of bread.

　　

Step 4

Spray the sauté pans generously with cooking spray, and place 2 sandwiches in each pan. Weigh the sandwiches down with plates that are just slightly smaller than the circumference of the pans. Cook the sandwiches for about 4 minutes per side, or until the bread is crispy and golden brown and the cheese has melted. Cut the sandwiches in half, and serve.

　　

nutrition information

Step 5

Fat: 60g (before), 8.9g (after)

　　

Step 6

Calories: 920 (before), 335 (after)

　　

Step 7

Protein: 26g

　　

Step 8

Carbohydrates: 37g

　　

Step 9

Cholesterol: 42mg

　　

Step 10

Fiber: 9g

　　

Step 11

Sodium: 1,539mg

　　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.