Potato Cakes-Thinny style!

Thinny Potato-Cakes! I was in the mood for something crunchy on the outside and yummy in the middle! So I decided to make these...What I love about these cakes is that when it comes to the topping there is a lot of versatility, they taste great with so many flavors! I have been addicted to Tzatziki sauce ever since I was a kid after eating it in a greek diner. So I like to top mine with a dollop of that, (see recipe at bottom of page) if that's your thing.

Things you'll need
2 large peeled potatoes or 4 small cooked then mashed, I used my little food processor
1 onion diced
3 minced garlic cloves
1 package mushrooms (diced)
1/2 pepper diced
1 stalk celery diced
2 eggwhites
1 whole egg for coating, but you will probably have some left over. (I did)
Garlic powder
breadcrumbs for coating (italian style)
Fresh dill
Chives-(optional)
Oil for sautéing the veggies.

Step 1

Get your mushrooms, celery stalk, onion and 1/2 a pepper-wash, and dice them all up. (set aside)

Step 2

Peel your potatoes and steam them, or boil, or even microwave them till soft-If you do microwave them, check on them so that they don't burn. Once they are done, either blend them in a food processor or a potato masher. (if using a food processor add a tiny bit of oil before processing.) After its mushed, put it in a bowl, let it cool off.

Mashed up potato and fresh dill

   Step 3

Get your pan, pour a shallow layer of oil and heat it; once hot, add all your diced veggies and cook till soft and translucent add a bit of salt, set aside and let it cool down, while that is cooling, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Once the mushroom mixture is cooled add it to the potatoes, along with 2 whisked egg whites, 3 minced garlic cloves, and the chopped fresh dill, salt, pepper and a little shake of garlic powder and Mush that all up well using nice clean hands.

Step 4

Take your breadcrumbs and shake some onto a plate, take 1 whole egg and crack and whisk it into a bowl.  Start forming patties one at a time, if you have a brush, use it to spread a little egg on each side of the cake, if you don't ..Do what I did, hold the patty in one hand and dip your fingers into the egg and brush it onto both sides of the patty (evenly), then coat with bread crumbs and place onto a baking sheet (after you have sprayed it with cooking spray) Do this until all cakes have been made -it should make 8
once they are all on the sheet, use the cooking spray and give it a good once over.
*Pop them in the oven!

Cook for 30 minutes, gently turn cakes over half way through cook time.

Topped with Romano cheese and Chives

Tzatziki and chives

Condiment ideas

Sourcream(light)

little parmesan or romano cheese

Tzatziki sauce

Applesauce

Ketchup

Hot Sauce

Tartar sauce and lemon

Drizzle of Honey mustard, ranch, any lite dressing of your preference, I think it works best with something in the creamy family! 

Salsa, and/or guacomole,

Another yummy topping for this is my white sauce, (see creamy lasagna rollups for recipe).

Tzatziki Recipe
1 container of reduced fat sour cream, or greek yogurt, the sour cream has a slightly sweeter thicker flavor and consistency, the yogurt is thinner and more tangy, so this is your preference, I like both. You could even do half greek yogurt, half sour cream..this is one of those recipes that everyone has a certain version of how they like it. So taste as you go! :)

1 cucumber, peeled, then cut lengthwise, scooped and shredded,  whatever you can't shred, dice it up, using a cheesecloth or paper towels, drain as much water out of the cucumber as you can, once that's done, cut the shredded cucumber pieces, so they are not sooo long.

Add the cucs and the rest of the ingredients below to a bowl, combine well 

1 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of a half a lemon (or a little more, taste as you go)
3 regular sized minced garlic cloves,  or 4 small ones.
Salt  to taste

Fresh dill, about 1 tsp.(optional)

Fresh oregano (optional) 

Put in the fridge for at least one hour, and serve with whatever you like! 

Thinny Mozzarella Eggplant

This is a easy, low-fat, healthier version of the traditional Eggplant Parmesan! 

I made this tonight for dinner, because my grandmother was over and it was her 85th Birthday! Her favorite dish is eggplant parm, but she likes to eat healthy and doesn't like things oily, she truly enjoyed this, but she doesn't like the skin! So next time I make this for her, I will peel it! However, the rest of the fam loved it with the skin, so that's your call! We paired this with spaghetti and a green salad! 

Things you'll need
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees
1 Eggplant Sliced, length-wise, (peeled if that is your preference)
BreadCrumbs (italian style, I used progresso) a bowl full, no exact measurement, just enough to coat.
2 eggs-Or 3-6 egg whites
Tomato-Basil sauce (1 jar of victorias, or your preference, or even better homemade!)
Olive oil, enough to coat the baking sheet (with aluminum foil, or parchment)
Low fat - Mozzarella shredded cheese (small fist full of cheese for each sliced eggplant)
Dried oregano
Few sprinkles grated Parmesan cheese to top once done (optional)


*Since it's not herb growing weather in my garden yet, I would have used additional fresh basil, so if you have some, add it! 

Step 1-Preheat the oven, wash your eggplant, slice the head off- Peel, or leave the skin, I like the skin and it's good for you! Take your eggplant and stand it up chopped side down,(the side where you just cut the head off), slice from top to bottom. The end pieces will have a bit to much skin, skim that off, so the breadcrumbs can stick. 

Sliced Eggplant

Step 2-Get your eggs, crack and whisk them in a bowl that is larger then the width and length of the eggplant slices, put your breadcrumbs in a bowl and start coating your eggplant slices by dipping them in the eggs, allow it to drip any excess egg off, coat with bread crumbs!

Pre-Oven! 

Step 3-Pour olive oil onto your baking sheet (with clean hands) spread it around to cover the sheet, *You don't want a puddle of oil, just a shallow layer. Place your slices onto the sheet and add some olive oil sprays or drizzle some more on top, pop them in the oven! Check on them after 15-20 minutes, turning slices over if they look browned on the bottom, then cook for about another 10-15 minutes, or till your desired crunchiness.

Back to the oven so the cheese can melt!


Step 4-Take them out of the oven and top with 2-3 tablespoons sauce (or more), a small fist full of Mozz cheese.  Put it back in the oven until cheese is melted. Once thats done, top with oregano and a little grated parmesan and salt to taste.  If you desire a more garlic flavor, few shakes of granulated garlic will do.

Mangia!

This is great served with an Italian salad, or a 1/2 cup Whole wheat spaghetti and sauce, any side of veggies, or even on a little bit of italian bread if you want a heavier meal! :)

Tip: You will need more then 1 baking sheet if you want them done all at the same time, and of course if you double this recipe. 

*These also make great Vegetarian 'chicken' cutlets,  just omit the sauce and cheese and eat with ketchup, applesauce or whatever else you would normally eat with a cutlet.