STRATEGY SESSION: My approach to this dish relies heavily on substitution: To reduce fat, calories, and cholesterol, I use low-fat yogurt instead of sour cream and nonfat ricotta instead of full fat. There’s no compromise on the Roquefort, however. As far as flavor goes, I never met a reduced fat cheese that had any.

Recently, my 23-year-old son challenged me to come up with some healthy options for his Super Bowl spread. My assignment (emphasis his): two appetizers (one to be MADE THE DAY BEFORE; NOT hummus or guacamole), an EASY, SPICY main course, and a  NO-COOK, MAKE-AHEAD side dish.

The main course was a no-brainer: Monica Bhide’s Indian-Style Chili .Chili is a Super Bowl staple, and this one has real personality. (I was tempted to say “not your mother’s chili– but it is his mother’s chili.) It’s great with beer (there won’t be any shortage of that!), and you can pile on enough green chiles to attract heat-seeking missiles. For the side dish? A pro-bowl safety and veteran of countless chili dinners: Cole Slaw with Peppers (coming soon to Recipe of the Week). Sam can prepare the slaw and dressing the day before and combine them just before serving. (He can even use packaged shredded cabbage if he likes.) Two appetizers? Georgie Fear’s Jalapeño Poppers had my guy’s name on them from the moment of their conception. Finally, a make-ahead dip. Since guac and hummus were out, I went with cheese. My son is partial to blues, and Roquefort commands so much attention that no one will notice the low-fat supporting cast. I’m not sure my contributions will balance out the nachos, pizza, and ribs, but I do know that the team will be strong at every position. Go, Sam! Go, Saints!

Note: The presentation in the photo is rather dainty for a Super Bowl spread. As it happened, Kateryna and I took this shot months before I knew its destiny. For Sam and his crew, I envision a crater of dip in the middle of a vegetable Mt. Vesuvius. Speaking of presentation, I took a few liberties with it. The plate looked so stark that I decided to scatter parsely around the little vessels. After that, visible parsley in the dip seemed redundant, so I threw it into the blender with the yogurt and ricotta. I liked the frappe effect so much that I decided to toss the cheese in too. The result was delicious, and you might try both versions– chunky and smooth.

 Special Note: I am delighted to announce that this recipe was ranked #2 on the Foodbuzz Top 9 on February 3rd, 2010.

 

Crudités with Roquefort Skinny-Dip

• 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• ½ cup nonfat ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups 3-inch peeled and seeded cucumber spears
• 2 cups 3-inch peeled celery sticks
• 2 cups 3-inch fennel strips
• 2 cups 3-inch red, orange, and yellow bell pepper strips

1. Combine the yogurt, ricotta, vinegar, anchovy paste, and garlic in a blender or food processor. Before processing, give it a stir to incorporate the vinegar slightly. Process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl.
2.  Add the Roquefort. Using a fork, mash the lumps up against the side of the bowl to make them smaller while maintaining a chunky texture. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Store, covered, in refrigerator for up to 1 day.
3. To serve, arrange the vegetables on a platter and the dressing in a bowl.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving: Calories 126, 5 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 10 g total carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 11 g protein, 348 mg sodium.