South Beach Diet: Sun Dried Tomato Tartlets

One of the secrets for staying on a diet is to eat really good food. While celery may be low calorie and fill a chewing need it is really pretty mundane and doesn’t give much in the way of sensory satisfaction. Rather than a cottage cheese and broiled chicken breast lunch (again!) try a plate of small, assorted appetizers like these. Phyllo dough gives the luxury of puff pastry without the calories or fat. The intense tomato flavor and the tangy cheese just makes your mouth happy it belongs to you.

This is from the South Beach Diet Cookbook

Sun Dried Tomato Tartlets

8 sheets thawed phyllo dough

3/4 c low fat ricotta

3 tbs low fat feta cheese

1 egg white

1 scallion chopped

2 tbs chopped fresh basil

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 1/2 ounces oil packed, sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped.

Coat 24 mini muffin pans with cooking spray.

Keep the phyllo covered with a damp towel while working . Spray one phyllo sheet with cooking spray, top with phyllo sheet. Spray with cooking spray and repeat the process 2 more times, for a total of four sheets stacked. Cut into 12 equal squares and press each square into a muffin cup. Repeat with the remaining pastry.

Bake at 375 for 5 minutes.

Combine the cheeses and the egg white in a bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Spoon into shells and bake at 375 for 5 minutes or until they puff and are heated all the way through.

33 calories per tartlet