Thursday

Healthier Grilled Chili Rellenos



Yet another favorite recipe of our which I've reworked to reduce the fat ~ we liked it just as well as the original. :)


Calories were trimmed substantially, and cholesterol elimated by using SOY cheese instead of cheese made from cow's milk. Believe me, I was skeptical about the taste, texture, and ablility of this cheese to melt.

I'm picky about cheese, I love "real" cheese.




Happily my apprehension was unfounded. This soy cheese cuts, tastes and melts just like cow's cheese!


I'm very particular about what we put into our bodies... here are the ingredients from the package of Soy cheese:

Tofu
milk protein
non-hydrogenated soy oil
natural flavor
sea salt
lactic acid
soy lecithin


It is worthy of recommendation even if you don't need to watch your calories or cholesterol intake, I love this product! 60 calories per 1 ounce portion,
(saturated fat .5%!) NO cholesterol. :)

It's a win-win situation if one is concerned about healthy issues related to dairy fats, or those who have a history of heart disease in their family.
I liked the mix of both cheeses in this dish as it replicates the original recipe quite successfully. (For eating alone, I liked the Mozzarella slightly more than the Cheddar. )

More good news ~it can be grated like cow's cheese, and can be frozen successfully without turned funky or watery.




I select either Poblano or Anaheim chilis ~ they vary with heat; I prefer the milder ones ~ ask the farmer or the produce person, usually he or she can advise you of the heat intensity of that particular lot.







After washing the chilis I slice into them as shown above, but not all the way through ~ then flip back the stem/cap portion and remove seeds and ribs. You can grate the cheese to stuff them, but I find it melts too quickly, (before the chili becomes slightly tender), so I cut the cheese and stuff each chili as shown above.



I like to secure the tops as shown below ~ it you insert the pick this way it will not prevent the chili from making contact with the hot grill.







Then they are brushed very lightly with olive oil and placed on a hot grill
(either outdoor or a grill pan on the stove top.)






I like the chilis to retain a little crispness, so I grill turning one or twice until the cheese is thoroughly melted.







I served them with steamed brown rice, and home made Salsa Cruda (fresh, uncooked salsa), you can use any favorite salsa.






This time I added some cubed avocado, too.
(Rich in beneficial Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids!)





This was one of my most successful recipe make-overs to date.
I hope if you try it you'll enjoy it, too.




Have a HEALTHY and DELICIOUS day! xo~m.







10 comments:

  1. I love chili rellenos and this recipe looks like a keeper. Sometimes I wonder, though, what do they have to do to make a soy bean taste like either cheddar or mozzarella and make it melt like cheese? It must be quite the chemical stew. Is it really healthier? I think I'll stick with the natural cheese. You see, I'm from Wisconsin, after all...

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  2. These look wonderful. I will have to try this.

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  3. I would order those in a restaurant!
    Beautiful!

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  4. I am battling a huge lactose intolerence issue and am so glad you posted that soy cheese was decent. I can't wait to try it now!

    Chili rellenos are a favorite food. I will be trying them your way!

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  5. Thank you for your comments!

    Old G Egg, I KNOW! :) I'm from California (and Oregon) with all of our wonderful cows, sheep and goat cheeses. ;)

    I thought the same thing. But NO, no chemical stew ~ I'm very particular about what we put into our bodies... here are the ingredients:

    Tofu, milk protein, non-hydroginated soy oil, natural flavor, sea salt, lactic acid and soy lecithin.

    It's a win-win situation if one has a history of heart disease in ones family.

    Unfortunately heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country (even more than cancers.) And doubly unfortunate both sides of my DH's family are afflicted with a history of heart disease. This is a wonderful substitute for us, though maybe not for everyone.

    Still, I continue to use authentic Parmesano Reggiano, and Romano cheeses because I can use less as the flavors are so vibrant.

    Printers Devil (love your name!)
    I hope you like them. :)

    xo~m.

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  6. Hi Linda girl!! I never thought I could learn to love non-fried, non-battered chili rellenos ~ but these do it for me. :) Just a much cleaner, fresher tasting dish.

    Hi Food Photographer! So nice to see you here.

    I hope you can find this brand of soy cheese, it's not inexpensive but it's wonderful if you cannot tolerate regular animal cheese. It does contain caseinate (a milk protein) as the second ingredient. I hope it works for you.

    xo~m.

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  7. This looks great -- do you have to get the cheese in a specialty store or is it easy to find -- I'm going to have to look for it.

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  8. I have to try these! I love chile rellenos, but don't fry, so it's only a treat when we eat out. I'm growing Anaheims this year. In fact, today I roasted a couple along with a few pimentoes to freeze for a winter soup. I'll probably use cheeses in the fridge first go round. Used to love Melissa's jalapeno soy cheese, but it's no longer carried in stores around here.

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  9. Did I tell you I made them tonight? Delish!

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  10. Hi Mari....my daughter would flip over these...we took her to Bobby Flays Mesa Grill a few years back and she ordered some sort of Chili pepper....out came his huge and I mean huge pepper it took up the whole plate...we still give her the business about that...she didn't know what to do with it....but she likes things the hotter the better....Thanks for leaving such a nice comment on my blog about my parents....Sue

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Thank you for your comments, friends ~ they make my day!

A Sampling of my food . . .

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