Strawberry Bruschetta
Astoundingly good for minimal effort, this makes an indulgent weekend breakfast or anyday dessert. A judicious smear of mascarpone (half the fat of butter) is part of the luxury, but even lighter low-fat cream cheese will work as well. The real secret is warming the berries just enough to make the flavor bloom and transform their juices into a rosy syrup.
Ingredients:
4 thick slices whole-wheat bread
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups sliced or diced hulled strawberries
4 tablespoons mascarpone (Italian cream cheese)
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Toast bread in a toaster.
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Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat. Add sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts and the mixture begins to bubble, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add strawberries and stir until juices begin to exude and the berries are heated through, 30 seconds to 1 minute more.
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Spread 1 tablespoon mascarpone on each piece of toast. Top with the warm berries.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 203 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 153 mg sodium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (108% daily value), Selenium (16% dv).
B-man 