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By Request
Betty Shimabukuro
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Cholesterol cut from mock hollandaise
EASTER can be a rough time for people on restricted diets. All those eggs, sweets, brunch specialties ... so many temptations, so much cholesterol.
Don Clegg's request for an Eggs Benedict made with Eggbeaters, a cholesterol-free egg substitute, seemed propitious this week before the holiday.
The real trick is not the egg part, but the sauce. That's where the fat and cholesterol make their way into this classic dish. For the rest of it, you poach some Eggbeaters (or any other egg substitute) and serve it on a whole-wheat English muffin with a slice of low-fat turkey sandwich meat.
Hollandaise Sauce, made with egg yolks and butter, is the criminal element. A 2 tablespoon serving can have 16 grams of fat and 120 milligrams of cholesterol.
I tried some recipes and eventually found an acceptable sauce. It's not going to fool anyone who knows true hollandaise, but if you'd just like something creamy and buttery-tasting for your eggs, it'll do. A serving has just 9 grams of fat and zero cholesterol.
The first suggestion I came across was a mixture of mayonnaise with mustard and lemon juice. It was awful. Too bad, as it was the simplest.
What worked fairly well was a recipe from Butter Buds, a powdered butter replacement. The problem was that Butter Buds are hard to locate. I did find a similar product called Molly McButter at Safeway. It comes in a shaker and is meant to be sprinkled on top of popcorn, baked potatoes and such.
Check out the spice aisle, next to the salt substitutes. Whatever you find -- as long as it's fat- and cholesterol-free -- should be OK. (Butter-substitute refrigerated spreads, such as Smart Balance, don't work in this recipe. I tried that, too.)
Mock Hollandaise
2-1/2 teaspoons butter- flavored sprinkles
1/4 cup instant non-fat milk
2 tablespoons hot water
1 egg white
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Combine butter-flavored sprinkles and milk with hot water and stir until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Whisk in vinegar, mustard, lemon juice and salt. Slowly add oil, whisking continuously, until well-integrated. Add butter mixture and stir until smooth.
Heat gently, a few seconds in the microwave, or over a double boiler, stirring constantly. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per 2 tablespoons (using 1/4 teaspoon salt): 100 calories, 10 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 1 g sugar, 1 g protein.
To make Eggs Benedict: Poach 1/4 to 1/2 cup egg substitute. Toast half of a whole-wheat English muffin. Top muffin with a slice of turkey deli meat, then egg, then 2 tablespoons sauce. (If you don't have an egg poacher, spray a heatproof custard cup with cooking oil spray and place in a shallow pot of water. Bring water to simmer, then pour egg product into cup. Cover and cook until done to your liking.)
Send queries along with name and phone number to: "By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. Or send e-mail to
bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com