One of my favorite treats as a kid were those frozen cream-cheese-stuffed, deep-fried jalapeno poppers. I always burned my tongue trying to eat them straight out of the oven and it was totally worth it. And let’s be clear: these are not the same thing. But that’s okay because you can eat an entire plateful of these and call it dinner.
Healthy Jalapeño Poppers are a ten-minute craving fix. Whip a few cheeses and spices together, fill the jalapeños, and broil until bubbly and delicious – you still get the crunch from the panko without deep frying or running to the store for a frozen box.
Aside from being delicious, spicy food fills me up quickly and keeps me feeling full longer. I can easily eat an entire bowl of popcorn but just a few of these are enough to satisfy a junk food craving.
Cottage cheese by itself is always a little questionable for me, but it’s great as a filler when you combine it with stronger flavors. In these poppers, the curds melt away and the flavor is all cream cheese. You can also add seasonings – creole seasoning works well.
Healthy Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 4 jalapeños halved lengthwise & seeded
- 3 T. fat-free cream cheese
- 3 T. fat-free cottage cheese
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt to taste
- 3 T. panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Arrange jalapeño halves cut side down on a foil-covered baking sheet.
- Broil for a couple minutes until just beginning to roast.
- Mix cream cheese, cottage cheese, garlic, and salt together in a small bowl.
- Flip the jalapeños over and fill with the cheese mixture. Don't overfill, as the cheese will bubble while baking.
- Sprinkle panko on top of each jalapeño half.
- Bake on the bottom rack under the broiler for just a few minutes, watching closely, until the panko is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
I have hesitated to make these at home, due to the the ( usual) frying. But the panko on top seems like it is a good crunchy substitution as you suggest. Thanks for this recipe. I want to try it soon, for a holiday party we are going to .
Thanks Katy