Spinach Pesto Appetizer

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/spinach_pesto_appetizer.html

From EatingWell:  May/June 1992

The EatingWell makeover of this pesto appetizer boasts about half of the calories and a quarter of the fat of the original recipe. Serve with crostini, crackers or French bread.

16 servings | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes plus cooling time

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups nonfat cottage cheese, pressed
• 1 10-ounce package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess moisture
• 1 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves, for garnish, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place pressed cottage cheese, spinach, cream cheese, Romano cheese, egg, egg whites, garlic, basil, salt and pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth. Spoon the spinach mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until firm, about 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.
3. Place the pan on a serving plate, run a knife around the outer edge and remove pan sides. Garnish with tomatoes or basil leaves, if using.

Nutrition

Per serving : 74 Calories; 3 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 24 mg Cholesterol; 4 g Carbohydrates; 8 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 260 mg Sodium; 106 mg Potassium

Exchanges: 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.