Cheddar Polenta Puff - Chef Eileen Quinn, Owner, Dinner at Eight Catering Service

Chef Quinn is an expert at light and healthy cooking and has been doing tasty dishes in this style for years.  Here's a very tasty side dish that has only 168 calories and 6 grams of fat.  Be sure that you don't use a reduced fat cheese.  This is a souffle and low fat cheese alters the consistency of the dish.

Ingredients:

4 egg whites
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground hot red pepper
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 egg yolk slightly beaten
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese
Non stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375.  Allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes,  In a large saucepan combine milk, bell pepper, green onion, salt and hot red pepper.  Stir over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble.  Slowly add cornmeal.  Stirring constantly, cook for about 5 minutes until mixture begins to thicken.  Remove from heat.  Stir half the cornmeal mixture into the egg yolk to temper it and then return yolk and mixture to saucepan.  Stir in cheeses until melted.

Lightly spray a 1 1/2 qt. souffle dish with the non stick spray and set aside.  In a large bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold about half of the beaten egg whites into the cheese mixture.  Then gradually pour the cheese mixture over the remaining egg whites and fold gently to combine.  Pour into the souffle dish.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until a knife blade inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is gold brown.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4.