I love crab cakes. But I hate feeling guilty about eating them so I only order them occasionally when I’m out. Traditionally mayo, butter and white bread fill these little patties dulling their nutrition profile along with their flavor.
Not only is this adaptation of traditional crab cakes nearly mayonnaise free, but the crab cakes are also baked rather than the traditional preparation of pan frying that only adds to the fat count.
The result? Crispy, light crab cakes with loads of crab and red pepper flavor that go perfectly with poached eggs and asparagus for a quick “benedict-style” breakfast.
You could also serve these on a whole grain bun with mustard for a lunch or in mini form as an appetizer. For a different twist, try using the crab cake mixture to stuff cremini mushroom caps and bake, then serve as party appetizers. Anyway you prepare these, you can feel good about serving them to family members and guests knowing that indulging doesn’t have to mean unhealthy food!
Crab Cakes
Ingredients:
1 can (16 oz) jumbo lump crab meat or 1 pound imitation crab meat, flaked
2 Tbsp minced jalapeno
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp plain, non-fat yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Beat egg lightly in a medium bowl. Mix in wet ingredients and spices. Stir to combine.
Gently mix in the remaining ingredients except 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs.
Using your hands, loosely form the crab mixture into 8 patties. Spread the remaining bread crumbs on a plate and roll each crab cake over the crumbs to lightly and evenly coat. Place the formed cakes on a non-stick baking sheet or in a baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Use the palm of your hand to press them into an evenly shaped disk, the size of a small hockey puck.
Bake until golden brown on the outside, 12 to 15 minutes.
If not using all patties, place formed crab cakes in individual squares of saran wrap and wrap tightly. Freeze until ready to use. Can bake from frozen at 400°.
Serve with charred asparagus and top with an egg poached runny-medium as the soft yolk adds a bit of creaminess to the dish.
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The original recipe can be found at Mens Health “Cook This, Not That” website
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