Recipe Rehab: Hash Brown Casserole

Shredded white potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and cheddar cheese mixed together and baked in the oven makes a quick and delicious hash brown casserole. I have had a couple of rehab requests to lighten up this family favorite.

Although the potatoes are high in vitamin C and potassium, without their skins, they are lacking in fiber. Smothered in a sauce of canned soup, cream and cheese, the dish is high in both calories and sodium. Even the healthier versions of creamed soups tend to contain high amounts of sodium, and some may add quite a bit of calories as well. It seems as though the canned soups are either low sodium or low-fat, but it's rare to find the combination of both in my mainstream grocery store.

In my rehab, I will incorporate the fiber from the potato skins by shredding my own potatoes and adding some lower-calorie vegetables. Daikon radish is a mild-flavored vegetable that looks very similar to potatoes and is a great way to sneak veggies into a dish -- perfect for getting picky eaters to eat foods they normally wouldn't touch (in fact, try sneaking other vegetables into your family favorites as a way to lower calories and boost nutrition).

In order to reduce the calories, I will use evaporated skim milk thickened with nonfat Greek yogurt and flavored with onions, garlic and celery. A small amount of reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese sprinkled over the top will add that cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

Ingredients:

•1.5 pounds potatoes, unpeeled and shredded
•1 cup daikon radish, shredded
•1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
•8 oz. nonfat Greek yogurt
•1/2 cup onions, chopped
•1/2 cup celery, chopped
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
•1 cup low-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, radish, evaporated milk, Greek yogurt, onions, celery, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Place mixture in a 3-quart casserole dish and cover with tin foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
4. Remove tin foil and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Serves: 6

Nutrition Content (per serving):
199 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 33 g carbohydrates, 11 g sugars, 4 g fiber, 15 g protein, 319 mg sodium

For another take on a potato casserole, try my Scalloped Potatoes.

Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REAHB! Everything from your mom's meatloaf to your kid's favorite dessert -- let me lighten it up.

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com and www.theskinnyondietitians.com, has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Send us your recipe!