Question: Dear Recipe Doctor, my husband, who needs to eat heart healthy, has been asking me to make corn fritters. I was hoping you had a light recipe?

Answer: Even though I’m from a region of the country where you can go an entire year without ever hearing, “corn fritter,” believe it or not, I love corn fritters and make them a few times a year, whenever the corn is particularly plentiful. This corn fritter recipe is a little easier than others because it doesn’t call for whipping egg whites.

It calls for fresh corn, but you can use frozen during the off-season. This recipe is a little lighter and more nutritious, too, because the following ingredients are used: a higher omega-3 egg or egg substitute, half whole wheat flour, and a smaller amount of canola oil instead of vegetable oil.

The original recipe contains 200 calories, 10 grams fat, and 2 grams fiber per serving.

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Ingredients
(makes 4 servings)

1⅓ cups fresh corn kernels removed from about 3 ears corn (frozen can be used)

1/3 cup fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk

1 large egg, higher omega-3 or 1/4 cup egg substitute

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons unbleached white flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

4 teaspoons canola oil

Fat-free sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. In medium bowl, combine corn kernels, fat-free half-and-half, egg or egg substitute, and sugar. Mix well. In another medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flours, baking powder, pepper, and salt if desired. Fold the cornmeal mixture into the egg mixture until nicely blended.
2. In large nonstick skillet, heat 4 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Spread oil over bottom of skillet to coat well. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons in hot pan. When underside is golden brown, flip fritters over and brown other side (about 2 minutes more). Remove to serving plate and serve with fat-free sour cream if desired.

Per serving (1 fritter): 176 calories, 5.5 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 6.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 3.6 g monounsaturated fat, 1.9 g polyunsaturated fat, 57 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 123 mg sodium (268 mg if you add the salt). Calories from fat = 33%. Omega-3 fatty acids = 0.6 g, omega-6 fatty acids = 1.3. Weight Watchers POINTS = 3.