Go Smart with California Walnuts Smart Menus Program: Delicious, convenient recipes aimed at changing the way Americans eat, brought to you by best-selling author and Oprah regular Dr. Michael Roizen and James Beard award-winning cookbook author Mollie Katzen. Smart Menus is designed to help people embrace a smart eating style that’s long on taste and convenience and short on scolding. Smart recipes and tips on how to create your own smart eating style are available at www.walnuts.org/smartmenus.

The name says it all - this is a savory, potato cake with walnuts - the perfect appetizer to serve before a fish course like baked cod. This dish is also great with brunch, perfect with turkey sausage patties and fresh fruit.

Place the potatoes in a steamer basket in a large pan over boiling water. Cover the pan and steam until the potatoes are just tender when pierced, 20-30 minutes, depending on size. Let the potatoes cool, then chop them coarsely. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottom with a round of parchment paper, cut to fit. Coat the parchment lightly with nonstick cooking spray as well.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the walnuts along with 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried, and cook about 1 minute longer.

Add to the bowl with the potatoes and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the egg whites and stir briskly with a fork until evenly mixed. Press and pat the mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the potato cake is dry on top and firm to the touch, 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes. Slide a table knife around the edge of the pan, then shake the pan to loosen the cake. Invert onto a serving plate, then lift off the pan and peel away the parchment paper.

Meanwhile, stir the yogurt together with the remaining thyme. Cut the potato cake into 8 wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. Top each wedge with some of the yogurt sauce.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories180, total fat 9g, saturated fat 1g, monounsaturated fat 2g, polyunsaturated fat 6g, trans fat 0g, cholesterol 1mg, sodium 41mg, total carbohydrate 20g, dietary fiber 3g protein 6g.