Blooming Onion

Oh. Emm. Gee.

I found a recipe in the newest version of Healthy Cooking that will absolutely blow your mind.  Picture an Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ Onion – a giant pile of oniony goodness, breaded, deep fried, and served with a super creamy sauce.  Sounds delicious, yes?

Now picture that same onion, but WAY better for you.

Behold the Healthier Bloomin’ onion!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blooming Onions

Recipe from here.

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet onions
• 1 tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 cup fat free sour cream
• 1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. dill weed

Directions

1.    With a sharp knife slice ½ inch off the top of the onions; peel onions.  Cut each into 16 wedges to within ½ in. of root end.

2.    Place each onion on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.  Fold foil around onions and seal tightly. Place in an ungreased 11 in. X 7 in. baking dish.  Bake, uncovered, at 425°degrees for 20 minutes.

3.    In a small bowl, combine butter and mustard.  Open foil; fold foil around onions.  Brush butter mixture over onions; sprinkle with bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.

4.    Bake 18-22 minutes longer or until crisp-tender. 

5.    Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients to serve with onions.

Nutritional info (according to Taste of Home) ¼ onion with 1 tbsp. sauce = 65 calories, 2 g fat, 205 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein

Go make this RIGHT NOW – you won’t be sorry!!!

I made this with only one onion, but I used the amount of bread crumbs, mustard, and butter that the recipe states be used for two onions.  I liked having the extra bread crumbs, but I think it would have worked just as well with slightly less butter.  Also, after baking it wrapped in foil, I gave up trying to make it bloom.  I just cut the root off, breaded it, and baked the wedges on a cookie sheet. 

I found an online tutorial for how to properly cut the onion so it will bloom here.