
Low-Point Baked Crab Legs in Butter Sauce
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds crab legs, thawed if frozen
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare the Crab Legs:
- Using kitchen shears, carefully cut the crab legs open along the shell to expose the meat.
- Make the Butter Sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Coat the Crab Legs:
- Place the crab legs on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Brush the butter sauce generously over the crab legs, making sure to coat them evenly.
- Bake the Crab Legs:
- Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and bake the crab legs for 15-20 minutes, or until the meat is heated through and the edges are slightly golden.
- Serve:
- Remove the crab legs from the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Serve hot, garnished with additional chopped parsley if desired.
Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: 260
- Total Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 134mg
- Sodium: 500mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 2g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 0g
- Protein: 28g
Note: Nutritional values are approximate and may vary depending on the specific ingredients used.
Here’s a breakdown of the points for each ingredient:
- Crab Legs (2 pounds): Crab legs are relatively low in calories and SmartPoints. Let’s estimate it at around 2 SmartPoints per pound, so 4 SmartPoints for 2 pounds.
- Unsalted Butter (4 tablespoons): Butter is high in calories and saturated fat, resulting in higher SmartPoints. Let’s estimate it at around 3 SmartPoints per tablespoon, so 4 SmartPoints for 4 tablespoons.
- Garlic (2 cloves): Garlic is very low in calories and would likely be 0 SmartPoints.
- Lemon Juice (1 tablespoon): Lemon juice is also very low in calories and would likely be 0 SmartPoints.
- Fresh Parsley (1 tablespoon): Parsley is very low in calories and would likely be 0 SmartPoints.
- Salt and Pepper: If used in moderation, salt and pepper are 0 SmartPoints.
Now, let’s add up the estimated points:
- Crab Legs: 4 SmartPoints
- Unsalted Butter: 3 SmartPoints
- Garlic: 0 SmartPoints
- Lemon Juice: 0 SmartPoints
- Fresh Parsley: 0 SmartPoints
- Salt and Pepper: 0 SmartPoints
So, the total SmartPoints for the ingredients would be approximately 7 SmartPoints.