Even the name of this holiday entertaining favorite sounds unhealthy -- pigs in a blanket.

As tasty as they are, these hors d'oeuvres take the already suspect hot dog and send it over a nutritional cliff by wrapping it in fatty puff pastry. Mindlessly munch just three or four of these at a party, and you could swallow 300 calories and 25 grams of fat.

But with the right ingredients, it is possible to make a healthier pig in a blanket, and it all starts with your choice of hot dogs.

A full-fat hot dog has as much as 16 grams of fat (a third of which is saturated, the unhealthiest kind). But there are low-fat varieties with anywhere from 1 to 9 grams of fat, as well as fat-free hot dogs.

Be careful about choosing chicken or turkey hot dogs if you are trying to cut fat because these are not always lower in fat. The only way to be sure of what you're getting is to read the nutritional label.

As with many foods, less fat usually means less flavor and poor texture, so consider avoiding fat-free varieties. Hot dogs with only 1 or 2 grams of fat can be pretty good, especially when topped with condiments or used as in this recipe.

For these low-fat pigs in a healthy blanket, fat-free, store-bought, whole-wheat pizza dough stands in for the puff pastry.

Many markets sell regular and whole-wheat pizza dough in 1-pound balls. Local pizza shops also will often sell you some. If the dough is refrigerated, it is important to let it warm to room temperature. Otherwise, it will be difficult to roll out.

Here, the dough gets a dab of Dijon mustard for extra flavor before being wrapped around half of a low-fat hot dog. Before baking, the outside gets brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with poppy or sesame seeds.

For variety, you can sprinkle the dough with shredded low-fat cheddar cheese before wrapping it around the hot dog. Or you can put a small amount of sauerkraut, relish or even

jarred mango chutney inside for even more flavor.

Low-fat pigs in a healthy blanket

Start to finish: 35 minutes

(20 minutes active)

Servings: 32

1 pound store-bought whole-wheat pizza dough, room temperature

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Sixteen 98 percent fat-free hot dogs, cut in half (two 14-ounce packages)

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

3 tablespoons poppy or sesame seeds

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray or nonstick foil.

Working on a lightly floured surface, divide the ball of dough into 32 pieces. Using the palm of your hand and your fingertips, flatten a piece of the dough into a rectangle that is roughly 2-1/2 inches wide and 4 inches long.

Spread about 1/4 teaspoon of the mustard on the dough, then place a hot dog half at the short end of the rectangle and roll it up, pressing the seam to seal.

Place the wrapped hot dog on the baking sheet, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining dough and hot dogs.

In a small cup, whisk together the egg and water. Using a pastry brush, paint each of the wrapped hot dogs with some of the egg mixture. Sprinkle the hot dogs with seeds. Bake until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.

If desired, serve with extra mustard for dipping.

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