Make these low-calorie BLTs with turkey bacon

The last of the heirloom tomatoes are ripening now, so this is the time to savor them. One of our favorite tomato dishes is simple and sublime - BLT sandwiches.

However, since it's hard to justify the fat and calories of a traditional BLT, we headed to the test kitchen with a mission - make a bacon-lettuce-tomato combo that's light, yet just as wonderful as you would expect. And that's just what emerged.

The secret to our success is exactly what you would probably guess - turkey bacon. But not just any lame imitation bacon. Use gourmet-quality turkey bacon (it's expensive, too, unfortunately), and you'll end up with a low-fat sandwich that has only 231 calories.

We make peace with our more costly bacon realizing that if you aren't a grow-your-own guy or gal, a good heirloom tomato can easily run $4 to $5 at a supermarket and only a bit less at the farmers market. You don't want to muck it up with bacon slices that taste like plastic. And while we were experimenting, our lettuce and bread got elevated to a higher plane as well. The tart, fresh flavor of arugula holds it own with the other assertive ingredients in this sandwich, and the fiber in five-grain bread yells "healthy" with every bite.

So today's Five-Grain Turkey BLTs with Heirlooms and Arugula gives you a way to combine old-style goodness with a few modern tricks for a healthy, yet absolutely delicious sandwich. For another wonderful BLT recipe - a BLT party dip - visit our website at KitchenScoop.com. Enjoy!

Suggested menu: Five-Grain Turkey BLTs with Heirlooms and Arugula with blue corn chips and grape clusters.

•Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross are co-authors of "Desperation Dinners!" Write them at Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, or tellus@kitchenscoop.com. More at the Desperation Dinners website, kitchenscoop.com.