By now you’ve had your fill of Christmas cookies, copious amounts of eggnog and carb-loaded, multi-course holiday dinners, but there’s still one more fete before 2013 is done. Why not expand your horizons and kick-start your New Year’s resolution to eat healthy with some lightened-up foods for entertaining? I scanned the Web and took a few recipes for a test-drive to recommend to you here.
Zucchini sticks with sweet onion dip
Everyone loves the Awesome Blossom—the combination of crunch, sweet onion flavor and a slightly spicy dipping sauce make it a crowd-pleasing appetizer for mindless munching. This recipe from King Arthur Flour uses the chameleon of all vegetables (zucchini) as the vehicle for crunchy dipping. It is, of course, a recipe to file in your summer-zucchini-bounty recipe box, but it works equally well as party food. The Parmesan-panko coating crisps up nicely and the onion dip is a cinch to pull together (as long as you don’t burn the onions). A dash of your favorite hot sauce in the egg wash or a spicy mustard in the dip would be innovative improvements.
Spinach stuffing balls
A middle-of-the-road option between cocktail meatballs and gooey spinach-artichoke dip, these spinach balls (from The Kitchen Is My Playground) were a definite hit—and super easy, too. I used cheesecloth to squeeze the liquid out of thawed chopped spinach, and used stuffing from the canister so I could measure just what I needed. I had a hunch that I could pull back on the eggs (I used 2 instead of 3 for a half-batch) and they came out great. The butter, however, I think is necessary to moisten the stuffing. Best of all, these tasty morsels can be baked and frozen ahead of time, meaning you can pop more in the oven when the party’s in full swing and your crowd has devoured the first batch.
Hearts of palm dip
I’m always looking for new ways to use these unique veggies, other than hearts of palm salad…or putting them on green salad. So, naturally I had to give this dip recipe a whirl. I all but eliminated the oil (only used a tablespoon or so) and it resulted in a tapenade-like texture that tasted fresh and healthy—guiltless munching! I think I’ll experiment with adding different spices and flavors into this base dip to find my new go-to party snack.
Chipotle sweet potato dip
Another unconventional dip I came across in my browsing is this chipotle sweet potato dip which is a bit reminiscent of Thai food due to the interplay of rich peanut butter and chipotle heat. Because I love everything that goes into the dip I wasn’t worried about loving the result, but the odd assemblage of ingredients had me curious. I loved it with salty pita chips, but I’m certain sweet apple slices would be a smart dipping option.
Apple pie dip
It’s not a party without dessert, but this apple pie dip satisfies the sweet tooth without risking those New Year’s resolutions. With a trusty mandoline, julienning apples is a cinch. To make the salsa, you just add some basic apple pie ingredients and send it for a few spins in the microwave until the apples give off some of their juices. The corn starch thickens things up and, after making some super easy homemade chips, you have a dessert that feels down-right wholesome after the sinful sweets of the holiday season.
Do you have any favorite healthy snacks for feeding a crowd? Please share in the comments below!
- Photography: Melissa Woodley
