Dinner party starters - what's YOUR favourite?

TourThePast

So what are your absolute favourite healthy recipes?

For New Year's Eve, we're each doing a course, and I'm doing starters. I usually rely on various seafood options for healthy starters but one of us is allergic to all kinds of seafood & fish, so I need to actually think about this one!

19steph88

we had friends over for dinner the other day,and I tried two new things (both very simple). 1) Just mixing halved grape tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, chopped red onion, and diced basil, drizzled with olive oil. (I drizzled some balsamic also, but some folks don't like that--). 2) I made my own chips by cutting corn tortillas into 6ths, spraying them with Pam Olive Oil spray, spritzing with lime juice and sprinkling with a salt, cumin, & chili powder mix, then baking. I served with with a bowl of salsa and a bowl of hummus! Both were a big hit and not TOO caloric. Hopefully others will provide you with even more ideas!

TourThePast

Appreciate the suggestion, I need to prepare something in advance as I'm taking my parents out for the day beforehand, so that mozzarella pearl salad is definitely going on the list of ideas!

sj915

my boyfriend and i do "basil bites"...which is essentially the same as what was listed but we don't drizzle any dressing (recipe says to, but we don't). On a toothpick, we just cut small cherry tomatoes in half and put those on the ends, rip up basil and put them right inside the tomato, and the center is a mozz pearl. super easy to eat and a healthy appetizer! oh yeah, and SUPER TASTY

dirtbikegirl5

We always do shrimp cocktail. This is a hit at our gatherings, but you may find someone allergic to shell fish.
We also do raw vegetables with dips (there are many gluten free and dairy free). And, we always have a cracker and cheese tray. I have made stuffed mushrooms, too.

TourThePast

sj915, torn basil leaves sound wonderful with the tomato and mozarella, great idea!

Dirbikegirl5 I think my friends are a bit tired of my healthy lifestyle, so maybe not raw vegetables, but the stuffed mushrooms might work be just the thing, maybe with Stilton crumbled over.

Gah, I'm hungry now! :bigsmile:

giggitygoo

I love to do turkey, sweet potato, sage meatballs. They look really cute with little toothpicks in them, and taste really decadent. No one ever suspects that they are low-cal. The sweet potato keeps them really moist like a pork/beef meatball.


We made them again for christmas and they were gone really fast.
http://happygoodtime.com/2011/11/01/flavors-of-fall-turkey-sweet-potato-and-sage-meatballs-with-cranberry-chutney/



I also really like to get a good can of whole tomatoes, and slow roast them for about 4 hours at 275 degrees with some fresh herbs and a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt when finished and serve with bread. They turn a beautiful dark red, and the juice reduces to a really flavorful spread for fresh bread.

TourThePast

I also really like to get a good can of whole tomatoes, and slow roast them for about 4 hours at 275 degrees with some fresh herbs and a bit of olive oil.

Do you mean a tin of plum tomatoes in tomato juice? What do you do, spread them individually on a baking sheet with juice over them, or dry?

FitForeverAgain

What's your menu currently?

mnwalkingqueen

a reduced spinach dip is a hit with my friends

giggitygoo

I also really like to get a good can of whole tomatoes, and slow roast them for about 4 hours at 275 degrees with some fresh herbs and a bit of olive oil.

Do you mean a tin of plum tomatoes in tomato juice? What do you do, spread them individually on a baking sheet with juice over them, or dry?

Yes, a tin of plum tomatoes in their juice. It's delicious.

Here's a blog post about it.
http://aconversationaboutfood.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/pomodoro-san-marzano/

DizzieLittleLifter

I do bruschetta, endive boats (endive with pesto and tomatoes), brie with pepper sauce and pita chips ( um maybe not low fat :laugh: but yummy ) Salsa with veggy sticks, smoked salmon. Really it depends on what the rest of your menu items are?

giggitygoo

Ohhhhh maybe some roasted beet slices finished with a dollop of herbed goat cheese and a drizzle of honey?

TourThePast

I also really like to get a good can of whole tomatoes, and slow roast them for about 4 hours at 275 degrees with some fresh herbs and a bit of olive oil.

Do you mean a tin of plum tomatoes in tomato juice? What do you do, spread them individually on a baking sheet with juice over them, or dry?

Yes, a tin of plum tomatoes in their juice. It's delicious.
Here's a blog post about it.
http://aconversationaboutfood.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/pomodoro-san-marzano/

Never heard of that before, sounds delicious!

What's your menu currently?

Good question. There will be two mains, I suspect that one will be lasagne, and I've no idea what the dessert will be.

CakeFit21

Fresh Figs with Mascarpone and Warm Spiced Honey

These are delicious and take about 5 minutes to prepare.

http://www.wholeliving.com/131870/fresh-figs-mascarpone-and-warm-spiced-honey?czone=eat-well/seasonal-foods/fall&center=136760&gallery=136060&slide=131871

MadDogTannen22

stuffed mushrooms

buy a pack of mushrooms and take out the stems (of course). In a small bowl, I mix a piece of toast torn up into tiny bits, and green bell pepper chopped into tiny bits, garlic powder, and stuff the mushrooms with that. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. I used to add pam or olive oil to the mixture but baked it without it and it was plenty juicy.

Bake at about 300 for 10 min or so, just enough to heat them all the way through and melt the cheese. mmmmmm. I wish I had some right now!

TourThePast

Great to know you can do mushrooms without the olive oil, the figs with marscapone sound interesting too. May have to have a few dinner parties to use up all these ideas! :bigsmile:

nickscutie

bump