Recipes: Appetizers
Angel Eggs Not Deviled Eggs
March 29, 2013
The hunt is over! Here is a recipe that converts Deviled Eggs to Angel Eggs with fewer calories and fat all while maintaining the flavor of the standard egg icon in America. Simply discard the fat, calories and cholesterol that are found in egg yolks and keep the good protein - the egg white (albumin). Try these on your family…just do not tell them ahead of time. :-)
Roasted Moroccan Style Chickpeas
March 13, 2013
Chickpea Greek Yogurt Dip
March 13, 2013
We’re going garbanzo beans this week! Love the lemon zest in this dip, really brings out the flavors.
Oscar Winning Smoked Salmon Crepe Appetizer
February 24, 2013
The Oscars for 2013 feature a unique display of food, according to Chef Wolfgang Puck. Gone is the formal dinner, but an array of fifty small plates and as the rumor has it, “It’s a food party”. Of course, Chef Wolfgang says that there will be the usual Smoked Salmon Oscar on blinis.
Here is a heart-healthy version with tasty bites of smoked salmon rolled inside of a gluten-free crepe.
These bite-sized appetizers are rich with omega-3 fats because in this recipe, I made the crepes with omega-3 eggs, which means each egg has about 200 to 350 mg of omega-3 fat. And when we add in the salmon, the omega-3 amount is boosted even more. The taste is wonderful especially with the fat free honey mustard sauce. If omega eggs are not available in your area, regular eggs may be used. To reduce the amount of cholesterol, I recommend using an egg alternative.
Beetroot Sunflower Sesame Hummus Dip
January 20, 2013
Here is a twist on hummus, which is usually made with garbanzo beans. This is a fabulous heart healthy, vegan, gluten-free dip with color, hardiness and rich flavors. It is packed full of antioxidants from the beets. The earthiness of the beetroot is lightened with the addition of lemon juice. To lessen the garlic intensity, the cloves are parboiled. Unfortunately, cooking the garlic destroys the benefit of the allicin in the garlic. If you are a true garlic lover, omit the parboiling and add the raw garlic instead. To create some zip, splash in some hot sauce of choice.
Havocado
May 25, 2012
Avocados were once on the list of foods to avoid because of the fat content, but now the green cream of the avocado is back on the list with an abundant of good fat.
The chips coating the avocados in this recipe have an abundant of whole grains, fiber plus plant sterols (400 mg in 14 chips). Because of the plant sterols, these chips help to lower cholesterol. Wow, a perfect appetizer!
Grilled Jalapenos Stuffed with Peanut Butter
May 18, 2012
These jalapeno stuffed appetizers will knock your socks off. Not for the heat, but the flavor. Roasting the jalapenos will reduce the heat intensity. The peanut butter with the sweetness of the peach preserves will heighten the flavor even more. The perfect jalapeno roaster is available at Williams Sonoma®. It is a stainless steel rack that will hold 18 jalapenos. If you do not have a rack, then try the second technique. Split the jalapeno lengthwise and remove seeds, leaving the stem. Stuff with peanut butter and top with the apricot preserves. For options, try fat free cream cheese with cilantro or prepared spicy guacamole. Hummus works well too. To reduce the time to fill the jalapenos, a pastry bag filled with the stuffing works well.
Romaine Lettuce Spring Rolls
March 30, 2012
Spring rolls are so named because they are traditionally served on the first day of the Chinese New Year, which is in early spring. The spring roll is more delicate and lighter than traditional egg rolls. A rice wrapper is generally used, but this version is wrapped in a romaine lettuce leaf. The dipping sauce is a great accompaniment.
Bruschetta
December 2, 2010
Bruschetta is truly Italian. The word originates from bruscare, meaning “to roast over the coals.” Traditionally, bruschetta is toasted garlic bread topped with tomato, basil, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. This version is lower in fat and uses plant-sterol margarine. It’s so good, you could put it on shoe leather!