We’ve all been there…we’ve been invited to a party and promised ourselves before arriving, “I will make sure I eat healthy and don’t over-indulge.” Well, to no avail there ends up being only cheesy and fatty appetizers that are delicious, but not exactly in your healthy eating plan. I’m here to save the day! If you are a party goer, offer to bring one of these appetizers below. If you are hosting a party, try some of these appetizers because they are winners. I promise you won’t miss the fat and calories!
Caprese Skewers
Yes, these bite-size goodies have cheese on them but they are portion controlled! Allow yourself two of these and you’re good to go.
- Toothpicks
- Bite-size tomatoes (cherry tomatoes)
- Basil leaves, chopped
- Mini mozzarella balls
- Balsamic vinegar – ½ cup
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- To make the balsamic syrup, place on stovetop on medium heat. Simmer until the vinegar starts to form a syrup and get thick. This usually takes 10-15 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- Start assembling your skewers. Place 1 tomato, 1 basil leaf and 1 mozzarella ball on a toothpick. Once you’ve used all the ingredients and the toothpicks are full, place into your serving dish.
- Drizzle the skewers with olive oil and salt and pepper. Lastly, finish with a drizzle of the balsamic syrup. Enjoy!
Loaded Sweet Potato Bites
I love these sweet potato bites because they are super cute and offer more nutrients than typical nachos.
- Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼ inch rounds
- Green onions, diced
- Light sour cream
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt, pepper and cumin
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir together enough olive oil to coat the sweet potato rounds. Add salt, pepper and cumin to taste. Spread onto sheet pan. Bake for 8 minutes and then flip the rounds and bake for an additional 8 minutes or until done.
- Top each round with a small dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of green onions and a dash of red pepper flakes. Yummy!
Bruschetta with Wheat Bread
Who doesn’t love toasty bread with tomatoes? This girl does! This is made healthier by using wheat bread and less cheese than the traditional recipe.
- 1 wheat baguette, cut into slices and toasted
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 3 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
- Thinly sliced basil
- Balsamic vinegar and salt, to taste
- Combine all ingredients but the bread in a bowl. Place in the refrigerator and let this mixture sit at least an hour to allow the flavors to mellow.
- Place tomato mixture on top of bread slices and dig in!
