What To Bring To The Party

OK OK I tell you to take something healthy to the party and leave you on your own to figure it out. Bad Paully! Bad Bad!

Here are some ideas you can use.

Veggie Platter with Hummus or White Bean Dip

Baby Carrots
Bell Peppers (Trader Joes has 3 colored peppers in one bag)- sliced
White mushrooms halved
Broccoli Florets
Celery cut into 3" x 1/2" pieces
Grape Tomatoes

White bean dip

2 cans Cannelini beans drained and rinsed
Fresh Basil
2-3 cloves garlic smashed and minced or roasted
1-2 Lemons juiced and zested
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil or 1/4 cup reserved liquid from beans

Put everything in a food processor except the veggies and process until it reaches the consistency you want. Easy right? The switch of the reserved liquid for the oil will save about 500-600 calories and a lot of fat. For Hummus switch the beans for Garbanzo beans.

Fruit Tray

I like the following combo.

Pineapple cut into spears and then cut into 1 1/2" pieces
Strawberries
Cantaloupe
Grapes
Apples Sliced and the dipped in cold water with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning
Pears Sliced as the apples

Make this tray pretty and nobody will even notice there isn't any dip, or you can use this dip.

16 ozs peach slices (frozen unsweetened, thawed)

10 ozs strawberries (frozen unsweetened sliced, thawed)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp almond extract

Agave nectar to taste if necessary

 

Add all items to food processor and process until smooth. Add agave as necessary. This has a pretty red color and is very tasty.

 

Depending on the event a green salad may also be appropriate. Just make the dressing yourself. A good festive dressing might be like the following.

 

Raspberry Vinaigrette

 

1 pint ripe raspberries (organic)

Dash salt

dash black pepper

2 Tbsp Good Stone Ground Mustard

Juice from 1 large or 2 medium lemons

Olive oil

Agave nectar or Honey to taste

 

Force raspberries through a sieve and toss the solids. Add lemon juice and whisk. Add mustard and whisk. Drizzle olive oil slowly while whisking until the dressing emulsifies. Taste. Add salt, pepper and sweetener to taste and whisk. For a brighter and prettier presentation zest the lemons before juicing and add the zest at the end.

 

Now you have some choices for your Holiday parties. Remember to eat before you go and drink water before your first drink and between each drink. Your portion control and ability to avoid food you shouldn't eat fades with alcohol consumption.

 

Have fun.

 

Be very well and more soon....