Healthy hors d'oeuvres
Spicy Tortilla Roll-ups
By BETH BENCE REINKE for Smart
With fat-laden goodies and sugary treats at every party, it’s easy to let good nutrition take a holiday at Christmas. But why skimp on healthy eating when you can prepare delicious party foods without all the fat and calories?
As a chef instructor at the Yorktowne Business Institute’s School of Culinary Arts, Adam Markowitz works with all kinds of recipes. He said the main trick to making healthier hors d’oeuvres is watching the fat content by substituting lower-fat products.
“If the recipe calls for heavy cream, substitute low-fat or skim milk,” he said.
Instead of high-fat processed meats such as sausage and pepperoni, he recommends using lower-fat meats such as lean beef, poultry or fish.
Changing the type of fat can be a good option too, although it may not decrease the caloric content of the recipe.
“If the recipe calls for butter, you can use extra virgin olive oil, which is a healthier fat,” Markowitz said.
If you’re hosting a holiday party, Markowitz suggests serving four to six kinds of hors d’oeuvres and dividing those equally into hot and cold items. So you might have a fish hors d’oeuvres, something with poultry or beef, vegetables with dip, fruit and a bread.
“It’s nice to have a well-rounded table of different items,” he said.
Keep in mind that hors d’oeuvres are usually finger foods eaten while walking around and socializing.
“The key thing with hors d’oeuvres is that everything should be bite-size,” Markowitz said. “People should be able to pick it up and put the whole thing into their mouth.”
For a party where you’re serving a meal, Markowitz suggests putting out two pieces of each kind of hors d’oeuvres per person attending. Don’t refill the plates because you want guests to be hungry for the meal later.
If you are serving only hors d’oeuvres, then make at least five pieces of each kind per party guest, he said.
If you’re looking to make a trendy adjustment to your holiday entertaining, Markowitz said, fusion is the newest thing in food this year. Fusion is a way to combine foods from different parts of the world to make unique blends of flavors.
To sample a recipe that uses fusion, try grilled vegetable flatbread. Markowitz said it combines flatbread from India, Japanese eggplant and American veggies like tomatoes, peppers and zucchini. This recipe is high in fiber, loaded with antioxidants and contains healthy monounsaturated fats. It can be served as an appetizer or cut into smaller pieces to create hors d’oeuvres.
Turkey Meatball Wraps
4 packages reduced-fat crescent rolls
(8 per package)
1 1½-pound package Shady Brook Farms pre-cooked turkey meatballs
1 8-ounce package sweet-and-sour sauce (comes in package with meatballs)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, finely choppedHeat meatballs in skillet over low heat for 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sweet-and-sour sauce. Place 1 teaspoon chopped peppers and one meatball on each crescent-roll triangle. Roll crescent up with meatball and peppers inside. Fold sides up over top and press edges to seal. Place on cookie sheet and bake 12 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve warm. Makes 32 servings.
— Beth Bence Reinke, registered dietitian
Spicy Tortilla Roll-Ups 1 8-ounce package light cream cheese, softened 1 2-ounce can chopped black olives 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies 1 4-ounce jar sliced pimento peppers, drained 2 green onions, minced 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 10 10-inch flour tortillasIn a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, olives, chilies, pimentos, onions and cilantro. Spread mixture onto tortillas. Roll tortillas up and refrigerate for at least one hour. Slice the roll-ups into thirds and serve. Makes 30 servings.
— AllRecipes.com
Grilled Vegetable Flatbreads 2 zucchini cut into 1/3-inch slices 2 eggplants cut into 1/3-inch slices 2 beefsteak tomatoes cut into ¼-inch slices 2 roasted red peppers cut into 2-inch slices 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cups cooked lima beans ¼ cup grated low-fat Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon lemon zest ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme ¼ cup vegetable broth 4 flatbreads or pitas, uncutBrush zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill until tender. Sauté 1 tablespoon olive oil and onion over medium-low heat, stirring until onion becomes brown and syrupy, about 15 to 20 minutes. In a food processor, puree onion, lima beans, cheese, lemon zest, thyme, parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil and vegetable broth. Grill or toast both sides of flatbread. Remove from heat and spread with bean puree. Layer on vegetables and cut in half. Makes 8 appetizer servings. Cut into smaller pieces for hors d’oeuvres.
— Adam Markowitz, chef instructor
Vanilla Fruit Dip
CHRISTOPHER GLASS for SmartVanilla Fruit Dip
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
1 3-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons orange juiceMix all ingredients well, chill and serve with fresh fruit such as pineapple chunks, whole strawberries, grapes and apple slices.
— Beth Bence Reinke, registered dietitian
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