Holiday Appetizers

Stuffed Apricots

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup toasted chopped almonds
• 1 lb dried apricots

Directions:
Combine ricotta, honey, cinnamon, and almonds. Fill a piping bag with the filling mixture. Locate the hole on the dried apricot where the pit was removed and fill with the cheese mixture.

Buttermilk Dill Dip

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1 Tbsp dried dill weed
• 4-1/2 tsp horseradish sauce
• 1 clove of fresh garlic, minced

Directions:
Beat together buttermilk and Greek yogurt. Mix in onions, pepper, dill, horseradish, and garlic. In a small bowl, beat buttermilk and cream cheese until blended. Stir in the onions, pepper, dill, horseradish sauce and garlic. Serve with a variety of vegetables.

Salmon Spread

Ingredients:

• 6 oz pink canned salmon in water, drained
• 2 Tbsp low-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbsp plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped green onions
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Beat together cream cheese and Greek yogurt until smooth. Mix in salmon, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with whole grain crackers.

Black Bean Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 – 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 large fresh tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 jalapeño pepper (remove seeds for a milder flavor)
• 1/2 cup chopped red, green or yellow bell pepper
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Serve with veggies or tortilla chips.

Berry Parfait

Ingredients:

• 1 quart fresh strawberries, halved
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 pint fresh blackberries
• 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions:
Mix all fruit together in a large bowl. In another bowl, thoroughly combine yogurt and honey. Layer ingredients in a dessert cup, parfait dish, or wine glass. Top with a fresh sprig of mint.

Herb Dipping Oil

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp dried minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil

Directions:
Combine all spices together in a small, microwave safe bowl. Add 3 Tbsp of water and microwave on high for 10-15 seconds. Drain excess water. Divide mixture into three portions and place on three shallow serving plates. Add 1/2 cup oil to each plate and serve with whole grain bread.

Stuffed Celery

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup just fruit Apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp grated orange peel
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• celery stalks, cut into serving size pieces

Directions:
Thoroughly mix Apricot preserves, ricotta cheese, yogurt, honey, orange peel, and salt until smooth and creamy. Spoon or use a piping bag to fill celery sticks. Chill before serving.

Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients:

• 3 medium cucumbers
• 1 medium mango
• 1 medium sweet pepper
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp minced parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp honey
• Cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:
Using a food processor, coarsely chop cucumbers, mango, sweet pepper, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Add corn, cilantro, parsley, salt, Agave, lime juice and a dash of cayenne pepper. Process again until thoroughly mixed. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Cajun Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 12 cups air-popped popcorn
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 4 to 5 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Place popcorn in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil and lime juice. If you have a spray bottle, mist the liquid evenly over the popcorn or simply drizzle and toss to coat. In a separate small bowl, combine Cajun seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over popcorn and toss.

Grilled Zucchini and Savory Sauce

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 1- 14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 – 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Grilled Zucchini:

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1 cup Italian-style panko bread crumbs

Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally. Whisk together egg and salad dressing. Dip zucchini slices in egg/dressing mixture, then coat with bread crumbs. Grill slices for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with savory tomato sauce.

Mini Salad Kabobs

Ingredients:

• 24 grape or cherry tomatoes
• 24 -1/2 inch cubes or balls of fresh mozzarella cheese
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 24 toothpicks

Directions:
Create mini kabobs by threading on one cheese cube, one basil leaf, and one tomato. Just before serving, whisk together oil and vinegar and drizzle over kabobs.

Herb and Cheese Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 10 cups air-popped popcorn
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dried rosemary

Directions:
Place popcorn in a large bowl. Mist or drizzle oil evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle with cheese, salt, pepper and rosemary. Toss popcorn to coat thoroughly.

Fruit Salsa and Ginger Chips

Ingredients:
Salsa:

• 2 cups fresh pineapple
• 1 large mango
• 2 kiwifruit, peeled
• 1/4 cup
• 1-1/2 Tbsp honey
• 1-1/2 Tbsp flaked coconut
• 3 Tbsp lime juice

Ginger Chips

• 8 whole grain flour tortillas
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 cup raw sugar
• 1 to 2 tsp ground ginger

Directions:
Use a food processor to chop and blend together all salsa ingredients. Refrigerate for 1-2 hrs.

To make the ginger chips, brush each tortilla with milk. Sprinkle evenly with sugar and ginger. Cut into wedges and bake at 400° for 5-7 min. or until golden brown and crisp. Cool and serve with salsa.

Waldorf Salad Sticks

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup finely chopped apple
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• dash of salt
• celery stalks, cut to desired serving portions

Directions:
Whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, zest, a dash of salt. Add apples and walnuts to sauce. Fill celery ribs with mixture and chill until serving.

Mediterranean Polenta

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 4 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:
In a large heavy saucepan, bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a gentle boil. Slowly whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon for 15-20 minutes until mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and stir in thyme and pepper. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of mixture into individual greased muffin tin cup. Smooth and make an indentation in the center of each with the back of a spoon. Cover and chill until set. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, feta cheese, basil and garlic. Unmold polenta molds and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Top each generously with tomato mixture. Broil for 5-7 minutes or until heated through.

Fruit Wreath

Ingredients:
Green and Red fruits:

• Kiwis
• Green grapes
• Green apples
• Honeydew melon
• Strawberries

• Dried cherries
• Red grapes
• Dried cranberries
• Pomegranates
• Red apples

Directions:
Wash, peel, and cut fruits as needed. Arrange on a platter in the shape of a wreath.

Stuffed Dates

Ingredients:

• Whole dates (pits removed)
• Walnut halves
• Granulated or powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:
Slide walnut halves into the slits on each date. Squeeze the date flesh around the nut. Roll in granulated or powdered sugar or leave plain. Arrange the stuffed dates on a serving plate.

Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas

These savory and salty chickpeas, which are coated in Parmesan and garlic powder, pack a delicious crunch—with protein and fiber to boot!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 Tbsp avocado oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:
Rinse the chickpeas under water, spread them out on paper towels and let dry for 15 minutes. Pat the chickpeas dry with additional towels; discard any loose skins.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, whisk together Parmesan, oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne, if using. Add the chickpeas and toss to coat.

Spread the chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, tossing twice, until dried and very crisp, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheet.

Kale Chips

A wonderful snack that kids actually love! They are surprisingly delicious.
The only tricky part is cooking it just long enough for it to get completely crisp, but not long enough to burn it. This part takes practice. Watch it carefully the first few times you make it until you know just how much time it takes.

Ingredients:

• Kale
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Wash the kale. Remove the stems. Chop the kale coarsely. Place in a large bowl and toss with a bit of oil. Add some balsamic vinegar, and toss again. Transfer the kale to the baking dishes or baking sheets. Spread it out in a single layer.

Bake, stirring every 10 minutes.

The kale will turn bright green and will begin to get crisp. Watch carefully, and continue to stir it every 10 minutes. When it looks crisp, take out a piece, let it cool for a moment, and pop it into your mouth. If it’s crisp and delicious, it’s done!

Put into a bowl, sprinkle with salt if you like, and enjoy!