Happy Holidays to everyone from True Potential Health Services in Saskatoon!
One of the things I love the most about the holiday season is knowing that even though the excitement and anticipation of Christmas has come and gone, there is always New Years Eve to look forward to. Whether you are hosting a crowd or planning on a quiet evening, tasty and healthy appetizers or main courses can set the stage for a healthy transition into 2015. I find if there is a bowl of chips and dip, I am tempted to dive right in. But if there is a platter of colorful veggies, dip, and protein options, I am equally as likely to dive into those options. So, how about setting yourself up to succeed by having a spread of options? Try the following ideas:
Little Meatballs
Make your favorite meatball recipe and turn them into a party ball by making them tiny, and bake them in the oven instead of frying them which will keep their shape intact ( I also use parchment paper which keeps the cleanup to a minimum). At the end of the baking time, make a honey mustard sauce to drizzle over the meatballs. This is the easiest sauce ever – 1 part honey, 1 part mustard (I like to jazz up the mustard part by using a combo of French’s Mustard and Organic Grey Poupon or a similar kind). Any other favorite sauce will work as well.
Chicken Skewer
Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes and grill or bake on bamboo skewers. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Hard Boiled Eggs turned into Deviled Eggs
Tuna Salad Boats
Make Tuna Salad or Chicken Salad and place dollops onto 2 inch wide wedges of green or red pepper or a small inner leaf of romaine lettuce.
Grill your favorite high-quality sausage and let it cool. Cut into bite size pieces and arrange on platter with some dipping sauces.
Canned oysters, sardines or Kippers ( great way to get your omega 3 oils!!)
And for some added color, of course you need veggies, which you can do in various ways to add interest to the platter:
Raw veggies: carrots, cucumbers, red and green pepper, snap peas, jicama, celery
Grilled veggies: asparagus, red peppers, zucchini and yellow squash, mushrooms
Blanched veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, green beans (boil a pot of water, add the veggies and remove within seconds and run under cold water. You will know they are ready to be removed from the hot water as they will turn a vibrant green color in the case of the broccoli and green beans).
As for those chips and dip, how about trying some baked kale chips in place of the potato chips? Below is a recipe to use, and I will say from personal experience that the BEST way to get crunchy chips is to bake the chips with the oil, and then only season the chips with the salt AFTER the chips have completed baking. This will prevent the chips from going soggy during the baking process as the salt draws the moisture out of the kale during the baking process and creates a soggy chip.
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size Wash pieces. and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil.
- Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt when baking is complete.
Looking forward to connecting with all of you in the New Year as you continue on your path of vibrant and energetic health.
