What Should I Bring to the Party?

New Year’s Eve Appetizer Ideas that won’t pack on the pounds

Brought to you by Carrine, Dietician with CRAVE IT

Are you looking for something tasty and easy to prepare for your celebration? Look no further than Do You Bake? & Crave It!

From the Do You Bake? Line-up, try The Love That Lemon Pie Cheese Ball with some apple slices. How about the Dilly Dill Pickle Dip served with some fresh baby carrots? You could even serve your Dilly Dill Pickle Dip with broken Smart CrispnZ – from the CRAVE IT line up.

Make a veggie loaded appetizer for you and your guests to enjoy. Try these Spinach and Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms. This tasty treat is loaded with vegetables and quinoa, so you can feel good about putting these on your plate. These mushrooms would also be fabulous stuffed and baked with the Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip!

Spinach and Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

1 pound cremini or other small mushrooms (about 24), wiped down and stems pulled out and set aside

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ onion, chopped

Pinch dried red pepper flakes

½ cup cooked quinoa

½ cup chopped spinach

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping if desired

2 tablespoons Feta cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Finely chop the stems of the mushrooms.
3. In a large skillet on medium heat, combine the garlic and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the quinoa, spinach, mushroom stems and Parmesan cheese, Mix well and remove from heat.
4. Add Feta and mix again.
5. Take a full teaspoon of the quinoa-spinach filling and put in each mushroom. Add more Parmesan cheese on the top if desired.
6. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
7. Let stand for a few minutes and serve!

Hummus is another great protein packed appetizer to try. This is a lower fat version than many recipes. There is no olive oil and the white beans replace half of the tahini. If you would like, drizzle the topo with a high quality olive oil just before serving. Tahini can be a strong flavor for some people, so this version is perfect for a crowd of different tastes and small children.

Simple Hummus

1 can chickpeas (14.5 ounce), drained and rinsed

1/2 cup white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tablespoon Do You Bake? FOR THE LOVE OF GARLIC SEASONING

1 tablespoon tahini

1/4 cup lemon

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon Do You Bake? FIESTA SEASONING

Directions

1. Place the beans in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. This helps your hummus have an extra creamy texture.
2. Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Add one tablespoon of water at a time (up to 1/2 cup) until the hummus is your preferred consistency.
3. Serve with a veggie tray, pita chips, or CRAVE IT SMART CRISPNZ.

This recipe is a great basic one that you can jazz up and make your own.   Try adding a handful of fresh chives or cilantro. My favorite addition is a cup of chopped red peppers. Try adding freshly squeezed lemon juice, pesto, reduced balsamic vinegar, or a sprinkle of feta and red pepper flakes.