Holiday Season Party Survival
Holiday season can be tough when you are trying to eat well, with party after party of sausage and cheese, sour cream dips, puffed pastry hors d’oeuvres, sausage and cheese, cookies, cake and oh, did I mention sausage and cheese? Hey, I crave the occasional dog-in-blanket and love a good Camembert as much as the rest of the world, but I like to balance it out with something lighter and better for me.
One solution to this overload is to bring a healthy dish when you go to a party, so at least you can fill up on that. But who really wants to be the one who brings the boring cut veggies? The good news is you can bring something that is both healthy and indulgent. Here are two of my favorite dishes that celebrate food both festively and healthfully.
Grilled Zucchini Roll-Ups with Herbs and Cheese
From The Food You Crave
These bite-sized morsels are absolutely beautiful, with tender spinach and basil leaves peeking out of delicate grilled zucchini rolls filled with creamy herbed goat’s cheese. These are ideal for a special picnic or an hors d’oeuvre at a cocktail party. When served atop a basic green salad, they turn it into something to celebrate.
3 small zucchini (about 1/2 pound each), cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 1/2 ounces fresh goat cheese, preferably reduced-fat
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed)
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat.
Discard the outermost slices of zucchini and brush the rest with the oil on both sides. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Grill until tender, about 4 minutes per side. You can make the grilled zucchini a day ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese, parsley, and lemon juice, mashing them together with a fork.
Put 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese mixture about 1/2 inch from the end of a zucchini slice. Top with a few spinach leaves and one small or half of a large basil leaf. Roll up and place seam side down on a platter. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini slices. You can make these up to a day before you are ready to serve and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Makes 16 roll-ups
Serving size: 4 rolls
Per Serving:
Calories 80; Total fat 5g (Sat fat 1.5g, Mono fat 3g, Poly fat 0.5g); Protein 3g; Carb 7.5g; Fiber 2.5g; Cholesterol 2mg; Sodium 160mg
Excellent source of: molybdenum, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K,
Good source of: fiber, manganese, potassium, riboflavin
Check out my recipe for Devilish Eggs after the jump.
© Ellie Krieger, The Taunton Press, Inc., 2008
Devilish Eggs
From The Food You Crave
These deviled eggs have an indulgent filling boldly flavored with all the classic tongue-tingling tastes: mustard, hot sauce, and a spike of horseradish. They are garnished old-school style with a sprinkle of paprika, giving you everything you expect from traditional deviled eggs. The only unexpected thing is that these are good for you, thanks to my secret ingredient, silken tofu, which is so creamy and rich it lets you use less egg yolk and mayonnaise. Don’t tell your guests and they’ll never know. Just ask my husband, a self-proclaimed deviled egg connoisseur who couldn’t stop eating them.
1 dozen large eggs
2/3 cup silken tofu, drained
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Place the eggs in a large saucepan and cover with water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 9 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water and run under cold water for about 1 minute, until cool enough to touch. Peel the eggs under cold running water. Pat them dry.
Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and discard 6 of them. Set aside the whites. Place the remaining yolks in a medium bowl and mash with the tofu, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, horseradish, and chives. Season with salt and pepper. (You can prepare the filling and store it separately from the egg whites in the refrigerator in airtight containers up to 2 days.)
Spoon the mixture into the corner of a plastic bag and snip off the end. Pipe the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with paprika. You can hold the stuffed eggs in the refrigerator up to a few hours before serving.
Makes 24 deviled eggs
Serving size: 2 deviled eggs
Per Serving:
Calories 95; Total fat 6.5g (Sat fat 2g, Mono fat 2g, Poly fat 1g);
Protein 7g; Carb 1g; Fiber 0g; Cholesterol 210mg; Sodium 120mg
Excellent source of: selenium
Good source of: riboflavin, phosphorus, and vitamin B12
© Ellie Krieger, The Taunton Press, Inc., 2008
Amanda on November 14, 2008 at 10:36 AM
What kind of silken tofu? Extra firm, firm, soft, extra soft?
Rhonda on November 17, 2008 at 09:30 PM
Thank you for this lovely recipe and the great ideas! I love your show and I love how easy your recipes are to make! They taste great! My kids love the mac and cheese and the chicken strips!
Rhonda
- Pittsburgh PA
Ellie Krieger on November 25, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Amanda, thanks for your question! I've found that most brands do not specify firmness of silken tofu. But if you're able to choose between extra firm, firm, or soft then I'd go with firm silken tofu to yield the best results for this recipe. --Ellie