Blog Post

The Healthy Party Menu - Recipes Included

December 05, 2017

Susan Pittman, RD, LD, CDE
To help stay healthy during the season, keep the delicious and avoid the unhealthy.

We are deep into the holiday season, and that means get-togethers and lots of food, and the body has a selfish, insistent desire for delicious and unhealthy foods. To help stay healthy during the season, keep the delicious and avoid the unhealthy. Below is a menu that all party-goers – their taste buds and waistbands included – will appreciate. With this menu, not only will the party be a huge hit, but guests will leave satisfied and happy. Enjoy!

 

 

MENU

Appetizers

Sweet-n-Salty Nuts

Melon and Prosciutto Skewers

Main Course

Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Dessert

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

 

SWEET-N-SPICY NUTS

            Recipe by: Delish.com

Total time: 15 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cups raw almonds
  • 1/3 cup quinoa
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 egg white
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • Salt

Cooking instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together almonds, quinoa, honey, egg white, cayenne and ginger. Season generously with salt.

Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet and bake until toasted, 12 to 15 minutes.

Nutrition facts

            Amount per serving

Calories 334

Total fat 24.3g

Sodium 34mg

Total carbohydrate 22.2g

            Dietary fiber 6.6g

            Sugar 7.8g

Protein 12g

MELON & PROSCIUTTO SKEWERS

            Recipe by: Delish.com

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cantaloupe
  • 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 8 ounces mozzarella balls
  • 12 slices prosciutto
  • Balsamic glaze

 

Cooking instructions

Halve the cantaloupe, then scoop out and discard seeds. Using a melon baller, scoop out 24 balls.

Assemble skewers: Layer cantaloupe, basil, mozzarella, prosciutto and a second piece of cantaloupe to make one skewer.

Drizzle skewers with balsamic glaze and serve immediately.

Nutrition facts

            Amount per serving

Calories 149

Total fat 6.2g

Sodium 806mg

Total carbohydrate 5.8g

            Dietary fiber 0.4g

            Sugar 4.2g

Protein 16.8g

SPINACH ARTICHOKE QUINOA STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

            Recipe From: Wellplated.com

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa or rice, thoroughly rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups reduced sodium vegetable stock
  • 5 large red, yellow or orange bell peppers, halved, seeds and membranes removed
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 20 ounces fresh spinach leaves
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 cup freshly grated part-skim Mozzarella, provolone or similar melty Italian cheese
  • 1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

 

Cooking instructions

Add quinoa and vegetable stock to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, cover and let sit for 15 additional minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange the peppers in the dish, cut sides up.

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the spinach in small handfuls, stirring as it wilts down, until you have added all of the leaves.

To the skillet, add the garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Let cook for 30 seconds, then add the artichoke hearts and cook until warmed through. Remove from the heat. Stir in the quinoa, parsley, 2/3 cup of the cheese and the Greek yogurt.

Generously stuff the peppers with the quinoa filling. Lightly coat a sheet of foil large enough to cover the peppers with cooking spray, then cover the dish with foil, spray-side down. Bake for 30 minutes, covered, then remove foil, sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese over the top and continue baking 5 – 10 additional minutes, until peppers are cooked to desired tenderness and the cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Nutrition facts

            Amount per serving

Calories 191

Total fat 6g

Sodium 618mg

Total carbohydrate 24.3g

            Dietary fiber 5.4g

            Sugar 5.4g

Protein 12.5g

HASSELBACK SWEET POTATOES

            Recipe by: Foodnetwork.com

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1 green onion, chopped

 

Cooking instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 

Make a series of 1/8-inch slices along each potato, slicing 2/3 of the way through. 

Stir together the butter, oil, thyme, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture onto the potatoes, getting in between the slices. 

Place potatoes on the baking sheet and roast until the centers of the potatoes are tender and the outsides are crisp, 50 minutes to one hour. Halfway through the roasting time, remove the potatoes from the oven and run a fork gently across the tops of the potatoes, using light pressure, to fan the slices and separate them from one another. 

Meanwhile, stir the yogurt and scallions with a pinch salt and pepper. Serve the sauce with the potatoes. 

Nutrition facts

            Amount per serving

Calories 158

Total fat 4.1g

Sodium 104mg

Total carbohydrate 25.2g

            Dietary fiber 4.2g

            Sugar 8.6g

Protein 5.9g

Chocolate Avocado Mousse 

            Recipe by: Giada Di Laurentiis

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

·         ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

·         4 very ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

·         ½ cup agave

·         ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

·         1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         Optional: fresh raspberries, for garnish

Cooking instructions

Add the chocolate chips to a small bowl. Place the bowl over a small saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place the melted chocolate, avocados, agave, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Spoon into glasses and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (can be prepared 1 day in advance). Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve.

Nutrition facts

            Amount per serving

Calories 314

Total fat 24.1g

Sodium 108mg

Total carbohydrate 27.5g

            Dietary fiber 11.3g

            Sugar 11.3 g

Protein 3.7g

About Susan Pittman

Susan Pittman, RD, LD, CDE, leads the Freeman Health System Diabetes Education team. Certified through the National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators, she provides nutritional counseling to patients with diabetes and those at-risk of developing the disease. For more information call 417.347.5700.