Easy Last Minute Healthy Snack Ideas for Parties
By Tope Pedro, MPH, Dietetic Intern
Having a party? It’s important to not let a day typically filled with indulgent foods derail your health, nutrition and fitness goals. Here are some delicious and easy snack recipes.
Baked Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms
Yields 20
Ingredients
20 Baby Bella mushrooms
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped walnuts
1 garlic clove, minced
5 oz. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry OR ½ lb. of fresh, cooked spinach
1 oz. feta cheese
1 oz. gruyere cheese (optional)
2 Tbsp. minced fresh or dried dill (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
• Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onions and cook until light brown – about 25 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Add walnuts and garlic to onion and cook for another minute. Add spinach and cook another 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add cheeses, salt and pepper.
• Arrange mushrooms in baking dish. Divide filling mixture evenly among them.
• Bake about 10 minutes or until filling is browned and mushrooms are thoroughly heated.
• Serve immediately!
Healthy Deviled Eggs
Yields 12
Ingredients
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
paprika to garnish
Instructions
• First you need to hard-boil the eggs! Place the eggs in a pot, add just enough cold water so that they are fully covered, and put on high heat. Add a little salt to the pot, too — it’ll make them easier to peel.
• Cover and bring them to a boil, then turn off the heat and let them sit, still covered, for 12 minutes. Then they are ready! I usually rinse them with some cold water and let them sit for a bit to cool them down first. You can also put them in an ice bath.
• Once they’ve cooled, peel them and cut them lengthwise.
• Place the whites on a plate and the yolks in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the paprika) to the yolks in the bowl, and mash it all together. If you would like the mixture to be smooth, use a blender.
• Once it is mostly uniform, add the mixture back into the empty egg whites, top with a sprinkle of paprika, and enjoy!
Kale and Artichoke Dip
Yields about 3 cups
Ingredients
1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, pit and peel removed
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15 oz can artichokes, drained, rinsed, and chopped
2 packed cups chopped kale
olive oil, as needed
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, for topping
Instructions
• Combine the white beans, avocado, garlic powder, parsley flakes, and ground thyme in a food processor. Process until smooth and set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until translucent and lightly browned around the edges.
• Add the artichokes and kale, cook until the kale is wilted.
• Stir the avocado and bean mixture into the sautéed vegetables, season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve as is or store in the fridge for later. You can serve the dish cold, or to serve it hot, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with nutritional yeast, and bake until heated through and browned on top (about 20 minutes).
Tomato Basil Skewers
Yields 8
Ingredients
16 small fresh skim mozzarella balls
16 fresh basil leaves
16 cherry tomatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Coarse salt & fresh group pepper to taste
Instructions
• Thread mozzarella, basil and tomatoes on small skewers. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground turkey burger
1 large carrot grated
1/2 cup shredded veggies (zucchini, kale or any veggie you want to shred and include)
1 egg
1/3 cup almond meal
1 tbsp. parsley (dried or fresh minced)
1/2 tbsp. oregano
1 garlic clove minced
1/8 cup mined onions (optional)
Instructions
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl and roll in to golf size balls.
• Place them in a glass rectangular dish, covered with tin foil and bake for 40-45 min. at 375.
