Skinny recipes for socialising #1 Appetizers

Hello!

 

 

 

Girly night in? Lads round for the football? Dinner party with friends? Sometimes being social when on a diet can be really tricky. You want to have fun without indulging but you also want to put on a good spread for your friends.

 

When serving appetizers, the trick is to keep them healthy by using fruit and vegetables but adding the odd naughty treat here and there. If you make all of the appetizers yourself, your friends will focus on and appreicate the effort, so won't even miss the usual crisps and cake!

 

Here are a few appetizer ideas...

 

The amount of ingredients required may vary, depending on how many people you are cooking for!

 

Pesto chicken & cherry tomato skewers

Chicken breast x 2-4 depending on guests

1-2 packets of cherry tomatoes

1 jar of pesto

 

Pre-heat grill to med-high.

Cut the chicken breast into cubes.

Mix with half the jar of pesto.

Slide on to a skewer (note: if the skewers are wooden, soak them for a couple of hours beforehand to prevent burning) alternating between chicken and a cherry tomato.

Grill for 10 minutes (or until chicken is cooked).

Serve & enjoy!

 

 Sweet potato wedges

3-5 sweet potatoes

1 cal cooking spray

 Spice combination of your choice. This could be cayenne & paprika, lemon and herb or cajun spice to name a couple... even plain ol' salt and pepper will do the job.

 

Pre-heat oven to 180.

Spray a baking sheet with 1 cal cooking spray.

Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges and pop into a bowl.

Spray a couple of times with the 1 cal spray and add your spices combination.

Stir/shake up and then add to the baking sheet in one even layer.

Pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes, turning over halfway.

Mmm... ready to serve!

 

Coconut prawns

2-3 packets of king prawns (with shell if possible)

1 packet dessicated coconut

1 egg (beaten)

1 cal cooking spray

 

Pre-heat oven to 180.

Spray a baking sheet with 1 cal cooking spray.

Shell the prawns, leaving the tail on.

Pour the coconut onto a plate.

Dip the prawns (holding on to the tail) in the egg.

Roll the prawns in the coconut.

Repeat process with egg and coconut.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes (or until cooked).

Take out and enjoy with a low calorie sweet chilli dip or soy sauce.

 

Cucumber rolls filled with prawns

2-3 large cucumbers

2 packets of prawns - pre-cooked

Low-fat mayo

Tomato puree

Worcestershire sauce

Paprika

Handful of spring onions

 

Mix your prawns with 2-4 tbsp of low-fat mayo, 1-2 tbsp of tomato puree and 2-3 tsp of worcestershire sauce (add less/more to taste).

Stir together and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Peel a cucumber and cut into chunks.

Remove the middle of each chunk 3/4 of the way, so leaving a small base for the prawns to sit on.

Add 1 tbsp of the prawn mixture to the cucumber.

Dust each with paprika and chopped spring onion.

 

Tuna and cucumber sandwiches

2 large cucumbers

2 tins of tuna

Low fat natural yogurt

Lemon

Pepper

 

Mix together the tuna with 3-4 tbsp of natural yogurt.

Squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon and season with pepper.

Slice cucumber and dollop on.

Hey presto!

 

Roasted maple nuts

Mixed nuts

Olive or coconut oil

Maple syrup

 

Pre-heat oven to 180.

Add the mixed nuts into a bowl and drizzle over some maple syrup.

Spread oil over baking sheet.

Mix and add to baking tray.

Bake until lightly toasted.

 

Chocolate covered fruit pops

Variety of fruit - chopped banana, strawberries, sliced kiwi etc.

80% chocolate

Lollipop sticks

Greaseproof paper

Sprinkles (optional)

 

Cut up your fruit of choice so they're not too big/small for a lollipop stick.

Break up and melt the chocolate in a pan over a low heat.

Coat the fruit pieces in melted chocolate and place on greaseproof paper to cool and set.

If you would like to add sprinkles, do so before the chocolate hardens.

 

 

Fun will sugar free jelly

1-2 packets of sugarfree jelly

Hot water

Serving suggestions - empty orange (peel) in half, shot glasses, hallowed strawberry.

 

Make up the jelly as per the packet instructions.

Pour into halved orange peel (tip: chill orange peel with jelly in a muffin tin so it stays upright). Slice when chilled to look like orange segments.

or

Pour into a shot glass and to finish off, garnish with a piece of fruit.

or
hollow out a strawberry, pour in and chill. Serve with a very small dollop of natural yogurt and a sprig of mint on top.

 

 

More information on 'Skinny drinks' and 'Skinny baking' to come!

 

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