Low-carb apps for holiday parties

Enjoying the holiday season doesn’t mean your blood sugar has to be thrown off track. Start your celebration out on the right foot by making these delicious apps for your next party.

Endive with herbed goat cheese

Makes 10 servings | Prep: 7 min | Cook: 0 min

Ingredients

• 4 oz fresh goat cheese
• 3 Tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 heads Belgian endive, leaves separated (20-24 leaves)
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Preparation

• In a medium bowl, whisk together goat cheese, yogurt, and oil. Fold in dill and parsley.
• Spoon a small scoop of the mixture onto endive leaf ends, dividing evenly.
• Season with pepper and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving size: around 2 filled leaves

Calories: 76 | total fat: 5 g | saturated fat: 3 g | sodium: 63 mg | cholesterol: 12 mg | total carbs: 4 g | fiber: 3 g | sugars: 1 g | protein: 5 g | potassium: 337 mg

Deviled eggs

Makes 12 servings | Prep: 8 min | Cook: 0 min

Ingredients

• 6 large hard-boiled eggs, cooled
• 3 Tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp chopped chives

Preparation

• Peel eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place into a medium bowl. Place the egg whites on a plate, holes facing up.
• Use a fork to mash the yolks. Add mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar. Mix until smooth.
• Spoon a scoop of the egg mixture into the hole of each white. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Nutrition

Serving size: one egg half

Calories: 50 | total fat: 4 g | saturated fat: 1 g | sodium: 66 mg | cholesterol: 94 mg | total carbs: 1 g | fiber: 0 g | sugars: 0 g | protein: 3 g | potassium: 35 mg

Guacamole with jicama sticks

Makes 10 servings | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 0 min

Ingredients

• 3 ripe avocados
• 1 lime, halved
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Pinch of salt
• 1 large jicama, peeled and sliced into sticks

Preparation

• Cut avocados in half lengthwise. Discard pit and use a spoon to remove flesh. Place flesh in a medium bowl.
• Squeeze juice from both sides of lime into the bowl. Add garlic and salt. Use a fork to mash to desired consistency (should be a little lumpy).
• Serve each scoop of guacamole with jicama sticks.

Nutrition 

Serving size: 2 tablespoons guacamole; 4 jicama sticks

Calories: 171 | total fat: 12 g | saturated fat: 3 g | sodium: 24 mg | cholesterol: 0 mg | total carbs: 16.6 g | fiber: 10 g | sugars: 3 g | protein: 2 g | potassium: 480 mg

Crab-stuffed mushrooms

Makes 10 servings | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 15 min

Ingredients

• 12 oz Baby Bella mushrooms
• 1 6 oz can crab meat, drained
• 3 scallions, chopped thinly
• 1/8 tsp dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp dried parsley
• 1/8 tsp dried thyme
• 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Clean and dry mushrooms. Remove stems and gently scoop out gills with a spoon. Set mushrooms aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine crab meat, scallions, oregano, parsley, and thyme. Add yogurt and cheese and mix well.
• Fill each mushroom with a scoop of crab meat mixture. Place stuffed mushrooms onto a baking sheet, and brush with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.

Nutrition 

Serving size: 1 mushroom

Calories: 65 | total fat: 4 g | saturated fat: 1 g | sodium: 181 mg | cholesterol: 6 mg | total carbs: 5 g | fiber: 1 g | sugars: 2 g | protein: 4 g | potassium: 193 mg

Skewered chili-lime shrimp

Makes 10 servings | Prep: 2 min | Cook: 5 min

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1Tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 lb uncooked large shrimp (around 26-30), peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp grated lime zest

Preparation

• In a medium pan, heat olive oil over a medium flame. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add lime juice and chili powder and stir to combine. Add shrimp. Cook until shrimp are pink and no longer translucent, about 2 minutes. 
• Remove from heat. Stir in lime zest. Thread around three shrimp onto 10 skewers and serve warm.

Nutrition 

Serving size: 3 shrimp

Calories: 62 | total fat: 3 g | saturated fat: 0 g | sodium: 59 mg | cholesterol: 65 mg | total carbs: 1 g | fiber: 0 g | sugars: 0 g | protein: 9 g | potassium: 7 mg