Healthy Christmas Appetizers

Healthy Christmas Appetizers Enjoy these easy to prepare, festive appetizers at your Christmas parties! Includes Feta Cheese Fold Over, Corn Fritters, Cheese and Tomato Fondue, Seasoned Crackers, Provencale Tarts, Tomato Crostini, Herbed Seafood on Toast and Cajun Shrimp.

Puff Pastry Cheese Puffs

Ingredients 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions 1 egg, beaten 1 package (17.5 ounce) frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg yolk, beaten 1 teaspoon water

Recipe Directions Preheat oven to 375-degrees. In a small bowl, blend the feta cheese, green onions and egg. Cut pastry into twelve 3-inch squares. Place a mounded tablespoon of feta mixture in the center of each square.

Moisten edges with water, and fold pastry over filling to form a triangle. Press edges together firmly with a fork to seal. In a small bowl, mix egg yolk and water. Lightly brush pastries with the mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Nutrition Information Recipe makes 12 servings Calories 286, Protein 6g, Total Fat 20g, Sodium 319mg, Cholesterol 52mg, Carbohydrates 19g, and Fiber 0 ŠCourtesy of FitnessandFreebies.com

Corn Fritters While we really shouldn't eat fried foods at all, this one actually has health attributes! Just be sure to use pure vegetable oil and drain on paper towels before serving. Every one deserves a treat from time to time!

Ingredients 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white sugar 2 cups whole kernel corn 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon shortening, melted 1/2 cup milk 3 cups vegetable oil

Directions In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir the corn kernels into the dry mixture. In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg, melted shortening and milk together. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until blended. Heat oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 365-degrees. Drop spoonfuls of the fritter batter into the hot oil and fry until golden; drain on paper towels.

ŠCourtesy of FitnessandFreebies.com

Cheese and Tomato Fondue

Ingredients 2 tablespoons butter 2 cloves garlic, pressed 1/2 teaspoon minced onion 3 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 1 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded 1/2 pound Swiss cheese, shredded

Directions In a fondue pot or double broiler over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the garlic and onion. Slowly cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Mix in the tomatoes and cook another 3 minutes. Pour in the wine. Continue stirring until the wine reaches a near boil. Remove from the heat and stir in Gruyere and Swiss cheeses until melted. recipe makes 3 cups.

Nutritional Information per 2 tablespoon serving: Calories: 135, Protein: 8g, Total Fat: 10g, Sodium: 100mg, Cholesterol: 32mg, Carbohydrates: 1g, Fiber: 0

ŠCourtesy of FitnessandFreebies.com

Seasoned Crackers

Ingredients 1 (10 ounce) package oyster crackers 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions Preheat oven to 200-degrees (95 degrees C). Whisk together the oil and seasonings; add crackers and toss to coat evenly. Spread evenly on large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Stir after 10 minutes and continue baking 10 minutes more. Recipe makes 2 dozen.

Nutritional Information per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 228, Protein 2g, Total Fat 16g, Sodium 467mg, Cholesterol, and 0, Carbohydrates 18g, Fiber 0

ŠCourtesy of FitnessandFreebies.com

Provencale Tarts For a fast, fancy edge, use a fluted pastry wheel to cut the puff pastry for these elegant cheese firstcourse appetizers.

Ingredients 1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (1 sheet) 1/3 cup purchased tapenade Eight cherry tomatoes, quartered 1/2 of an 8-ounce package crumbled feta cheese Fresh herb sprigs (optional)

Directions Thaw puff pastry according to package directions. Cut into sixteen 2-1/2-inch squares. Place each square in a 2-1/2-inch muffin cup. Place about 1 teaspoon of the tapenade on each square. Top with two cherry tomato quarters and some of the feta cheese. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from muffin cups. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs, if desired. Serve warm. recipe makes 16 appetizer servings.

Nutritional facts per serving: Calories: 92, total fat: 7 g, saturated fat: 1 g, cholesterol: 6 mg, sodium: 174 mg, carbohydrate: 6 g, fiber: 0 g, protein: 2

ŠCourtesy of FitnessandFreebies.com

Tomato Crostini Tip: Drain the tomato and olive mixture well to prevent the bread from becoming soggy.

Ingredients 2 ripe medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (1 cup) 4 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped, or pitted ripe olives, chopped (1 tablespoon) 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar Chile pepper* 1 clove of garlic, minced 8-ounce loaf baguette-style French bread 5-ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced and cut into 20 pieces *Note: Wear plastic gloves while preparing peppers; thoroughly wash your hands afterward.

Directions Stir together tomatoes, olives, onion, vinegar, Chile pepper, and garlic in a medium-mixing bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, bias-slice bread into 1/2-inch slices. Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about five minutes or until light brown.

Turn bread over and bake 5 minutes more. Evenly arrange cheese slices on toast. Drain tomato mixture.

Top each cheese slice with a spoonful of tomato mixture. Return bread slices to oven; bake for 5 minutes more or until the cheese, melts and tomato mixture is heated through. recipe makes about 20 appetizers.

Nutritional facts per serving: Calories: 56, total fat: 2 g, saturated fat: 1 g, cholesterol: 4 mg, sodium: 122 mg, carbohydrate: 7 g, fiber: 1 g, protein: 3 ŠCourtesy of FitnessandFreebies.com

Herbed Seafood on Toast Instead of the usual butter and garlic on toasted bread slices, top these with a lemony shrimp-and-crab meat mixture.

Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil 1 tablespoon snipped fresh mint 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic Eight ounces of peeled, veins removed and cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped 6-ounces frozen crab meat, thawed and drained, or one 6-ounce can crab meat, drained, flaked, and cartilage removed 1 cup of chopped plum tomatoes 1-1/2 cup chopped onion 1 8-ounce loaf baguette-style French bread 2 tablespoons olive oil Freshly ground pepper Fresh basil or chives (optional)

Directions Stir together the 1-tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, chives, basil, mint, and garlic in a mixing bowl.

Add shrimp, crab, tomatoes, and onion; toss to coat. Cut the bread into 48 thin slices; brush one side of each slice with some of the 2 tablespoons olive oil; sprinkle lightly with pepper. Arrange bread slices, brushed side up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until toasted.

Arrange on a serving platter with oiled sides up. If desired, spoon seafood mixture on each slice.

Garnish with fresh basil or chives, if desired. Serve the appetizers at once. Recipe makes 48 appetizers.

Nutritional facts per serving: Calories: 30, total fat: 1 g, saturated fat: 0 g, cholesterol: 11 mg, sodium: 78 mg, carbohydrate: 3 g, fiber: 0 g, protein: 2 g

ŠCourtesy of FitnessandFreebies.com

Cajun Shrimp

Ingredients 1/2 of a lemon 1/3 cup water 1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup) 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon cooking oil 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning 1/4 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 pounds fresh or frozen peeled medium shrimp (about 2 pounds in the shell) 1/2 cup chopped green or red sweet pepper Lettuce leaves

Directions Carefully remove peel from the lemon half, being careful not to include the white portion. Cut the lemon peel into very thin strips. Combine lemon peel, water, onion, lemon juice, cooking oil, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and salt in a large skillet; heat to boiling. Add shrimp stirring to coat. Return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 4 minutes or until shrimp are opaque, stirring twice.

Stir in green or red pepper. Transfer mixture to a glass bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours, stirring the mixture occasionally. At serving time, drain mixture well. Serve in a lettuce-lined bowl with serving picks. Recipe makes 12 servings.

Nutritional facts per serving: Calories: 71, total fat: 2 g, saturated fat: 0 g, cholesterol: 86 mg, sodium: 149 mg, carbohydrate: 2 g, fiber: 0 g, protein: 12 g ŠCourtesy of FitnessandFreebies.com