Healthy Living Recipe Blog Focusing on Whole Ingredients & Big Flavors

100+ Healthy Holiday Appetizer Recipes + Cocktail Party Menu Planning Tips

Bookmark (or Pin) this collection of 100+ Healthy Holiday Appetizer Recipes and refer back to these tips for planning a cocktail party menu. Our family loves appetizers, so for the holidays, we graze on appetizers in the afternoon before dinner. Our schedule shifts later and later into the day, so breakfast becomes brunch, and dinner is often served later, so appetizers are the perfect way to tied everyone's appetites over until then. Whether you're looking for little nibbles, dips, spreads or ...

Healthy Meal Plan ( December 17 – December 23)

This healthy meal plan is flexible and includes a variety of dinner ideas for you and your family.This week's meal plan includes vegetarian meals, fish recipes and chicken recipes to keep things light during this holiday season. That way, you have wiggle room to indulge ;).I’ve put together a weekly meal plan to help you get healthy and delicious meals on the table for you and your family. This is a flexible healthy meal plan so feel free to swap in your favorite healthy recipes. For ...

Weekly Meal Plan Dec 10 - Dec 9 - dinner recipes and ideas to help get healthy meals on your family's table

Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts - choose from gluten-free cakes, crisps, tarts, cookies and special treats for guests with food allergies

30+ Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts

These Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts will make your family and friends feel welcome this holiday season. If you’re entertaining guests with gluten allergies or intolerances this season, you’ll find a variety of gluten-free cakes, crisps, tarts, cookies and special treats they can enjoy. Gluten-Free Cakes, Crisps and Tarts Decadent Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Gluten-Free Apple Streusel Cake…

Christmas Salad - beautiful holiday salad featuring jewel toned ingredients sure to delight guests

Christmas Salad Recipe

This Christmas Salad is a delight for the eyes, perfect for the holiday season. I made this beautiful, jewel-toned salad for some special friends to kick off the holiday season. Featuring arugula and jewel-toned radicchio, beets, pomegranate arils, Medjool dates and macadamia nuts, this Christmas Salad is as delicious as it looks. This salad was…

Spicy Tuna Wonton Cups - bite size spicy tuna appetizer perfect for parties

Spicy Tuna Wonton Cups Recipe

Spicy Tuna Wonton Cups are the perfect bite-size appetizer for parties. They’re easy to make and elegant enough for entertaining. My family loves spicy tuna rolls and basically anything that involves fresh ahi tuna. When we vacationed in Hawaii this past summer, I think my boys ordered ahi tuna almost every time we ate out….

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Oil Recipe

These Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Oil are a special treat when you’re looking to dress up your mashed potatoes. Cauliflower is the secret ingredient to making these mashed potatoes lower in carbohydrates and a little bit healthier. I’ve made these special Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Oil for special occasions as a treat. Using…

Marinated Mozzarella Balls - skewer with cherry tomatoes for a party appetizer - always a party favorite - super easy and delicious

Marinated Mozzarella Balls Recipe

Marinated Mozzarella Balls are always a party favorite. Super easy to make, yet no one can resist these little balls of deliciousness. Serve these bite-size appetizers skewered, or in a pretty bowl with crusty bread slices. They can also be included on mezze platters or cheese platters. I made these Marinated Mozzarella Balls recently for…

Chinese Mongolian Hot Pot - celebrate Chinese New Year with this one pot dinner. It's just like fondue with a special dipping sauce

Chinese Mongolian Hot Pot Recipe

Chinese Mongolian Hot Pot is perfect for celebrating Christmas, New Year’s, Chinese New Year, or for serving on any cold winter night. Chinese hot pot is similar to fondue, with a big pot of broth and lots of foods that everyone cooks themselves. It’s an interactive, fun and festive meal. Chinese hot pot, fire pot,…

The Ultimate Grazing Platter

Learn how to make the Ultimate Grazing Platter for family gatherings and entertaining guests. I used to make a separate cheese platter, crudite platter and charcuterie platter for our holiday parties. But, I was often left with almost entire platters of untouched food at the end of the night. So, I now combine cheeses, crudite…

Mango Coconut Shrimp Pops - a delicious tropical themed shrimp cocktail

Mango Coconut Shrimp Pops Recipe

Mango Coconut Shrimp Pops have a tropical flair that your guests will love. Although shrimp cocktail is one of the most popular appetizers for parties, I love the idea of surprising my guests with a little something extra special. I made these Mango Coconut Shrimp Pops for a fundraiser we hosted recently. The presentation of…

Bacon Dust Everything Bagel Deviled Eggs - party pleaser - stunning and delicious!

Bacon Dust Everything Bagel Deviled Eggs Recipe

Bacon Dust Everything Bagel Deviled Eggs are a showstopper appetizer that is budget-friendly and exceptional in flavor and presentation. If you want an appetizer to WOW your guests, make these deviled eggs now. These Bacon Dust Everything Bagel Deviled Eggs were the biggest hit at our fundraiser this past weekend. I came up with this deviled…

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail is an easy and elegant appetizer for a special occasion. Roasting the shrimp with garlic and a touch of Spanish smoked paprika gives the shrimp an extra bump of flavor. Shrimp cocktail is one of the most popular holiday appetizers. This version of shrimp cocktail is one I made several years ago for…

Spicy Ahi Tuna Cucumber Avocado Appetizers with Pickled Ginger - I made these for our holiday cocktail party and they were the biggest hit of the night!

Spicy Tuna Avocado Cucumber Appetizers with Pickled Ginger Recipe

These Spicy Tuna Avocado Cucumber Appetizers with Pickled Ginger are so elegant and a special appetizer that will wow your guests. I’ve made these for cocktail parties and these little bites are always a hit. Crunchy, tangy, and a little spicy, guests will appreciate all the flavors and textures all in one bite. I have…

Roasted Old Bay Shrimp - these are so delicious and easy to make - perfect for a quick appetizer

Roasted Old Bay Shrimp Recipe

Roasted Old Bay Shrimp is an easy and delicious appetizer. Serve with cocktail sauce if you like. My family loves Old Bay seasoning, a spice blend I grew up enjoying on steamed Maryland crabs. Old Bay seasoning is a blend of celery salt, red pepper, black pepper, paprika and other “secret” spices. It goes well…

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