67GOINGON50'S FAVOURITE CANAPES/APPETISERS FROM THE PAST

First courses/appetisers for the Festival Season 2022, including thrifty, healthy & easy options...Blogger's favourites from the past

Please note: Prices are historical and do not reflect 2024 inflation

Carrot, Cashew & Date Moutabel, Sausage Palmiers, & Chinese Tea Eggs 

Courtesy of Freepik Geographand licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Enjoying the Seasons' Treats while still eating Healthily 

On Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, relax; eat anything you like.   Otherwise, stay as close as you can - or would like to - to your usual eating plan.  Practice portion control.  Remember: 

• if you've stopped tasting it, stop eating it
• if you're overdoing it, replace a meal or two with Broth, Granola Porridge or Savoury Custard
• eat as much salad, vegetables and fruit as you can
• cut back on meat and white carbs 
• if you've eaten something dodgy or are feeling bilious, try ginger root tea or jasmine and mint tea (see How to...Wean Kids off Fizzy Drinks) 
• an over-the-counter homoeopathic remedy called Nux Vomica 30 from Boots and most chemists, can also be effective if taken properly
• don't forget your Exercise Programme, even if you only manage a half hour walk every 2nd day!  

See also: Tips for staying stress-free 

Some 2018 appetisers:

Familiar treats with a twist

Avocado & Ham Devilled Eggs, Vegetarian option: quirkily yummy with delicate heat and a sublime salty sweetness that's just 'Wow'

Devilled Tuna gourmet open faced sandwiches: creamy mashed tuna & cooked egg yolk with celery, spring onions & radish plus tabasco/chilli & mustard accents; serve on square bread, in quarters.  Frugal, low-fat.

Easy-peasy Dill Pickles, lower sugar, prep 3 days ahead: Hard to beat - 'Wow!  I love these. Very refreshing.' 'Better than I expected.' Tasters

Frugal & Fast

Kids' Delight Glazed Wings: lower fat but kids will love them; they're crispy, smokey, sweet and more-ish.

Braised Oriental Wings: Low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt. 'Great Chinese flavour with lovely amount of garlic!' Taster

Almost Instant Beetroot Chive Hummous

Carnivore's Delights

Beef Skewers with Hoisin & Orange, crowd-pleasing Asian accents 

'Oh my goodness; these are wonderful - full of umami flavour.' Tasters

Spanish Pinchitos: popular Arab inspired Spanish tapas, boldly flavoured & tender meat cubes, marinated a day ahead 

Beef Mini-Koftas: prep ahead; spicy, herby & meaty mini-koftas with exotic tahini sauce delights crowds  

VEGAN 

Unfried Crispy Chinese Dumplings: carnivore pleaser 'Crispy without being greasy' 'Unbelievable diet version' 'Amazing with the sweet chilli sauce' Tasters

Thai Larb/mince in lettuce cups: carnivores' option: a die-hard carnivore and Thai food fan tested this dish without knowing it was vegan and loved it! Fast & easy.

Caponata, Sicilian Aubergine Dip - family-friendly aubergine dip that doesn't need an oven; low-cal; sweet, sour & sassy

Sweet & Savoury Tomato Jam: sensational with home-made bread, cheddar and cucumber (and for carnivores, cold meats).  No need for brown pickle with this one!

Popular Blasts from the Early Years:

Artichoke & Spinach Dip, hot show-stopping dip served in a crusty bread bowl

Chive & Onion Dip - zingy low-cal dip made with cottage cheese

Crunchy 'Chicken' Gougons: VEGAN, kid/ults love them, easy, prep ahead, optional boozy sauce

Creamy Mushroom & Sherry Soup: low-dairy, silky smooth, no cream or potatoes

Skinnier sausages with honey(maple syrup) & mustard: does anyone need to know more?

Smoked salmon dip: offcuts make this a wonderfully wallet-friendly treat

Cheese & Chive crackers: You"ve never tasted a cheese cracker until you've tasted homemade; melt-in-the-mouth & light yet explosively tasty.  

Some Simple Easy Starters 

• Parmesan Crisps.  Drop tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat, leaving a bit of room between; level with clean fingers; bake at 180c/350f 7-10 mins. Rest a minute then carefully lift with a metal fish slice; place on cooling rack.  Broken ones will be fine but not crumbs. 
• Cucumber & spiced sausage.  Slice cucumber 1/4in/1/2 cm thick; top with similar-sized slices of good salami or Polish sausage like kielbasa.  Scone cutters will make evenly shaped sausage slices.  

• French Bread Crispbreads: easy-peasy, frugal, VEGAN. Thinly slice French bread (1/4in/1cm); lightly spray with olive oil both sides; salt lightly; bake at 180c/350f  7-10 mins or until lightly golden, turning once.  (watch they don't burn).  Cool on a wire rack.  A good vehicle for cheese or smoked salmon on a slice of lettuce (anchor both with a dab of mayo) or pate or vegetarian dips.  Assemble at last minute to retain crispness.

• Parma ham Sticks. Roll parma or serrano ham round breadsticks or thin mango wedges or drained peach slices. (Fruit ups the healthy quotient.)

• Date & Walnut Yummies.  VEGAN opt.  An Indulgence.  Fresh Medjool dates are at their best at this time of year; slit tops, fill with cream cheese & top with (a) a dab of set honey or (b) a walnut half or (c) coarsely chopped walnuts

• Baby tomato & mozzarella balls.  VEGAN. Alternate baby tomatoes & mozzarella on cocktail sticks.  Serve with a pesto dip.  

• Stuffed New Potatoes.  VEGAN opt.  Take a thin slice off the bottom of boiled new potatoes to keep them upright. (The potatoes are slightly underdone; a sharp knife inserted into the centre should meet a little resistance; they will keep cooking after being drained.) Use a melon baller or sharp knife to make a depression in the top, stuff with sour cream or thick yoghurt; sprinkle with (a) chives or (b) strips of offcuts of smoked salmon or (c) whatever you fancy

Go to How to... on NavBar for recipes from Christmases past

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These recipes  have been developed or adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.