Healthy Hanukkah Appetizers and Desserts

The Jewish festival of lights is filled with potato pancakes, jelly doughnuts and chocolate. Instead of making it a holiday celebration of calories, offer a variety of eye-appealing, delicious foods that friends and family will enjoy —including a lighter take on the traditional doughnut.

Appetizers

Offer finger foods to friends and family when having them over to light the menorah and sing holiday songs. Include healthier spins on holiday favorites and lighter bites. Complement them with low- or no-calorie beverages like water, seltzer, virgin spritzers, tea and coffee.

Kale and Artichoke Dip (pictured above)

Crispy Zucchini and Potato Pancakes

Applesauce

Stuffed Mushrooms

Mini Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

 

Desserts

Doughnuts (aka sufganiyot) are an important part of the holiday tradition. Serve them with fruit- and nut-based desserts to up the nutritional ante.

Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts (pictured above)

Winter Fruit Salad  (pictured above)

Healthy Blueberry Ricotta Tartlets

Mocha Meringue Bark

 

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

from Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog http://ift.tt/2gAww8b