Party Healthy for the Holidays

by Wendy Gordon

Snacking at holiday cocktail parties is an easy and insidious way to pack on the calories. You're hungry, perhaps wanting to soak up some alcohol, and it's tempting to dip chip after fried chip into a creamy dip. Here are three more healthful, but still addictively yummy, alternatives.

Shellfish tastes indulgent, yet has virtually no fat. In ceviche, fish is "cooked" by sitting in an acidic dressing.

SHRIMP CEVICHE

• 2 lbs. cooked small shrimp (bay shrimp work well)
• 3 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 cup diced sweet onion
• 1 T. fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• salt to taste
• lime wedges for garnish

1. In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. Garnish with lime wedges.

Mushrooms are often stuffed with cheese. This recipe substitutes an herb-enhanced spinach mixture.

SPINACH STUFFED MUSHROOMS

• 3/4 lb. fresh spinach
• 12 large mushrooms (about 1 pound)
• 1 T. olive oil
• 2 T. minced onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 T. minced fresh basil
• 1 T. minced fresh rosemary
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, divided
• 1/2 cup coarse dry bread crumbs
• 2 T. dry sherry
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• dash black pepper
• salt to taste
• paprika for garnish

1. Carefully wash the spinach, discarding any stems. Cook for five minutes in a stockpot or until wilted (this might take less time). Transfer to a colander to drain. When the spinach is cool enough to handle, chop it finely and set aside.
2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms, keeping the caps intact. Mince the stems and sauté in a small saucepan with the olive oil, onion, garlic, basil, rosemary and salt. Sauté for 3 minutes or until the stems have softened. Stir in 1/4 cup broth and cook for approximately 2 more minutes, or until about 2 tablespoons of liquid remains.
3. Add the contents of the saucepan to the spinach, along with the bread crumbs, sherry, vinegar and pepper. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more broth, but you don't want it overly watery.
4. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Put remaining cup of broth in a roasting pan. Add the mushrooms to the pan, open side up and cover with aluminum foil. Cook for approximately 5 minutes on the top shelf of the oven, then turn over and cook for 2-3 minutes more, until mushrooms are tender but not shriveled.
5. When the mushrooms are cool enough to handle, stuff each one with filling and return to oven for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with paprika.

Lots of artichoke dips are chock full of sour cream, mayonnaise and cheese. They taste great, but so does this version, with a fraction of the calories.

GREEK ARTICHOKE AND GARLIC DIP

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 large, cooked artichoke hearts (you can substitute canned or frozen, but don't use the marinated kind)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup yogurt cheese (see recipe below)
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

To make yogurt cheese: Take one quart lowfat yogurt and put it in a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Let it drain in the refrigerator overnight. What is left in the strainer is the yogurt cheese. Yogurt cheese may be stored in a closed container for up to 3 days.

1. Combine all ingredients except for 2 teaspoons lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Add remaining lemon juice and any additional salt or pepper, if desired. Serve with crudités, crackers or pita bread.