Sneakily Healthy Christmas Snacks

by Deborah English — December 21, 2007

Holiday-season snacks and nibbles needn't be loaded with harmful saturated fat and refined sugar. And forget about robbing your body of essential nutrients by stuffing yourself with over-processed snack food. Whether you are entertaining at home or enjoying the hospitality of friends and family, with a bit of planning, there are plenty of healthy food options to be had.

Here are some healthy snack ideas to serve up to your family and friends:

• Freshly roasted walnuts, cashews, and almonds, mixed with dried muscatels and figs
• A big bowl of Turkish hummus served with vegetable sticks
• Buckwheat blinis topped with light cream cheese, smoked salmon slices, and capers; go to Greatpartyrecipes for a simple blini recipe
• Mini oat cakes topped with quince paste and blue cheese
• Pop some corn--popcorn!
• Olives--Kalamata, garlic-stuffed giant green olives, capsicum-stuffed green olives, Greek black olives...you get the picture
• Whole wheat bread cases stuffed with goats' feta, light cottage cheese, wilted spinach, and chopped semi-sun-dried tomatoes
• Delicious Greek Dolmades--Buy them from your local deli or make the real thing; Recipezaar (has a great recipe.
• Herb and tofu stuffed button mushrooms--Check out Veganchef for the recipe.

Well, those healthy gems should tide you over this holiday season. So good health and happy holidays to you!