Get the party started with these four must have healthy holiday party hors d'oeuvres! Your friends and family will be forever grateful if you serve or bring healthy appetizers at your next holiday party. Sure, we all like the usual eggnog and spinach artichoke dips, but the holidays are indulgent enough without the extra contribution. Offering healthy appetizer recipes will be a breath of fresh air during the holiday season. Protein on protein on protein! Jalapeno Poppers are easy to forget about, but always a welcomed addition. Whip up a batch of these Jalapeno Poppers, they are sure to surprise and delight whoever is lucky enough to give them a try!
Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients:
- 1 bag Quest Cheddar & Sour Cream Protein Chips
- 8 jalapeno peppers
- 6 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese
- 2 1/2 ounces sharp light cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- Pinch of salt & pepper
- 1 egg white, lightly whisked
- Nonstick cooking spray
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice each jalapeño in half and remove seeds and membranes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese, cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Hand crush Quest Protein Chips into crumbs and place into a small bowl. Set aside.
- Spoon cheese mixture into each jalapeño half.
- Place egg white in a bowl that’s big enough to fit one of the jalapeño halves.
- Dip each jalapeño half in egg white and coat with chips.
- Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.
- Add poppers to dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve.
Nutrition (2 Poppers):
- Calories: 60 | Protein: 7g | Net Carbs: 3g | Fat: 2g
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Dip
Ingredients:
- 2 scoops Quest® Vanilla Milkshake Protein Powder
- 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 tablespoons zero-calorie sweetener
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, add Quest Protein Powder®, cream cheese, almond milk, sweetener, and cinnamon.
- Mix ingredients until smooth.
Nutrition (2 tbsp):
- Calories: 30 | Protein: 2g | Net Carbs: 1g | Fat: 2g
Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
-
2 large bell peppers (any color)
-
4 packets CarbEssentials Vegetarian Sloppy Joe
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the bell peppers in half from top to bottom. Scoop out the membrane and seeds with a spoon. ( Leave the stem on the peppers for two reasons - They look pretty and it keeps the filling from running out of the end. Just don't eat the stem.)
- Boil peppers until skin has softened or to desired texture. Then set aside.
- While the peppers are cooking, combine the contents of one packet of CarbEssentials Vegetarian Sloppy Joe and 5 ounces of HOT water in a saucepan. Stir thoroughly.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 6 to 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently.
- Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Spoon sloppy joe mixture into the peppers. Top with a sprinkle of cheese and return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes to until the cheese has melted.
Nutrition (1 stuffed pepper):
- Calories: 239 | Protein: 29g | Carbs: 30g | Fat: 3.5g
Bacon Wrapped Honey Siracha Chicken Bites
Ingredients:
- 10 pieces of center cut bacon
- 2 large chicken breast
- ¼ cup sriracha
- ½ lemon wedge
- 3 teaspoons honey
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 apple
Directions:
- First, preheat oven to 400ºF. Then, line a baking sheet with tin-foil and set aside.
- Next, prep marinade by mixing together sriracha, lemon juice, honey, and salt and pepper. Then, slice chicken breast up into bite-size pieces, making sure all of the pieces are relatively the same size. I got about 30 pieces out of the two breasts. Then, place the chicken pieces in the marinade and mix.
- Prep bacon by slicing into thirds. You should have a total of 30 mini strips to match the 30 chicken pieces. Then, place a piece of chicken in the center of a piece of bacon and roll. Place on tin foil seam down. Repeat.
- Bake at 400ºF for 20-25 minutes or until the bacon is at desired texture.
- Serve with a thin slice of apple and a toothpick.
Nutrition (3 pieces):
- Calories: 130 | Protein: 13g | Carbs: 10g | Fat: 4g