Good Friends and Good Food
“One's friends are that part of the human race with which one can be human.” ~George Santayana, philosopher, poet, and critic
“Food should be fun.” – Thomas Keller, chef
Chomping unadorned carrots and celery while sipping flat mineral water with a twist, I watched my friends laugh and chat as they dragged their potato chips through an array of tasty but fat filled substances. Carefully selecting “just some veggies, thanks” kept me within my daily calories, but also kept me feeling a bit left out as if I was not physically a member of the same party. Fortunately, I did not handle too many gatherings of good friends in this not too brilliant way as there is absolutely no reason at all not to make fantastic party food that has it all – nutrition, low calories, and wonderful flavor.
Does this mean I can’t eat cheese or creamy cheesy Queso because they are so high in calories and fat? Not at all; it just means I need to know the numbers and take measured portions of things one considers a splurge and then indulge in an enticing variety of low calorie delicious options so that my party plate is mostly filled with a colorful variety of wonderful fruit, veggie, or bean based things to nosh – and a few chips destined to be joined with a bit of whatever high calorie dip the host is offering.
Fortunately, with a few good recipes and focusing on eating just a little slower and talking more often, I was soon right back in the middle of the deliciousness in the party again - but with a lot fewer total calories! Here's a few of the things that I enjoy at a party - as do my friends that are not counting calories!
Hot eats:
For a fantastically different hot finger food, try Pan Sauteed Ravioli, from The CC Palate. Serve with a bowl of your favorite thick marinara to be used as a dip or spooned on as a topping. It's quick to make and can also be used as part of a meal.
I get a lot of requests to make Walnut Stuffed Mushrooms. The serving size is set at three large button type mushrooms per person. You can easily re-do the calories for fewer mushrooms if you like on Calorie Count's recipe tab. If you've not tried the New Recipe analyzer yet, give it a try!
Instead of chips, try setting out a fresh made batch of Susan’s delicious Oven Baked Zucchini Chips. They can even be dipped in your favorite chip dip recipe or in pasta sauce!
Cool dips to serve with fresh veggies:
You can dip so many things into Jane’s Hummus, try it with sweet red pepper slices and toasted pita slices!
Janette’s White Bean Dip is simply wonderful - dip everything you can into it!
For a lovely twist on dips, try Vegetarian Times Asian Edamame Dip with rounds of cucumbers or snap peas.
Basic Guacamole is very simple and wonderful way to dip veggies! Learn to make real guacamole with this recipe, but if you prefer avocado dip, check out the link at the end of the recipe for the best ever Avocado Roasted Tomatillo dip - well, technically it's a soup recipe, but if you just don't add the veggie stock, it's awesome avocado dip!
To satisfy those that think if there are no dips designed to top potato or taco chips, it’s not a party (the rest of us can dip using other things like toasted strips of flat bread):
My friend Richard makes the most awesome Black Beans and Corn Relish, if you have room for the calories, it's awesome on corn chips, but you can easily put it on anything - including broiled chicken for dinner! It also makes a wonderful topping for the zucchini chips.
Hollie's Salsa Verde is a unique twist that most of us in the Southwest US are very familiar with. If you can find tomatillos near you, give this a try, otherwise try her fantastic Pico de Gallo!
The typical high calorie processed cheese product won’t be missed at all if you make Crazypotatoe’s terrific Queso.
A Fun Low Calorie Beverage:
Refreshing on a very hot day, Tony's Zesty Pinot Grigio is simple and a lower calorie way to enjoy a little wine. Make it "virgin" without the wine and you still have a festive, pretty, and lower calorie beverage!
What better way to celebrate good friends and wonderful food than to gather both together and host a small party. Think outside the usual good for you celery and carrots box and offer as many different colors and textures of seasonal fruits and veggies as possible. It's helpful to start with a theme - set out a beautiful Asian sampler tray of Mango, Dragon fruit, and crispy slices from those superb and gigantic Asian Pears; or offer a South of the Border display with a variety of peppers, avocados, starfruit, and fresh pineapple and coconut. You can host a party with delicious lower calorie food and learn the serving sizes of some of your old favorites with a little help of your friends at Calorie Count!
Your thoughts…
When you are invited to a party, what do you like to bring to make sure that there is something there that is both tasty and lower in calorie? How do you enjoy a party and still keep the calories under some sort of control? Do you prefer to give the party yourself or go and have someone else do all the preparations? If your recipes for your favorite party food is short, list it here; If it is lengthy, send it to me by pm!
Comments
philfan1, I would love to have you over and would welcome your pot of soup or stew! I agree that bringing something you love to eat that is filling, low cal, healthy, and amazingly delicious is an awesome way to attend a party. Sometimes you just have to show others that the standard items are not all there is! Excellent.
A pita topped with cinnamon baked then made into chips is GREAT served with mango salsa, and I always have people at my party's begging for more.
Also, spinach dip using potatoes instead of sour cream or cream cheese makes it less-fat and vegan.
Philfan-
Are you saying if you get invited over for dinner you actually bring your dinner? To each their own, but it kind of takes away the act of accepting the hospitality. I'm with you 100% on staying away from the bad stuff and not regaining ground on all the hard work, but one meal or night out is going to do it, right? It's more how you consistently eat.
For me in a setting like that it's about accepting the invitation and hospitality and enjoying the company of friends. If that setting got to be more than once a week or so then I might take drastic measures, but not until then. ;-)
I bring my own food to parties all the time, but when one is vegan, you get used to fending for yourself.
candacebaker, what is your fave thing to bring? I'm not vegan, but have friends who are and would love to know what you find appealing at a party!
i agree w sydpa. i was taught it was bad manners to bring your own food to a party (i am NOT judging). if i go to a party w snacks, i eat before i go so i am not tempted to binge. if i go to a sit down dinner, i try to eat light earlier that day so i can partake at the party without overdoing the calories.
just check with the host first - or give your own parties. Unless it's a sit down dinner they will likely welcome an addition especially to a mill about and chat party! It's just bad manners to not ask "may I bring *this*?".
I never thought of ravioli as a fingerfood. What a marvelous idea!
A quick sweet fingerfood: take pitted dates and stuff each one with an almond or pecan (or whatever nut you like). Simple, yummy, and no added sugar too :)
I feel even worse rejecting food at a dinner party because I'm vegetarian - if a meat eating family goes out of their way to make something in a way that they normally wouldn't just for me, I put the calories out of my head for one night and just enjoy that I've got somebody who wanted to eat with me so much that they did that.
At group parties, I usually bring a broth and veggie soup - with my friends, its perfectly acceptable as long as the soup can be mixed with alcohol (for some) and tastes like downing a shot glass of Red Hot Sauce (for others).
I have to disagree with some posters. When you have certain dietary restrictions and the people who invite you likely won't know those restrictions, you can do one of two things: eat before which defeats the purpose of dinner or contact them ahead of time to let them know and ask them if it is OK to bring your own. If it isn't, then they probably aren't worth hanging around. People get too defensive about their food. But I agree with novileigh, if they go out of their way, just ignore the health aspects for one night.
Hummus and veggies/pita are a great thing to bring because they can be eaten at finger food parties or sit down dinner parties. Also stuffed mushrooms are a great option that you can use fancy, fattening ingredients or tone it down and make it healthy. There is also a wonderful potato salad for summer-outdoor dinners that uses those purple potatoes and small golden potatoes, string beans (cooked lightly then chilled in ice water), and coarse mustard + pepper. Simple and tasty!
Original Post by: philfan1I'm very stubborn and I refuse to gain back any of the 124lbs. I've lost!! I go and visit friends that drink, smoke, and eat a lot of junk, but I don't think twice about bringing my own foods with me. We might not be able to avoid social situations, but we can avoid the "diet pitfalls" along the way. It wasn't easy losing all this weight and I'll be damned if I let people cajole or bully me into eating stuff I know is bad for me. I make my own home made hummis with "crackers" made out of Flatouts breads. I make a mean onion dip with 2% greek yogurt and onion soup mix. I'll bring a huge salad and make dressing out of the yogurt and ranch dressing powder. I eat fruit salad all the time for dessert at home and it's good enough to eat it at someone else's home too. Want a low fat topping for fruit? Same yogurt mixed with Splenda and a little vanilla extract. YUMMY!!! I may even show up at your house with my crock pot filled with healthy soup or stew!!!
I'm so proud of you. That's great and I hope you keep up the good work! I also bring my own food sometimes when I know I won't have any options of healthy foods. I'll also snack on the veggie platter and dip them into salsa or hummus instead of the ranch dip.
Fruit salad is the best dessert. I had three helpings at the last cookout I went to. I filled up and was satisfied, but I didn't eat any of the brownies, cookies, or cakes that everyone else had.
I like fruit salad with a splash of sweet wine or brandy, etc. and/or in a parfait layered with yogurt. My old standard:)
Hey Philfan... you and Jannid are my inspiration today... I admire your stick to it iveness regarding your weight loss...CONGRATS.. that is a HUGE success.. and your ideas made it APPETIZING TO ME.. THanks...
Hey Jannid... LOVE LOVE LOVE the column this week... great topic.. wonderful recipes... and terrific pix... I think the best thing was your question, and all the lovely answers that came forward from our fellow CCers....
I too use the greek yogurt and many different kinds of sugar free torani syrups to jazz up my fruits and to eat all by itself... really settles cravings for me, too...
As for what I do in the party roll... yep, I generally bring at least one thing that I am sure I love but that I also feel is a low cal/low fat/low sugar "party food".. its so easy to do that great "asian fruits plate" that you suggested and really breaks the humdrum of blueberries and strrawberries and bananas... a real crowd pleaser, too, I am sure...
Thanks again for the great column....and hearing from new people is so great!
Oven roasted asparagus tossed in a tiny bit of olive oil is a great finger food and is always devoured when I bring it. Also sometimes make artichokes by boiling then finishing on grill to add a tad of flavor, and make a sundried tomato/balsemic dip for them. Everyone loves them, and they take a while to eat.
the asparagus is a marvelous idea. Also, for that dip for the asparagus, do you have a recipe to share? :D
american
appetizers
asian
beans
blog
bmi
breakfast
calcium
calories
chicken
children
chocolate
coffee
confidence
cooking
craving
dessert
diabetes
diet
dieting
dietsinreview
dinner
eggs
emotionaleating
exercise
faddiet
family
fat
fiber
fish
fitness
fruit
goals
healthyeating
healthysnacks
holidays
hunger
inspiration
italian
mediterranean
mindset
motivation
nuts
obesity
overeating
party
portioncontrol
portions
protein
recipe
recipes
salad
self-esteem
shaysorrell
sleep
snack
snacks
soup
spinach
stress
successstory
sugar
support
tbl
thebiggestloser
tips
travel
tv
vegetables
vegetarian
vitamind
water
weightloss
workout
yogurt
4
I'm very stubborn and I refuse to gain back any of the 124lbs. I've lost!! I go and visit friends that drink, smoke, and eat a lot of junk, but I don't think twice about bringing my own foods with me. We might not be able to avoid social situations, but we can avoid the "diet pitfalls" along the way. It wasn't easy losing all this weight and I'll be damned if I let people cajole or bully me into eating stuff I know is bad for me. I make my own home made hummis with "crackers" made out of Flatouts breads. I make a mean onion dip with 2% greek yogurt and onion soup mix. I'll bring a huge salad and make dressing out of the yogurt and ranch dressing powder. I eat fruit salad all the time for dessert at home and it's good enough to eat it at someone else's home too. Want a low fat topping for fruit? Same yogurt mixed with Splenda and a little vanilla extract. YUMMY!!! I may even show up at your house with my crock pot filled with healthy soup or stew!!!