Healthy Party foods (They will never know)

Dessert recipes first? Hey, why not?

Have a large fruit bowl and low fat cool whip cream handy that they can add themselves.

Jello has a wonderful site. I cant believe all the recipes all you do is use low fat and low sugar substitutes in their regular recipes, but there is even a diabetic recipe section. http://brands.kraftfoods.com/jello/recipes/

Also we get a pretty OK priced ice cream that is low in fat and no added sugar and tastes great, the company that puts it out is Blue bunny. But we are always trying new "less unhealthy" frozen treats like low fat fudge bars and Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches.

You can also find in the pie filling section low sugar no additives fruit fillings. We love the apple and blueberry. We also buy the pineapple chunks in juice for recipes.

Here are some recipes I made with Jello. Photos are in the gallery below.

Creamy Yogurt Fluff
3/4 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Black Cherry Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin
Ice cubes
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Stir boiling water into gelatin in medium bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add enough ice cubes to cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice.
Add yogurt and vanilla; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Pour evenly into 5 individual dessert dishes.
REFRIGERATE 30 minutes or until firm.

JELL-O Strawberry Mousse Cups
3/4 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin
1 cup ice cubes
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP FREE Whipped Topping, divided
2 cups strawberries, sliced, divided

STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large serving bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice cubes; stir until completely melted. Gently stir in 1-1/2 cups each of the whipped topping and strawberries until well blended.
SPOON evenly into six small dessert dishes. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
TOP with remaining 1/2 cup each whipped topping and strawberries just before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Peaches 'n Creme Pie
1-1/2 cups finely crushed NILLA Wafers
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
2 cups ice cubes (not cold water)
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches

COMBINE crumbs and butter. Press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate.
STIR gelatin into boiling water until completely dissolved. Add ice cubes. Stir until gelatin is slightly thickened; remove any unmelted ice. Add whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Gently stir in peaches.
REFRIGERATE 15 min. or until gelatin mixture is thick enough to mound; spoon into crust. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

MORE PIES:
Also, you can make many different cream Pies just get a pie shell, cook, then fill with sugar free jello chocolate pudding and top with low fat and low sugar whip cream. Mmm chocolate cream pie, one of my favorites. Or put vanilla or banana, sugar free jello pudding in a cooked shell after first slicing up a banana or two in the shell. Add low fat whip cream and chill for an hour for mock banana cream pie.

You can get snack and sandwich makers at pretty good price. Your best bet is ebay and Wal Mart.
I have 2. I predict I will be using them more and more now that I have diabetes.
Something that is a wonderful dessert is apple turnovers. As I said earlier you can get apple pie fill that is no added sugar. I use flat bread or tortillas, the lowest in everything that I can find. Sometimes they have several brands near bakery or sandwich meat section. We have been surprised when checking the packages that some that don't say low fat or low calorie on the front are actually better for you than some that do. So for sure, read those packages!

Fruit Turnovers
Prep Time : 5min
Cook Time : 3min

INGREDIENTS:
1 tortilla
1 can no sugar pie filling of your choice
Cinnamon and if you want sugar substitute
light margarine, but low fat Pam spray is better

PREPARATION:
Place a small amount of margarine in each of the sandwich maker wells, or spray with Pam. Preheat about 5 minutes. Cut you bread into half circles and put one half down in bottom of the maker. Fill each section with fruit, sprinkle a little cinnamon (you can mix cinnamon and sugar substitute if you like) then cover with the other half tortilla and close. Heat for 3 minutes. When and done you should have 4 little pocket pies. Add low fat cool whip, which I love and we use a lot, or if serving hot add some low fat ice cream. Oh my it is wonderful .

So many items out there as I said. You really shouldn't fear any more, they taste just as good as the more fattening products. Really you have to give them a try. I put a photo of the pies in gallery above.

Eggrolls: The Healthy Way
We make this for ourselves at least once a month and always make a bunch for parties. You can't even tell they are healthy versions. It was a great net find!

Egg Roll Ingredients:
2/3 cup coarsely chopped celery
2/3 cup coarsely chopped carrot
2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 pound ground turkey (preferably 93% lean)
1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 egg roll wrappers
1 large egg white
Sauce Ingredients:
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (optional)
Light cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°. To prepare egg rolls, combine celery and carrot in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Combine celery mixture and cabbage in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave at high 5 minutes; drain. Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add turkey; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cabbage mixture, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, and pepper. Cover and chill 15 minutes.
Place 1 egg roll wrapper at a time onto work surface with one corner pointing toward you (wrapper should look like a diamond). Trim 1 inch off right and left corners of wrapper. Spoon 3 tablespoons turkey filling into center of wrapper. Fold lower corner of wrapper over filling. Fold in trimmed corners. Moisten top corner of wrapper with egg white; roll up jellyroll fashion. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers, turkey mixture, and egg white.
Lightly coat egg rolls with cooking spray, and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until golden brown.
To prepare sauce, combine 3/4 cup soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon ginger; serve with egg rolls. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: 1.5 eggroll per serving; 79 calories; 8 g carbohydrates; 11 mg cholesterol; 2.5 g fat; 532 mg sodium; 5.7 g protein; 18 mg calcium; 0.9 mg iron; 0.7 g fiber

Let's see some more ideas for guests and party healthy!!!
Being a type 2 diabetic it is not just sugar I am watching, but fats and cholesterol as well. I am on a weight loss journey.

OK, well lets BBQ. Hot dogs, choose Healthy Choice brand or other chicken dogs. I find little difference when cooked on the grill from the "real" thing.
For a party, also use some of the new white, whole wheat bread or rolls. Shhh, no one will know.
Corn on the cob! yummmmm. And it is pretty healthy if you don't load it with butter.
Skinless chicken breasts and fish are great on the grill. a tasty hint with chicken, soak the chicken in low fat Italian dressing for one hour or more in the refrigerator. Works with lean steak as well. Also they do make low fat and low sugar BBQ sauce and it is wonderful.

Still have that snack tray meat platter for folks, but use more turkey than ham (or use turkey ham) and low fat cheeses. Some of the white American low fat you can't even tell the difference on. And a veggie platter with low fat ranch dressing in a small bowl in the center.

Shrimp cocktail. You can buy jumbo bags of frozen cooked shrimp at food warehouses and such or buy a couple bags on sale at regular stores and keep frozen until party time. Take out the night before and move to the refrigerator. Just before the party rinse in cold water and paper towel dry the shrimp. You can make your own cocktail sauce: here is a recipe I found on line or you can check the health info on jars in stores.

Recipe by Dave Bucholz of Clackamas, OR
1/2 cup chili sauce or catsup
2 tablespoons hot cream-style horseradish
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
4 drops Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
In a small bowl, mix ingredients together to taste, cover and chill until ready to serve and to develop flavor.
Makes 2/3 cup.

Always put out a large salad. Put low fat dressings in fancy serve bottles or bowls. And maybe a "healthified" macaroni salad. I use a mix of white whole grain pasta and whole wheat pasta and low fat mayo. Here is a recipe of mine.

This is MY closely guarded recipe for making the dressing that I use for my potato salad and macaroni salad; and I use it in my leftover Roast Beef Salad (without the mustard or oregano). I refers to it as "Condiment Delight".
Ingredients:
Catsup
Plain yellow mustard
Light Miracle Whip
Relish (regular not the fancy relishes)
Horseradish
Grey Pupon mustard or dark mustard
Lg onion chopped
Oregano
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Here we go with this incredibly precise recipe. Get a medium bowl, open the fridge and take out all the ingredients, or as many as you have available.
In the bowl put 3 or so heaping tbsp of the Light Miracle Whip, a tsp each of catsup, horseradish, and the mustards, and a heaping tbsp of the relish. Add the onion, and sprinkle with oregano and pepper. Then add the salt, if desired, so you can clearly see how much you are adding. Mix thoroughly and then add the mixture to the potatoes or macaroni or whatever and stir gently, chill.
I make a more filling Macaroni salad by adding tuna and you can also add peas and chill

Always have a main dish like above with BBQ; and at the holidays I always make a turkey and also squash. A tasty way to add pizazz to butternut squash is add equal amounts of low fat margarine and diet low sugar syrup. I use Log Cabin sugar free syrup. Today things can be so tasty without folks knowing they are cutting in half the sugar and fats they normally would have. You may even let them know in a week or so what that was exactly that you had at the party. Or, maybe not!