Apple Salsa – Low Calorie Appetizers Recipe

Low Calorie – High Taste.

If you are looking for an original, colorful appetizer or side dish, you can’t go wrong with this delicious apple salsa. It is healthy, tasty and original. You can serve it with blue corn chips, tortilla chips or, for a really low calorie snack – celery sticks.

Apple Salsa

• 3 Large Macintosh or other red skinned apples
• 3 Large Granny Smith apples
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 2 green onions
• 1 small can (4 oz) of mild green chillies (chopped)
• Jalapeno peppers – if you like spicy salsa. Chop fine and add to taste
• 6 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped fine
• 2 limes

It is best to make this the same day – a few hours ahead. Dice the apples and sprinkle the juice from 1/2 lime over them to keep them from browning. Put the apples in a bowl. Dice the yellow pepper. Cut the green onion into small pieces. Add the pepper, onions, chillies, jalapenos (optional) and cilantro to the bowl. Squeeze the rest of the lime juice over the ingredients. Mix well.

Cover the salsa with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Transfer the salsa into a nice bowl or chip dip set. Arrange the tortilla chips or celery around the bowl. Have a spoon available for scooping onto plates. You can also use this apple salsa as a side dish, or topping for broiled salmon or fish. It also goes quite well with roast pork. There is virtually no fat and it is very healthy – so enjoy your guilt free appetizer. Ole!

Red Wine Sangria Recipe

Whether you are looking for a fall/Thanksgiving holiday party drinks mix that blends with the taste of turkey and other harvest foods, or you want a beverage that fits the bill for Christmas parties, you can not go wrong with this wonderful and colourful cocktail.

You can serve this drink in a large pitcher and provide individual glasses – or put it in a punchbowl. It looks lovely and colorful with the fruit floating on top. I prefer the limes and cranberries floating at Christmas time, to keep with the red and green holiday colors. In the fall, I prefer the orange slices and yellow lemon slices with the red backdrop of the sangria – since these are the wonderful colors of fall. Match the tablecloths and table decor to the colors of whichever season you are preparing this for. Try to find seasonal wine charms to dress up the wine glasses. You can pull them out again every holiday – and you save the waste of drinks being abandoned because no one remembers which one was theirs.

Cranberry Sangria

• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 1 cup cranberry juice or cranberry cocktail
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp lime juice or lime cordial
• 1 thinly sliced orange
• 1 thinly sliced lemon (Thanksgiving) or Lime (Christmas)
• Handful of cranberries (Christmas)
• Club soda or mineral water (optional)

Combine all ingredients (except soda) in a pitcher. You can always add some red wine for real cocktails. Chill several hours before serving. If someone wants a sparkling sangria, then fill the glass 2/3 full with the sangria and 1/3 full with the club soda. Enjoy.

 This punch can be made in a non-alcoholic version for children or designated drivers. Simply use one bottle of cranberry juice and one bottle of orange juice. Add in the fruit and club soda for holiday mocktails

This beef chili recipe is delicious – even my finicky son loves it. I put in extra vegetables to make it healthier. It can easily be made with ground chicken or turkey instead of ground beef. It is a perfect winter warm up recipe and an easy dinner the family will love.

Easy Beef Chili Recipe

• 1 kg or 2 pounds of lean ground beef. You can use ground chicken or turkey instead.
• 3 onions, chopped fine
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes (28 oz)
• 5 large carrots, cut in cubes (cut up smaller if you need to hide the vegetables from your kids)
• 4 stalks of celery, diced
• 1/2 cup beef broth (You can use chicken or vegetable broth instead – especially with ground chicken)
• 1 small can of tomato paste (approx 5.5 oz)
• 1/2 cup frozen or canned corn niblets (optional)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup chili powder
• 1/4 cup mild paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper – more if you like spicy
• 1 can of red kidney beans (approx 19 oz)
• Grated cheddar cheese to top (optional)

Step 1: Put the ground beef and onions in a skillet. Brown the ground beef over medium heat and drain any fat.

Step 2: Add in the garlic, carrots, celery, tomatoes, corn and beef broth. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are softer. Add in the rest of the ingredients, except for the kidney beans.

Step 3: Cook over low heat for an hour. (If you are in a rush, you can cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.) You can also put it in a slow cooker at this point and leave it cook on low for hours.

: Add in the kidney beans for the last 10 minutes. Serve the chili in a bread bowl, over rice or pasta, or just on its own. This recipe makes a great family dinner, especially on cold nights. Leftovers can be reheated and put in a thermos for great school or work lunches.

 

Kids love to help in the kitchen and learn to cook. Let them help put the ingredients in (good for math) and stir it together. They will be proud they made something so delicious!