Rosemary Parmesan Chicken Meatballs {Gluten-free, Low-Carb, Party Fare}

This is an ultra flavorful and ultra light dinner recipe, perfect for getting back on track after a long holiday weekend of eating all the foods. I love to serve this with gluten-free pasta for my growing boys and hungry hubby or over zucchini noodles, which are really tasty and light. These meatballs are also super fun served as an appetizer or party food with a small dish of warm marinara sauce on the side. MMMmm. Just stick a toothpick in them and you're ready to serve. Click over to www.type2diabetes.com to see my recipe. Enjoy!

...click here for the recipe!

Greek Hummus Party Dip {Gluten-free, Party Fare, Vegetarian, Appetizers}

If you love all the flavors of a Classic Greek salad, you'll love this dip. It's savory and tart with some great crunch and creaminess. It's the perfect carry-along to bring to a party or potluck. Make it in the morning and keep it in the fridge until serving time. Every time I've made this the plate is licked clean...I'd say that's a success. I love to serve it up with some simple baked pita chips. Mmmmm. Click over to www.type2diabetes.com to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip {Gluten-free, PB2, appetizer, Party Fare}

This is such a tasty dip and with fewer calories and fat than straight peanut butter you feel much better about eating it! It uses peanut butter powder, which is such a cool product! It's peanut butter that has been pressed to remove the oil and fat. You simply re-hydrate it with warm water ,or in this case yogurt, and bam, delicious peanut flavor without all the calories. I love this with crunchy, tart apples but it's also great with celery, snap peas, pretzels, crackers, etc. Click over to type2diabetes.com to see my recipe and some serving ideas. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Cucumber Salmon Bites {Gluten-Free, Appetizer, Low-Carb}

These are such a fun appetizer to make and serve. I love how elegant they are without being overly fussy to make or eat. Salmon is delicious in this and a great source of protein and healthy fats and pairs perfectly with the crisp, fresh cucumber. Are you planning any new and fun appetizers for your next family get together or family dinner? Why not treat your guests to something special? Click over to www.type2diabetes.com to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs {Gluten-Free}

I'm not a huge fan of wings but I do love the flavor combinations! This is my take on the great flavors of Buffalo Chicken wings made into tasty bite-sized meatballs!  The dipping sauce is made with light and lean Greek yogurt and has a bit of a zing!  Serve these up with the classic celery sticks and you'll have a game day or party day appetizer that everyone will love. Click over to type2diabetes.com to see my recipe.

I'm linking up with Jo-Lynne Shane's Recipe Roundup!

...click here for the recipe!

Artichoke Hummas {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}

Looking for a tasty new appetizer to try for this holiday season?  This hummus uses artichoke hearts in place of chickpeas for a light lemony flavor.  If you tend to steer clear of hummus for fear of getting an upset stomach then this is the perfect alternative for you to try.  It's a crowd-pleaser and pairs perfectly with a plate of fresh crunchy veggies.  Click here to see my recipe on Type2Diabetes.com.  Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Jack-'O-Lantern Fruit Plate {Halloween Party}

This is more of an idea inspiration than a recipe. Just wanted to share the fun little fruit Jack-'O-Lantern my 4 year old and I made together this morning for his Preschool Harvest party. I peeled all the little Mandarin oranges (which are SO sweet and delicious this time of year) and together we arranged the fruit. All together it only took about 20 minutes (lots of peeling), which was good since we did it in a mad dash before school this morning.  I didn't want those oranges getting dried out.  It was a fun and tasty project and one that I hope all the preschoolers will enjoy as well.

Tip: We used an orange "Pumpkin-shaped" plastic platter, with slightly upturned edges, to help with this. Any circular or oval platter will work. We used just about 1 bag of Mandarin oranges, 1 celery stalk, about 8-10 strawberries, two handfuls of grapes and a 1/2 handful of blueberries.

Update: We've gone on to make this multiple times and every single time it's been a huge hit for both kids and adults alike. It's so fun and attractive to look at and everyone loves to see fresh fruit at an otherwise candy-overloaded party. It is important to wait until the last minute to peel the oranges and I like to keep them covered with plastic wrap until it's time to serve to keep them from drying out. ...click here for the recipe!

Parmesan Thyme Cheese Twists {Party Fare}

I had the honor of helping to host a baby shower for my good friend. This being her first boy after two sweet girls we gave her a "Little Man" themed shower. Going along with the theme of all things mustaches, bow ties and argyle I made these cheese twists to go along with some pesto {bow tie} pasta salad. These are a decadent treat and perfect party fare.

Recipe: (about 30-40 twists)
1 box of frozen puff pastry (2 sheets)
Egg wash: mix 1 egg (or 1/4 Egg Beater's) with 1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, finely grated (with the small side of your grater or with a microplane)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced (or you may used dried thyme)
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Thaw the pastry in the fridge overnight or on the counter for exactly 40 minutes. You want it to be COLD when you work with it. Preheat oven to 375'F. Take one sheet out (leave the second in the fridge until you are ready to use it) and roll it out gently on a lightly floured board until it's about 11-12 inches square.  Brush with egg wash.

2. Sprinkle dough with half of the Parmesan, half of the cheddar and half of the thyme leaves. Be sure to spread toppings out all the way to the edges so each straw is equally tasty.

3. Cover with a piece of parchment paper and roll gently with a rolling pin to press toppings into the dough.

4. With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the pastry down the middle in half. Then slice in the opposite direction into one inch strips (each strip will be about 1"x6"). 

5. Using an off set spatula (or your fingers) gently lift each strip from the board, twist gently and place twisted strip on a parchment lined baking sheet. The pastry will puff up but not so much out so you can place them close together on the baking sheet as long as they're not touching. Bake at 375'F for 16-19 minutes until golden. Serve room temperature.

...click here for the recipe!

Happy St. Patrick's Day - Fruit Rainbow

This is what's for snack today at my son's preschool along with our Pretzel Shamrocks.  It was fun to make and I had my 3 year old help! It's one of my passions in life to help kids learn for themselves how to choose delicious, beautiful, colorful food that also happens to be good for them, so I was all over this idea.  What kid {or adult} can resist sweet fresh fruit that's already been washed and diced and laid out for them in a pretty display.  Hope the preschoolers love it!

Fresh fruit lined up in a colorful rainbow, complete with a pot of gold at the end {golden raisins}.
The "clouds" are string cheese pieces for some tasty protein to balance it all out.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone!

...click here for the recipe!