Today I shared appetizers, entrees and desserts for Good Food Friday on ABC’s Lowcountry Live! These are going to save you time in the kitchen without compromising quality or taste.
Veggie and Chip Platter
You can’t go wrong with a veggie and chip platter. I recommend sliced celery, carrot and radish for spring. For those that like some savory crunch, add veggie chips by Pure Growth Organic. They are gluten-free, baked and made with organic peas, spinach and tomatoes. What is great about this company is that it was developed by a mother who wanted to make delicious, organic snacks that both kids and adults could enjoy. The mission of their company is to democratize organic snacking by making it more affordable. You can find these chips and their other organic snacks at Walmart and on Amazon.
Finger sandwiches are another easy appetizer
In honor of it being Celiac awareness month I use a gluten-free bread by Schär. Their Artisan Baker Multigrain Bread is made with flax, quinoa and sunflower seeds. Celiac, for those who aren’t familiar with it, is an autoimmune disease that requires elimination of gluten, which is a protein, found in wheat, barley and rye because it can lead to damage in the intestinal tract. So it’s great that there are reliable gluten-free products out there and Schär is a leading brand in Europe but now offer over 40 products in the US in most of our local retailers including pizza crust, crackers and breadcrumbs.
Use legume Pasta in lieu of regular pasta
One of my favorite healthy hacks is to replace your traditional pasta with pasta made with legumes. I use Tolerant’s Simply Legume pasta like their Green Lentil and the Red Lentil varieties. They are made with only one ingredient – organic lentils. Because they are made with lentils, they are naturally high in protein, fiber and iron – It is also another great gluten-free option. Pasta goes great with everything – meat, veggies, seafood and you would just prepare it as you would traditional pasta.
Grilled Peaches for dessert
This is an easy dessert you can make in the summer months – grilled peaches topped with marscapone and honey. The honey that I use is Raw Manuka Honey by Wedderspoon sourced from New Zealand where the manuka tree is native. Unlike refined sugar which is purely carbohydrate, honey contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, so it’s a more nutritious substitute. Since it is raw, it has been minimally processed which better preserves those nutrients.
For more tips, catch the segment on abcnews4.com!
