Are you planning a party, or going to one? You'll be happy to know there are lots of different party foods that are low in carbohydrate. Here are some of my favorites.
Vegetables and Dip
It's easy, healthy, colorful, crunchy, and everyone appreciates having some vegetables around. You can use three or four contrasting colors, or go wild with a huge platter.
Tip: Hard vegetables such as broccoli are easier to eat when blanched. Boil for two minutes, and then transfer to a bowl of ice water for a quick cool-down.
Low-Carb Vegetable List
Low-Carb Dips:
As an alternative consider stuffing your vegetables instead of dipping them. Any dip or spread can be stuffed into vegetables such as mini-bell peppers or cherry tomatoes.
Slices of cucumber or jicama make great vehicles dips as well as cheeses and spreads, such as:
Cheese Platter
Arrange several cheeses on a platter. Add melon or berries for a sweet contrast, or small mounds of sugar-free apricot jam.
Smoked Salmon
There are lots of ways to serve smoked salmon. Put it out near the cheeses so that people can mix and match. Salmon with cream cheese on cucumber slices is great; add a sprig of dill or a couple of capers for extra spark, if you'd like. If you want to get a little fancier, make roll-ups by spreading salmon with cream cheese, then rolling up and slicing (see photo).
Prosciutto
Prosciutto is a cured Italian ham that comes sliced very thin. Prosciutto and melon is a classic combination. Mound a bit of prosciutto on your cheese plate for another great pairing. Or,
roast asparagus, and then wrap each stem with prosciutto. For a truly fun and impressive party food, try
Asparagus Flowers, from Peggy Trowbridge Filipone, About.com's Guide to Home Cooking.
Wings
Chicken wings are great finger food and can be made in so many different ways. The trick is to get them crisp. Some ideas:
Fancy Nuts
Who doesn't like to nibble on some spicy or sweet nuts?
Deviled Eggs
Gussy up plain deviled eggs by adding crab or smoked salmon to the filling.
Skewers
Make skewers with shrimp or small meat balls. Alternate with vegetables or melon balls. (see photo)
Olives
Put out a dish with an assortment of fancy olives or sugar-free pickles to contrast with some of the richer flavors you're serving up, like those of the cheeses.
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