Cocktail Noshing?

Do you sometimes wish that you could find some very low PointsPlus Values crackers or pita chips to dip into your salsa for a "cheap" after work, pre-supper snack?   How about some alternatives to nuts?  Sweet and spicy popcorn? Plus more...  


Below are 5 very tasty and simple recipes:

Garlicky Pita Chips
2 PPV per serving.
Serves 4.

~  Set the oven to 350 deg.
~  Take 4 (6" round) whole grain pita rounds and split them in half, then cut them into 1" wide strips or wedges.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Mix together 2 egg whites (beaten), 2 or 3 minced cloves of garlic, 1/2 tsp Herbes de Province, salt and ground black pepper.   Using a pastry brush brush the mixture onto the "rough" side of the pita bread and place on the cookie sheet - smooth side down.  Sprinkle 2 TBSP parmesan cheese over the strips of pita.
~  Bake until the edges are golden and the pita pieces are crispy - usually takes 8 - 10 minutes.  Remove them from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack.  They will keep in an airtight container for 4 or 5 days.

Roasted Chickpeas
These are a delicious alternative to peanuts or cashew nuts with your glass of wine.   They are a little spicy, but you can control how much spice you add.
3 PPV per serving.
Serves 4.

~ Set the oven to 375 deg.
~ Spray a cookie sheet with raised sides with cooking spray.  Drain a 15.5 oz can  of chickpeas, rince then and dry well with paper towels and place in a mixing bowl.  Sprinkle some garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper over the peas and toss to coat.  Place them on the cookie sheet in a single layer.
~ Roast them in the oven for approximately 45-50 minutes until they are browned and a little crispy, move them around on the cookie sheet every 20 minutes or so to turn them to brown all sides.  You can leave them in the oven longer for a crispier finish.  Cool them and serve.

Sweet and Spicy Popcorn
1 PPV per serving.
Serves 4.

~ Place 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels into a brown lunch bag.  Fold down the end of the bag and microwave on high for 2 to 2 1/4 minutes until the popping ceases.  (It burns quickly so be sure to stop the cooking as soon as you no longer hear popping sounds).  Mix together; 1 TBSP sugar, pinch of ground cinnamon, a pinch of ground allspice or a pinch of ground clove (or both), pinch of ground ginger or ground nutmeg (or both).
~ As soon as the popcorn is cooked and while still warm, tip into a mixing bowl, spray with butter spray tossing while spraying and then sprinkle on the dry spicy mixture and toss again to coat all the kernels.
(By the way this is one of Jennifer Hudson's favorites)

Here are a couple more "cocktail hour" quick and low PPV noshing ideas.  I have not figured out the value of these... they're not zero, it's quick and easy to figure it out based on how many you consume.

Caprese Skewers - take a cocktail stick and, in this order, place a, cherry tomato followed by a whole (small) basil leaf followed by a 1/4" piece of mozzarella cheese on the cocktail stick.  Place on the platter and drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and a teeny bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Dill Shrimp - Mix together 2 tsp minced shallots, 1 TBSP finely chopped dill, 3 TBSP lemon juice, 1 TBSP olive oil and pinch each of salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Take 12 - 18 large shrimp that have been peeled and deveined and toss them in the dill mixture and serve on cocktail sticks.  


This is such a tasty alternative to regular shrimp cocktail - you can add a couple of dashes of Tabasco Sauce to ramp up the heat if that takes your fancy!


Come back on Sunday for the next posting on my blog!