Bean bruschetta a delicious way to help you behave at holidays
Parties can be tricky territory for the healthy eater. If you host, you want to serve guests something tasty enough to make the occasion feel special. And if you are a guest, you want to bring something delicious and impressive, but that won't totally blow your diet. My solution? Tuck something nutritious and delicious on that hors d'oeuvres tray.
Enter the white bean.
White beans are my favorite party trick. I include white beans in the first course of almost any party I host. Why? White beans are a compact burst of lean protein and fiber, and because they are among the cheapest proteins you can buy, serving them also is a great budget entertaining strategy.
All that protein and fiber make beans filling. And by filling up a bit on white beans early in the party, I'm less likely to fall prey to endless visits to the chocolate fountain (once or twice will do nicely). But what to make with beans that would be party-worthy? While a white bean chili can make a fantastic appetizer (serve in cute espresso cups or plastic party shooter glasses), it's also easy to think outside the chili pot!
Focus on either the meatiness of the bean (use them in baked taquitos, or swap out the crab and make tiny spicy bean cakes) or the creaminess of the bean (blend them with roasted garlic into a creamy dipping sauce for chicken skewers, use instead of chickpeas for hummus, or add to your favorite tapenade).
The appetizer options for white beans are endless, but to get you started try my winter white bean bruschetta, which pairs the flavors of the holiday season with a classic summertime dish.
• Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the upcoming cookbook, “Supermarket Healthy.” More at melissadarabian.net