Every January, we resolve to shed the holiday weight by cutting down on carbs and alcohol. But we still need to eat. And to socialize. There’s something about the quieter pace of January that makes us—well, me anyway—want to have people over for drinks and din. Here are some thought-starters for clean, no-fuss cuisine to serve at resolution-friendly dinner gatherings.
Pre-Dinner Drinks: Plain is Good. I hold the view that a couple of cocktails or glasses of wine at a party are worth the splurge. Keep cocktails simple, refreshing. Offer guests a zero-calorie tangerine LaCroix sparkling water with a twist of orange, with or without a shot of vodka. Or a Topo Chico with tequila and lime juice. Have ample diet soft drinks and mixers on hand.
Snacky Things with Drinks. A big bowl of skinny popcorn can be like a mother’s hug to those of us hankering for a nosh, diet plan notwithstanding. Consider a platter of interesting crudité (I have a great list!) paired with a fresh-tasting low-fat dip, like puréed peas with mint and basil. Email me for that recipe and several other healthy dip recipes and my crudité list, or any recipe mentioned herein.
Salad, Our Champion. A simple green salad is an endlessly appealing first course. No one will miss the fattening mix-ins if you use a superlative combination of super-fresh lettuces. Romaine, radiccio, arugula, baby spinach, and Swiss chard look and taste glorious together, especially when tossed with a dressing made of highest-quality olive oil and vinegar seasoned with salt, pepper, and minced shallots.
Soup: the Dieter’s Darling. Do you have an immersion blender? It’s great for making broth-based vegetable soups and puréeing them into little pots of creaminess that taste decadent but are not. My favorites are puréed carrot soup and puréed butternut squash soup. (Whole Foods’ grab-and-go butternut squash soup is an excellent swap for homemade.) Gwyneth Paltrow’s broccoli-cheese soup tastes like a million calories, but is mostly broccoli and vegetable stock with a little bit of Stilton tossed in. It is a nice first course for a larger dinner party, or a satisfying main course for a casual one, especially if feeding vegetarians.
Guilt-Free Main Courses. Linda Eddy’s Salmon Baked in Parchment (see recipe below) is a make-ahead dish that combines the elegance of individual servings with the ease of minimal cleanup. Giada De Laurentiis’s Noodle Paella, made with whole-wheat spaghetti, is authentic-tasting, easy to make, and only 350 calories for a good-sized serving. Mark Bittman’s Braised Fish, Pot-Roast Style is scrumptious made with halibut. Local theater legend Ron Megee shared with me one of his favorite main courses, Keto Chicken Curry, a massive hit when served to guests.
And Finally, Diet-Friendly Desserts. Jessica Seinfeld has a new book of healthy, gluten-free desserts, Not Too Sweet. Her Macerated Berries with Strawberry Cream would be a fine finish to your dinner party, as would her Crustless Apple Crumb Pie. Ina Garten’s Perfect Poached Fruit is just right for a winter party, with Bosc pears, dried figs, apricots and prunes. You can make it the day before; it only gets better as it sits. Meringue is another gift to the weight conscious. Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe for Blueberry Pavlova, using medallions of meringue, is fabulous, especially if you substitute vanilla yogurt for whipping cream.
Healthy Stuff
The Perfect Blend
The Breville Control Grip immersion blender is perfect for blending smooth low-cal soups directly in your pot, plus it’s a mixer and chopper, too. Available at Pryde’s Kitchen & Necessities, $129.
Just Desserts
Jessica Seinfeld’s husband may be funny, but she is dead serious about developing great recipes. Not Very Sweet:100 Dessert Recipes for Those Who Want More with Just a Little Less is perfect for dessert lovers.
How Refreshing
It’s so fizzy and good! The clean, crisp flavor and extra carbonation of zero-calorie Topo Chico mineral water works equally well on its own or as a mixer in cocktails and mocktails. Available in major grocery stores.
Flour Power
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is a favorite for gluten-free baking, offering perfect texture and flavor in every recipe. Available online or in major grocery stores.
Scale Up
The Escali Primo digital food scale provides precise portion measurements, and is lightweight, durable, and easy to clean.
Add a Twist
The Oxo Good Grips Tabletop Spiralizer is perfect for creating low-carb “noodles” from zucchini, carrots, or other vegetables. It has three blades for spaghetti, fettuccine, and ribbon cuts.
Linda Eddy’s Salmon Baked in Parchment
For an auction supporting the UMKC Conservatory, talented home chef Linda Eddy donated a beautiful catered dinner, which I had the good fortune to attend. Linda provided a real wow moment when guests opened their individual parchment packets. Packed with heart-healthy omega-3s and vibrant vegetables, this recipe delivers fabulous flavor and texture. You can assemble the parchment packets in advance, then bake just before serving for a meal that’s as impressive as it is practical.
Ingredients
- 4½ ounce package of long-grain and wild rice
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 medium carrot
- 4 salmon fillets
For the rub
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped lemon peel
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
Also needed
- 8 toothpicks
- parchment paper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut four squares of parchment paper about 15 inches square and slice zucchini and carrot into strips.
Prepare rice mix according to package directions, except cook for a shorter time and add seasoning after rice cooks. Allow to cool if planning to refrigerate salmon packets and cook later.
Prepare rub, combining all remaining ingredients in small bowl. Place 1/2 cup rice on center of parchment paper. Top with 1/4 of zucchini and carrots. Top with salmon fillet. Put 1/4 of rub (or to taste) on each piece of salmon. Do this assembly line so that you can evenly divide ingredients. You might have some rub left over.
Fold left and right sides of parchment together, making a neat fold in the center. Fold over top and bottom of packets twice. Using a hole punch make two holes at top and bottom and insert toothpicks.
At this point you can go ahead and bake the packets or refrigerate them. If the latter, allow time for the packets to warm up a bit before baking them, as it will affect baking time if the packets are right out of the refrigerator.
Arrange packets on large cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Increase the baking time if you have larger pieces of salmon or if you have increased the quantity.
Serve in packets. Everything will be piping hot.
Ask Merrily: Find answers to all your entertaining questions.
Q: Two others and I are co-hosting a party to celebrate the significant birthday of a dear mutual friend. I don’t know my co-hosts that well, but I have offered up my house for the party venue. We’ve agreed to share expenses. Should I ask them to split the expense of having a cleaning service to my house before the party? Or pay for it myself?
A: If hiring a cleaning service feels like a substantial financial contribution on top of hosting, it’s entirely fair to ask for help. Most reasonable co-hosts would understand that preparing the venue is part of the overall party expense. You could phrase it diplomatically, like: “Since I’m providing the venue, I’d like to have a cleaning service come in beforehand to ensure everything’s perfect. Would you be comfortable splitting that expense with me?”
Do you have a question about entertaining? Email it to mjackson@inkansascity.com