Hi, I need your help! I have girls night next week and I need a SB friendly recipe. Typically we all bring a dessert/appetizer, sit around and gossip while drinking our favorite beverages. I need something South Beach friendly (I'll be Phase 1.5 at that time) that others might enjoy eating and something I know I can enjoy without going OP.

I know veggies and dip are a good stand by, but I am known as "Martha Stuart" at these events, and that will tarnish my reputation!

Ideas??

Thanks!!
Jenny

hummus, with veggies and whole wheat pita triangles to dip.
not Martha Stewart

Savory Cheese Bites

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese (lf)
1/3 c. sliced almonds, finely chopped
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning Mix
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 package lf cream cheese, well chilled
1 jar spaghetti sauce, warmed

1) Preheat oven to 375. Combine Parmesan cheese, almonds, and seasoning mix. Mix well.

2) In small bowl, combine egg and garlic. Whisk. Slice cream cheese in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 12 slices, for a total of 24 slices. Dip cheese slices in egg mixture, then coat in Parmesan cheese mixture. Arrange evenly on a baking stone. Bake 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve immediately with sauce.

Helpful Hint: To easily slice cream cheese, dip knife in hot water and wipe dry between cuts.

The hummus sounds good!! Easy too!

The cheese bites sound delicious! Going to have to try those!!

They're really good. I took them to a party in 2004 right after I started SBD and everybody loved them. No one had a clue they were SBD-friendly. It's a Pampered Chef recipe, by the way!

Olive Garden Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

8 ounces light cream cheese
14 ounces artichoke hearts, canned, drained, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cooked spinach
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup romano cheese (you can use all Parmesan if you prefer)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper, to taste

Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. Cream together with mayonnaise, Parmesan, Romano cheese, garlic, basil and garlic salt. Mix well. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach (be careful to drain both of these well), and mix until blended. Store in a container until ready to use. Spray quiche pan with Pam, pour in dip and top with cheese. Bake at 350 F. for 25 minutes or until the top is browned.

Serve with Triscuits and assorted veggies for dipping.

SEVEN LAYER TACO DIP

1 (1 oz) pkg taco seasoning mix
1 (16 oz) can fat-free refried beans
1 (8 oz) pkg fat-free cream cheese, soft
1 (16 oz) container fat-free sour cream
1 (16 oz) jar salsa
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 (6 oz) can sliced black olives, drained
2 cups reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese

Spread the refried beans onto a large serving platter. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning with sour cream and cream cheese, spread the mixture on top of the beans. Sprinkle on the cheddar cheese. Top the sour cream mixture with salsa. Next add a layer of lettuce, then green bell pepper, tomatoes, and finally green onions. Garnish with black olives.

Serve with:

Homemade Tortilla Chips

1 pkg. whole wheat tortillas (12 package)
Nonstick cooking spray
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. chili powder

Spray each tortilla with cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with spices. Stack tortillas and cut in eighths (I use a pizza cutter.) Single layer on cookie sheet. Bake or broil 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

You rock! Thank you!! Now, which one to pick! Maybe I should bring 2!!

I may be a little late in responding to suit your immediate need, but here's a great appetizer to wow your friends. You can serve this with a variety of veggies. This recipe is from the Quick & Easy Cookbook, page 92. Bon appetit!

Cilantro Pesto Dip
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes

This zesty, versatile dip is great with crudites as a snack or for a party. You can also dollop it on grilled fish or chicken or toss it with cubed cooked chicken for an easy and unique chicken salad. In later phases, use it as a sandwich spread or as a chili or burrito topping. It keeps 5 days in the refrigerator and freezes for up to a month.

1/3 cup walnuts
1 large bunch cilantro, leaves and stems intact
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven or toaster oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread walnuts on a baking tray and bake until fragrant and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly, about 3 minutes.

Chop cilantro, garlic, and walnuts in a food processor, about 25 seconds. With machine running, add oil in a steady stream. Add sour cream, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Serve or refrigerate until needed.

Makes 8 (2-1/2 tablespoon) servings

Nutrition at a Glance:

Per Serving: 100 calories, 10g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1g protein, 1g carbohydrate, 0g dietary, 80mg sodium

Ooh, that one sounds good Sunshine!

Jenny, I love parties, and I love food, so I'm usually all over the appetizer type stuff. PM me if you want any other recipes. I'm happy to supply!

Sunshine, my party isn't until next Friday. Thanks for sharing! That sounds good too! I think I am going to make some of these to try ahead of time. Your dip sounds like a great thing to have on hand for snacks. Love that it is Phase 1 too!

I never would have made it thru my first 2 weeks without this site and all the great recipes. I am finding all types of new recipes, and then that sparks me to alter some of my own.

My MIL and FIL came over for dinner last night. I always have some lavish dessert. They called last minute, so I had to scramble. (Also, now that I am on South Beach, I don't have all the things in the house to whip up a fattening dessert.) I ended up making some slice and bake cookies, nothing fancy. I knew I needed something else that I could enjoy, so I made the Crustless Lemon Pie. It didn't go over so well. I like it, I enjoy it, but no one else did. Oh well!! Welcome to my new way of eating!! :-)

Let's not lose these yummy recipes. Could the posters please post them in the appropriate Recipe Section? Please try to include servings so we don't eat the whole thing!

OOh, lots of good stuff here to try.

Great recipes! Thanks so much for sharing! Unfortunately, they'll get buried with this thread when it gets bumped to the next page, though.

Can you chickies please post them in the recipe forum? That way everyone can find them in the future.

If you post the recipes in the recipe forum first, then you can just post a link in a thread like this, allowing people to see it for the discussion but leaving it in a place where people can find it in the future.