Hosting a holiday party can be stressful, but is can also be simple. Really. It’s a choice.

And I’m a big advocate for simplicity–if for no other reason than now, more than ever, we need to gather with friends. Just to celebrate life and the season and our shared humanity.

My approach is to invite friends over for a simple affairs–some drinks and a table filled with easy, wholesome appetizers. For a casual get together, I keep it to just finger foods, so there are no utensils needed–only napkins.

Planning for Entertaining

As the great nation of snackers, everyone loves a party with appetizers. I like to plan for variety, and thinking in broad categories to find snacks that are:

• cheesy
• crunchy
• salty
• creamy
• spicy

Something for everyone!

Wholesome Appetizers

These are wide open to many possibilities, but once I’ve considered the ingredients I have on hand in the fridge, pantry and freezer, it gets narrowed down pretty quickly.

How many appetizers? One is actually enough for a group of four. But thinking in threes is a good principle to follow. Three appetizers is a reliable number for groups up to 10.

Just three. But what?

What all of these appetizers have in common–besides satisfying a host of cravings with little effort–is that they’re nutritious, too. Roasted nuts–crunchy and salthy–are addictive in a good way, right?

Simple homemade wholesome appetizers like these smoky tamari almonds make friends feel welcome.

I mean, I love the classic spinach dip with sour cream and mayo as much as anyone {ah yes, with Fritos, no less!} but I do not enjoy how I feel afterwards. When I serve homemade appetizers featuring fresh whole foods heavy on the produce, everyone feels good from beginning to end.

5 No-Stress Appetizer Ideas

Mind you, it’s not hard to get on a roll and consider all the time-consuming appetizers you can create and bake from scratch. But the idea here is to take the pressure off. Keep it breezy so no one feels put out by the effort.

In that spirit, here my 5 easiest wholesome appetizers:

Pickle board

The word is that pickle boards are the appetizer of the season. Works for me! I’ve always relied on having ready-to-eat jars of homemade pickles–cukes, dilly beans, beets, asparagus, carrots–to pull out at a moment’s notice. Even if you’re not a pickler (yet!), there are more and better options at the store and the farmers market. Again the number 3 is magic here; so pick three types of pickles (including olives), arrange them on a platter and call it good.

You can always add a little charcuterie, like sliced air-dried salami, or a wedge of strong cheese, like sharp white cheddar. But trust me when I tell you that the pickles have it going on all on their own.

Pickled Beets & Onions

This is the formula I use every year to pickle batches of locally grown beets. It produces a pleasing sweet-and-sour pickle highlighted with the ginger and spices. When preparing beets for pickling, I like to leave an inch or so of the tasty stems. As for the onions, you can substitute cippolini or pearl onions for the spring onions, or leave them out altogether.

Check out this recipe

Yogurt dip & veggies

Yogurt’s made a big switch of late onto the savory side of things. It’s the new hummus! I love using thick plain yogurt, like Greek, as a dip for crudités. Just mix plain Greek yogurt with finely chopped fresh herbs (like cilantro, mint, dill, basil) with a dash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt to taste. Or switch it out for mayo and/or sour cream in your favorite dip recipe for a fresh, tangy take on the old vegetable platter stand-by. For an updated presentation, put a swoosh of yogurt kip into a wide shallow bowl and arrange the veggies casually all around it.

Yogurt Ranch Dip & Dressing

This yogurt ranch is based on a recipe from Saveur, and the reason I keep powdered onion and garlic on hand. They’re convenient and they blend in quickly for the best smoothness. It’s made with 50/50 mayo-plain yogurt and yields 1 cup. Double–or triple-this recipe for a party. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Check out this recipe

Smoked wild salmon

Every summer, I brine, smoke and freeze a whole side of wild salmon, cut into chunks for a winter full of good snacks for skiing and entertaining. Good-quality smoked salmon is easy enough to find even if you don’t smoke your own. (Northwest style hot-smoked salmon, not to be confused with lox, nova or other cold-smoked fish.) Just unwrap and plate it with a knife and garnish with sliced cucumbers, radish or daikon, or veggie chips (my favorite).

Goat cheese log

Rolling good-quality goat cheese in a tasty topping is not a new idea, but it’s a perennial favorite that you can update and personalize in so many ways. I’m into pomegranate & pistachios; dukkah with hazelnuts; or preserved lemon & sumac. A drizzle of olive oil or honey over the top dresses it up effortlessly. (Note the Middle Eastern theme?) Serve with sliced apple or pear and crispy flatbreads. Or try it with a topping of homemade preserves.

Sungold Tomato-Ginger Jam

This savory tomato jam is for far more than toast. Try it with goat cheese for a cracker spread, over roast pork or on a BLT. This makes a small batch, which you can increase proportionately for a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes.

Check out this recipe

Dried fruit and nuts

Apricots, plums, dates and pears are some of my favorite dried fruits that I keep on hand for my kids to snack on after school. It’s only recently that I’ve turned to them for appetizers, too, and it’s surprised me how our guests devour them. Dried fruits go great with cheese and nuts, like this recipe for homemade Smoky Tamari Almonds. Come to think of it, you can make a winning appetizer plate out of just these three items–fruit, cheese and nuts.

With less work and more time away from the kitchen, these ideas are worth celebrating. Cheers!

Print

Smoky Tamari Almonds

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 1 pound

Calories: 269 kcal

Author: Lynne Curry

Smoked and salted nuts are the perfect pairing for a holiday cocktail. I adore almonds, but feel free to use walnuts, pecans, cashews or a combination for an easy, make-ahead appetizer. I’ve tried them all and they’re addictive–so much that you may want to make an extra batch. This recipe is easily doubled and makes a sweet holiday gift, too.

Ingredients

• 1 pound raw whole almonds substitute any raw nut
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 drops liquid smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plain or smoked

Instructions

1. Combine the almonds, tamari, oil, liquid smoke and salt, if using, in a mixing bowl until the almonds are completely moistened. Let sit for a few minutes while the oven preheats.

2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line a sheet pan with a silicone liner or parchment paper.

3. Stir the almonds once again and then arrange them in a single layer on the sheet pan. Bake the almonds on the middle rack of the oven until the almonds are beginning to dry out, about 10-12 minutes. 

4. Shake the pan to roll the almonds over and redistribute them into a single layer. 

5. Raise the heat to 350 degrees F and bake until they smell toasted and are completely dry, 5-7 minutes more. 
   

6. Transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before serving or storing.

Recipe Notes

Bottled liquid smoke may sound like some artificial flavoring, like MSG. But it’s actually real smoke collected from water vapors condensed into a liquid. Since it’s filtered of tar and ash, liquid smoke is actually less carcinogenic than actually smoking foods. A terrific shortcut for certain foods, like these nuts, it’s best used with a light hand.