In an economy with a shrinking dollar, busy lives and expanding waist lines, it doesn’t hurt to cut back. You can cut cost, time and calories and still have a delicious pupu platter for New Year’s Eve. Here are several
In an economy with a shrinking dollar, busy lives and expanding waist lines, it doesn’t hurt to cut back. You can cut cost, time and calories and still have a delicious pupu platter for New Year’s Eve.
Here are several healthy, easy-to-make, low-calorie pupus to get the New Year off to a good start. Some of the ingredients may be in your pantry or fridge already and all are easily obtained at your local grocer.
Make them by the dozen or just a few. The recipes are easily doubled or tripled. These pupus can be prepared several hours before the festivities or made and replenished as needed during the party.
Tofu Topper for Cucumber and
Daikon Slices
6 ounces soft tofu, drained
2 to 3 tablespoons minced green onions
1⁄4 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
Peeled sliced daikon 1/4-inch
Sliced English cucumbers, 1/4-inch
Optional garnishes: Sesame seeds, drained sweet pickled ginger strips, green onion circles, Small wedge of candied ginger and grape tomato slices. Use them all or just a few.
Boil whole tofu in boiling water for five minutes. Drain well on paper towels and cool. In a small deep bowl puree tofu with a stick blender or pulse in standard blender until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients except garnishes. Cover and chill well. When ready to serve top individual slices of daikon and cucumber with one teaspoon of topping and garnish individually with the above suggestions. Topping can be made the day before.
Apricot Almond Bites / Date Pecan Bites
3 ounce Neufchatel cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
11/2 teaspoon honey
11/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Dried good quality apricot halves or whole
Toasted almond slivers or whole almonds
Thoroughly mix cheese, extract, honey and lemon juice. Place in a freezer plastic bag, seal and chill for one-half hour. Snip corner of bag a quarter-inch and pipe about one teaspoon onto apricots. Top each with three slivered almonds or one whole.
Alternative: Pipe filling into the cavity of a whole pitted large date and top with toasted pecan half.
Turkey
Pineapple Rolls
These pupus are for those who need to have some meat on that pupu platter
Dried cranberries
Cocktail tooth picks
Sliced sandwich turkey breast
Sweet hot honey mustard or other flavorful mustard
Pineapple tidbits, well drained and patted dry
Spear a dried cranberry part way up on a cocktail toothpick for as many as the number of rolls you plan to make.
Spread a thin even coating of mustard on one slice of turkey. Cut turkey slice in three quarter by four-inch strips. Place a pineapple tidbit on the end of the strip and roll up, securing end with toothpick, sliding cranberry down to rest on turkey roll. Make as many as you plan to serve. They can be made early on the day or quickly during the party if you run out.
Celery Peanut Butter Surprise
Celery ribs
Peanut butter
Thin sweet midget gherkin slices for garnish
On the rounded side of the celery cut a long thin slice of celery to make a flat bottom. This will keep the celery upright on the platter. Dry each rib.
Fill each rib evenly with peanut butter. Slice ribs diagonally in one-inch to one and one-quarter inch slices. Garnish each with three slices of pickle placed diagonally in the peanut butter.
Bell Pepper Squares
1 15-ounce can rinsed and drained small white beans
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 large red bell peppers
Toasted pine nuts
Mash beans with fork or potato masher into a chunky mixture. Stir in cumin, lemon juice, garlic salt and crushed dried red pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more lemon juice, oil or cumin as needed. Chill.
Core peppers and cut into one-inch squares. Top each square with a teaspoon of bean filling and garnish with three pine nuts. Filling and pupus can be made the day before, covered and refrigerated.
The filling can also be served on pita chips or corn chips.
