Well hey friends how are you holding up?! It’s almost July 4th in the year 2020… so you know what that means. Drinks and apps at home 🤣! Okay seriously, I did not expect our restaurants to shut down once more (where are my Californians at?!) but hey nothing surprises me anymore. Not to get depressing here, I actually had planned to write this post a LONG time ago when I first made this yummy paleo charcuterie board (aka the healthy appetizer tray) for a fun date night in when the news of restaurants closing was still brand new.
The good news is that we are more prepared than when news first hit… or so I hope 😜. Would you say your cooking skills have sharpened since COVID or is door dash still you BFF?? Either way, I’ve got you covered with today’s post. Get ready to party in the form of drinks and apps because that’s what life is all about right now LOL.
Simple + Healthy = Good!
I wanted to create a simple lineup of my favorite and most trusted HEALTHY appetizers for today’s post because I think a lot of us forget how delicious healthy be! And if I am being honest, when I splurge it’s usually in the form of dessert. I will be making this Kentucky butter cake with berries for the 4th because it’s incredible! Is it healthy per se? No, not at all haha. But that’s not the point. This post is meant to inspire you and NOT constrict you! Today’s healthy appetizers are also keto, paleo, gluten free, and whole 30 friendly 🙌.
Lets’ get started..!
Buffalo Celery Sliders with Paleo Ranch Dressing
*By the way this post contains affiliate links which means when you make a purchase through my links I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you and it helps to support my blog!! Thank you!
By far, my favorite appetizer and/or meal is a buffalo slider. That buttery and spicy sauce that’s just right with each bite always gets me. Dip them in ranch and it’s a match made in heaven. I also love having celery sticks and carrot sticks to dip for that nice crunch! Here is my healthy appetizer version of buffalo sliders:
Shredded Chicken ( I like to cook mine in the Instant Pot but canned or rotisserie will also work)
Ghee
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Celery Sticks, cut (another great option would be sweet potato rounds)
Simply place the ghee and hot sauce in a bowl (no measurements here but I’d say about a 1 to 4 ratio of ghee to sauce) with the chicken to coat. Place mixture on top of celery sticks or sweet potato rounds then top with this paleo ranch recipe (below). I also like to garnish with fresh sliced green onion.
Dairy Free Ranch Recipe
This ranch recipe BLEW me away when I first tried it. It comes from Danielle Walkers “Against All Grain” paleo cookbook. Below is the link to purchase the book as it has been such a great source for many healthy recipes for our family 👏.
Here is Danielle’s Herb Ranch Recipe:
1 cup dairy free mayonnaise (or homemade) *I ended up using plain nonfat Greek yogurt and it worked beautifully! For a dairy free alternative try your favorite nondairy Greek yogurt.
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed into a paste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
*Whisk all ingredients together and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Easy Guacamole with Plantains
Guacamole is a must for a healthy appetizer tray! It’s probably one of the most loved food dishes out there… and it’s super healthy for us too so it’s something you can always feel great about eating. Skip tortilla chips for plantain chips and it’s another match made in heaven 🙌 (I love the Trader Joe’s version but check your local grocery store!)! Here is how I make my easy peasy guacamole:
1 avocado mashed with a fork (I leave mine a little chunky!)
3 garlic cloves pressed (1 clove if you are not obsessed with garlic like I am 😜)
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 teaspoon lime juice
pinch of salt
*Mix all ingredients together in bowl and serve immediately with plantain chips. Feel free to garnish with cilantro or lime to be fancy 😉.
Fresh Veggies with Ranch Dressing
So technically this idea doesn’t involve any new recipe but it’s such an easy addition to this healthy appetizer line up because the dressing from the celery sliders is already done! Use the extra herb ranch dressing from above to place in small bowls with a spoon (for a crowd) because it’s that good. And with fresh and colorful veggies like red and orange bell pepper, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and more it makes entertaining breeze. It’s also my secret weapon to adding color to this healthy appetizer tray.
By the way, this is my exact serving tray that I use for all of my food boards! Its made with acacia wood so it has the prettiest wood grain and very easy to clean. I also love that the sides come up so all of the food items won’t get displaced. Not to mention it’s super budget-friendly and under $25 👏.
I’ve also used this serving tray for our Vegan Rainbow Fruit Cups and our Waffle Charcuterie Board for more food board inspo ❤.
Healthy Treat Idea
Last year, we made these Healthy Patriotic Berry Pops for a yummy treat! The kids really enjoyed helping and they were the perfect addition to our 4th of July festivities.
Plans?
So what’s the verdict? Will you be trying out any of these healthy appetizers this year?! If you do, be sure to tag me @thrillofhome on Instagram with your eats. I’m also sharing everyday meals, style finds and scenes from mom life there on the daily. Don’t be a stranger and I’m so happy that you’ve stopped by today!! Wishing you the most magical + yummy 4th this year 💕.
X o X o ,
