I'll be attending several parties over the next couple months. I not only follow a low-carb diet, but I also have gluten and dairy sensitivities (I also need to avoid chemicals and preservatives). Before I identified the dairy issue, I usually brought cheese platters to parties. I've been resorting to bringing nuts, deviled eggs, olives, green salad, fruit, or veggie trays. Anybody have any other ideas for me? It would be nice to show up with something a little more exciting, especially for holiday parties. I looked in the appetizer recipes on this site and didn't really see anything gluten and dairy free.

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Sharon

Low carb and maintaining since 2001
Ideal weight reached 2001 (30 lbs in 6 months) - improved blood sugar, triglycerides, cholesterol
Gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, chemical-free since 2007 - paleo-ish
Goal - optimal health!

You might want to take a look at these.

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Sharon, it seems to me that you could combine various items that are consistent with your limitations to create nice appetizers. For example, you could take small pieces of melon and wrap them with a small strip of procuitto or take cherry tomatoes or celery and stuff with egg, tuna, or ham salad ( I have done each); I also have taken thin slices of hard salami and put a small amount of tuna salad made with pepperonconi & mayo in the center and with a stuffed olive embedded in the tuna salad ( I also add a small piece of cheese which you could either omit or substitute a piece of soy cheese if that works with your limitations), fold over the sides and fasten with a toothpick to make an appetizer called "Antipasto Rounds". You could also bring some shrimp with your favorite cocktail sauce. Taco seasoned meatballs with picante sauce would be another possibility. Bacon wrapped water chestnuts, or bacon wrapped anything might also be good. For home entertaining, I would also consider making a "Super Nacho". (To make this, I make refried beans, using black soy beans and spread a layer on the bottom of a corningware quiche pan. Top the beans with taco meat. When I do it, I also spread cheese on top of the meat, but you could either omit the cheese or just cover a part with the cheese. This is then heated in the oven to warm/melt the cheese. The Super Nacho is then topped with chopped tomatoes, sliced ripe olives, chopped jalepenos, sliced green onions, and small dabs of picante sauce. I serve it with chips for my guests and celery and jicama strips for dipping for me.

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Henry

Maggie,

Those rum balls sound delicious! I can't have the butter, but I might be able to play with it and use a little coconut oil instead - that could be really yummy with the rum. I'll let you know if I try it.

Henry,

Thanks for all the ideas. I especially like the idea of including some sort of tuna or chicken or ham salad on the platter. Sometimes whatever I bring to the party is the only food I can eat. I could make a whole meal from that if I had to.

And, come to think of it, I have Sharron Long's cookbook which I haven't opened in ages. I could also take a look in there. She has a lot of allergy-friendly recipes.

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Sharon

Low carb and maintaining since 2001
Ideal weight reached 2001 (30 lbs in 6 months) - improved blood sugar, triglycerides, cholesterol
Gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, chemical-free since 2007 - paleo-ish
Goal - optimal health!