It’s that special time of the year and having the holiday season in Summer in Australia means that we can enjoy the abundance of delicious seasonal produce that greets us at this time of the year.
One of the best ways to wow your guests this Christmas and really showcase all of the beautiful fruits and vegetables available is with these festive platters. Not only do they look colourful and make a great center piece at any table or event, they are also fresh, healthy, and the perfect finger food to go along with some ice-cold drinks with people you love.
Below are some recommendations for you to make your own platter to share this Christmas, plus a few recipes you may like to add. The most important part is to be creative, get inspired by the fresh local produce at the farmers market and have some fun.
Here are my suggestions, I hope you enjoy making your own as much as I do!
Vegetables-
A selection of sliced vegetables make great dipping agents:
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Snow peas
- Beans
- Capsicum
Fruits-
Go with what is seasonal and fresh:
- Berries
- Grapes
- Apricots
- Watermelon
- Starfruit
Dried fruit and nuts-
- Walnuts
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Pecans
- Pistachios
- Dried apricots
- Dates
- Goji berries
Fresh dips:
Try making your own or using local organic store-bought ones:
- Green pea hummus
- Sweet potato hummus
- Cashew Cheese
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Olive Tapenade
- Beetroot and Mint Dip
Crackers and Breads:
You can buy lots of great healthy crackers now in stores, fresh bread from the bakery, or make your own:
- Sourdough bread stick
- Healthy seed and nut crackers
- Rice crackers or rice cakes
- Gluten free wraps or tortillas
Antipasto:
- Sundried tomatoes
- Selection of olives
- Marinated eggplant
- Marinated capsicum
- Artichoke Hearts
Something more substantial:
- Falafels
- Rice Paper Rolls
- Avocado Boats
- Mini Veggie Tarts
- Sushi Rolls
Something sweet:
- Dark chocolate
- Bliss balls
- Chocolate brownie bites
- Chocolate coated almonds
- Chocolate coated berries
Use fresh herbs, edible flowers and sprouts to garnish.
If you’re short on time, even just crackers, dips and fresh fruit and vegetables make a great platter.
Here are a few easy recipes for you to try to add to your platters:
BEETROOT AND MINT DIP
- 2 cups grated beetroot
- 2 cups of cashews soaked for 2-4 hours
- ½ cup coconut water
- 1 cup of mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Drain and rinse the cashews well
Place all the liquids at the bottom of your blender then cashews on top.
Blend all ingredients until completely smooth and creamy.
This dip will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for 2-3 days.
SEEDY QUINOA CRACKERS
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- ¼ cup raw quinoa
- 1/3 cup flaxseed meal
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup almond meal
- ½ cup buckwheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. You should end up with a loose batter, if you need, you can add a little more water.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and pour the batter on. Flatten out the mixture to around 1.5-2 cm thick.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden and crunchy
SIMPLE BAKED KALE CHIPS
- ½ a large bunch of kale- around 8 large kale leaves, stems removed
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tablespoons of nutritional yeast
- A dash of cayenne pepper
Prehat your oven to 150 degrees.
Break the kale up roughly and place in a bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and with you hands, massage the kale with the oil, lemon, salt and spices.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the kale out evenly.
Bake the kale for around 10 to 15 minutes or until crunchy.
Allow to cool before eating.
