Spending time with loved ones is what life's all about; it makes everything that much brighter and more enjoyable.
Sharing food with loved ones is high on the list of things to do and I dare say more than likely #1 universally. It is what we humans do and what we love so much, or is that just me....
You only have to visit a bar, cafe or restaurant and see the vast examples of this all around the world. What happens however when eating better and caring more about your health takes a higher priority in your life and socialising falls to the wayside? Eating out can be a minefield for those newer to the journey and all of a sudden you find yourself healthier though somewhat of a social pariah and we can't have that!
What do you do?
You create delicious food for the people that you love and enjoy it with them that's what! Without song and dance, or complication and instead made from a place of love and shared as such. Believe me when I say that I was never one for cooking for others, it all seemed too hard! Getting excited about serving people food that I had made especially in an informal entertaining manner seemed very far away from my world. Now however, preparing food for people and seeing them enjoy it is truly special, even more so when they don't feel as I do about food and my health.
I offer the food without explanation and take serious (and silent) pleasure observing their enjoyment at eating
healthy AKA boring food.
Oh the joy! As well as preparing wonderful meal options that both satisfy and delight people, sometimes you just need snack-type savoury food and dare I say the kind of food that complements wine. My family, being of Hungarian descent are all about this kind of eating with both my mum and sister quite partial to a savoury snack accompanying a nice glass of red and who is to complain about a thing like that?! This European heritage has most certainly influenced my selections on this plate and and as I am currently in Italy enjoying being a newlywed, this post seems ever-fitting.
When someone pops over to our place for a wine and a catch up I like to have something on hand and believe that the best kind of food that you can serve is the kind that is least fussy and that you made yourself.
Running to the store stressed and buying 10 items in packets doesn't work for me, nor my budget and I realised that what I was serving almost every time were my homemade dips. Not only are they delicious though cheap and simple to prepare as well, doubling or tripling as spreads on nut & seed loaf, and marinades or atop whatever salad I am enjoying that day. Talk about versatility! Alongside my dips I wanted to create a nutrient-dense cracker (still in the laboratory on that one) and a special though simple version of the classic entertaining option - olives.
Presenting to you therefore an entertaining platter to both impress and nourish the people that you love (including you!)
Orange & Rosemary Marinated Olives, Coriander Pesto, Hummus & Crackers
The crackers contain gluten though you could easily include a gluten-free option if need be and otherwise this platter is vegan, sugar-free and delicious! Enjoying this kind of food as an indulgence or treat will mean that you won't suffer the consequences. No sickly or bloated feeling from processed and packet versions and you are also less likely to over-drink as you are not consuming excess salt. Better still, you'll be able to use the elements of the platter in various other meals to maximise both your time and budget - you know how much I love preparation. It's all around awesome so why not try it out this week?!
- 1 cup mixed, quality olives
- ½ garlic clove, crushed
- leaves from 1 sprig rosemary
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- 1 cup toasted cashews, cooled
- 1 bunch fresh coriander (stems as well), washed and dried
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1⁄2 cup macadamia oil
- 1 teaspoon rock salt
- Blend all ingredients together in a food processor
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
- 1 cup chickpeas, cooked (or tinned)
- 1.5 tablespoons unhulled tahini
- 2.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup water
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz
- Should the consistency be too dry, add a teaspoon or so of water and blitz again
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
- ½ - 1 preservative-free wrap per person
(in Australia Mountain Bread is a great brand)
- Pre-heat oven grill
- Cut wraps into small chips
- Place on grill in batches, turning within a few minutes to grill both side
- Remove from heat once crisped and leave to cool
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 few days
- Orange & Rosemary Marinated Olives
- Coriander Pesto
- Hummus
- Crackers
- Arrange a selection of each element on a platter or entertaining dish
- For maximum visual appeal, serve each element in its' own bowl or container
- Enjoy!
Share the 
and this recipe with someone else who would enjoy it too.
Bon Appétit !!
