Snacks

Herby cheese and pepper roll-ups

Ingredients

4 peppers (red, yellow or green) | 57 g/2 oz very low fat natural fromage frais | 57 g/2 oz low-fat soft cheese (4 Sins) | 57 g/2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (1 Sin) | 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional) | 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley | 1 teaspoon finely chopped coriander | few sprigs of watercress, chopped | salt and freshly ground black pepper | 24 long fresh chives

If wished, you can use a mixture of red, yellow and green peppers to make these colourful party canapes. They can be made in advance and stored for several hours in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them. Because they are good "finger food", these pepper rolls would be prefect for popping into your packed lunch box, too.

Marinated mushrooms

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cider vinegar | 1 tablespoon olive oil | 1 tablespoon lemon juice | few drops of Worcestershire sauce | 2 tablespoons tomato puree | 2 tablespoons cold water | 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mixed herbs, or 1/2 tablespoon dried | 1 small onion, grated | 1 garlic clove, crushed | 500 g (1 lb) button or closed cup mushrooms, sliced

Spinach and bacon party roll-ups

Ingredients

16 rashers lean back bacon, fat removed (32 Sins on Green) | 227 g/8 oz fresh spinach leaves, trimmed OR frozen spinach | 85 g/3 oz very low fat natural fromage frais | 2 spring onions, finely chopped | 1 level teaspoon reduced calorie mayonnaise (1 Sin) | salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bacon, ham and even vegetables can be rolled around delicious fillings to make unusual finger foods for parties. Here, lean rashers of back bacon are rolled around a delicious spinach filling.

Ham and asparagus party roll-ups

Ingredients

113 g/4 oz very low fat natural cottage cheese | 1 teaspoon snipped chives | 1/2 small yellow pepper, deseeded and finely chopped | salt and pepper | 227 g/8 oz baby asparagus spears | 113 g/4 oz wafer thin sliced | lean ham, fat removed (10 Sins on Green)

These tempting party snacks can be prepared in advance, then chilled in the refrigerator for several hours until you are ready to serve them. They look very pretty when arranged on a large serving platter, garnished with sprigs of watercress and tiny cherry tomatoes.

  • Time: 10 minutes, plus chilling time
  • Complexity: very easy
  • Origin: Italian

Italian tricolore kebabs

Ingredients

20 cherry tomatoes | 20 fresh basil leaves | 113 g/4 oz reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, drained (14 Sins) | salt and freshly ground black pepper

These mini kebabs are perfect for entertaining at any time of the year. They are quick and easy to prepare, can be made in advance, require no cooking and taste wonderful.

Tiger prawns with mushrooms

Ingredients

20 raw tiger prawns | 1 tablespoon seasoned flour | 1 tablespoon sunflower oil | 25 g (1 oz) butter | 2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped | 1 large garlic clove, crushed | 250 g (8 oz) closed cup mushrooms, quartered | 2 tablespoons lemon juice | 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional) | salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sun-dried tomatoes topping for baked jacket potatoes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons very low fat natural fromage frais | 28 g/1 oz sun-dried tomatoes without oil (1/2 Sin), cut into thin slivers | snipped chives or garlic chives

Curried vegetable topping for baked jacket potatoes

Ingredients

1/2 onion | 1 small courgette | 4 button mushrooms | 284 ml / 1/2 pint chicken stock made with Bovril | 1 teaspoon curry powder or 1 teaspoon turmeric | 1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground | 1/2 teaspoon coriander, ground | 1/2 red chilli | 4 tablespoons very low fat natural yogurt

Prawns and basil topping for baked jacket potatoes

Ingredients

very low fat natural yogurt | small handful of basil leaves, chopped | 142 g/5 oz shelled boiled prawns | 2 tablespoons very low fat natural fromage frais

Oriental chicken topping for baked jacket potatoes

Ingredients

113 g/4 oz chicken breast, boned, skinned | 1 spring onion, chopped | 2 tablespoons very low fat natural fromage frais | a dash of hot chilli sauce

Mushroom & bacon kebabs

Ingredients

12 rashers rindless streaky bacon | 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard | 24 closed cup mushrooms, trimmed | 8 bay leaves

Cheese & mushroom souffles

Ingredients

50 g (2 oz) butter | 175 g (6 oz) closed cup mushrooms, finely chopped | 50 g (2 oz) plain flour | 300 ml (1/2 pint) milk | 3 eggs, separated | 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley | 75 g (3 oz) Edam cheese, finely grated | 1/2 teaspoon made mustard | salt and freshly ground black pepper

Egg fu-yung

Ingredients

2 dried Chinese mushrooms, or 50 g (2 oz) fresh oyster mushrooms, chopped | 25 g (1 oz) cooked peeled prawns, finely chopped | 25 g (1 oz) cooked ham, finely chopped | 25 g (1 oz) bamboo shoots, finely chopped | 2-3 water chestnuts, finely chopped | 4 eggs, beaten | 1 tablespoon cornflour | 4 tablespoons water | 1 teaspoon salt | 1 tablespoon dry sherry | 3 tablesppons sunflower oil | fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

Vegetable Dip

Ingredients

2 red peppers, deseeded | 2 onions, halved | 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled | Fry Light, for spraying | 113g/4 oz Sainsbury's Be Good To Yourselt Onion & Chive Cottage Cheese | 227g/8 oz quark skimmed milk soft cheese | salt & ground black pepper | handful freshly chopped parsley | large pinch cumin seeds

Roasted vegetable topping for baked jacket potatoes

Ingredients

1/4 red pepper, deseeded | 1/4 yellow pepper, deseeded | 1/2 courgette | 1/4 aubergine | 1 unpeeled garlic clove | thyme, rosemary and oregano, chopped