14 easy appetizers with fruits and vegetables

Starting a meal with canapés or appetizers stimulates the appetite and opens the sensesbecause these small creations, ideal for entertaining family and friends, invite to be eaten with pleasure.

They are usually supported on a base, generally made of bread, which is covered or filled with beautifully arranged food. On the tray they seduce by their appearance and color.

The French, to refer to small appetizer bites, use the term amuse-gueulewhat “pleases” or “amuses the palate”.

For this purpose, the canapés: to surprise the guests and stimulate them with small pearls that otherwise they might not taste.

The combinations that canapés allow are infinite and, although they are an extra in the diet, they do not have to be caloric, heavy or very fatty. Rather, they can be made with natural, healthy and light foods that, although they captivate the palate, do not lose health or shape.

The chef’s tricks for the best appetizers

The secret of a canapé or appetizer lies in choosing a good base. Bread is the classic support. It is usually white mold but any other can be used: cereal, spelt, corn, rye, German… The sliced bread peels off the crust well and its crumb has the right consistency, but a sliced country bread, a shortbread or a bar will work too.

Usually the bread is spread or stuffed and then cut; This is how the canapé is smooth and well covered. It can be cut into squares, triangles… or use a cookie cutter of any shape.

Other bases can also be used such as pizza dough, cereal cakes, dumpling bases, puff pastry, tartlets… and including vegetable bases such as artichokes, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers… Hard-boiled eggs, chicken or quail, are another good option.

To choose complementary bases or fillingfrom the simplest to the most elaborate, these tricks they can help:

They can be spread on the bread butters softened at room temperature and mixed with ingredients that vary in flavor and color: spices or aromatic plants, roasted pepper or spinach puree, dried fruit, chopped anchovies…Another base can be a light mayonnaise with herbs or spicesa tofu sauce, peanut butter or sesame… vegetable pates They bring lightness as well as color. They have to stay homogeneous and fine: mashed chickpeas, peppers or aubergines, guacamole, cream cheese or vegetables, egg yolk mixed with nuts or tuna… Many vegetables and fruits can be part of a canapé. And with vegetable cheeses you can generate tasty combinations: fresh type cheese and mango; brie type cheese with currant jam; cured type cheese with carrot or paprika; Roquefort type with apple and walnuts…As decor can be used aromatic plantsradish or gherkin, pepper strips, the candied skin of a citrus, bits of olive… But do not overload! A well-disposed detail is worth more than a saturated canapé.

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fruit snacks

Fruits give canapés a touch of sophisticationin addition to contributing freshness, lightness and a counterpoint of flavor and texture. With smoked meats and cheeses delicious combinations are obtained.

Gratin pineapple with coconut and pine nuts

Ingredients (for 8 canapés):

1 baby pineapple, peeled and cut into slices 100 g of grated coconut 4 large dates 30 g of pine nuts 8 slices of cereal bread olive oil mint

Preparation (10′ + 15′ cooking):

Brush the pineapple slices with oil and coat them in coconut. Bake at 180º C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.Meanwhile, pit the dates, close them and cut them into slices, and toast the pine nuts lightly in the oven or in a frying pan without oil.Remove the pineapple slices from the oven and place them on a slice of cereal bread cut with a cookie cutter. Mix the pine nuts with the dates, spread over the pineapple and decorate with fresh mint.

Nutritional information (per canape):

Calories: 137 Carbohydrates: 14 g Protein: 2 g Fat: 8 g Cholesterol: 0 mg.

Slice of brie on apple with port reduction

Ingredients (for 12 canapés):

2 golden or very sour apples 150 g brie-type vegetable cheese, cylindrical 40 g walnuts 100 ml port wine 50 g sugar lemon juice and olive oil

Preparation (10′ + 8′ cooking):

Heat the port with the sugar in a saucepan and reduce until it caramelizes. Wash the apples, core and cut into half-centimetre slices. Drizzle with a little lemon. Top each apple with a slice of brie, top with a walnut, and drizzle with the port reduction.

Nutritional information (per canape):

Calories: 98 Carbohydrates: 7 g Protein: 3 g Fat: 5 g Cholesterol: 13 mg

Endives with mango and fresh cheese

Ingredients (for 8 canapés):

2 very white endives 1 mango to point the juice of half a lemon 100 g Burgos-type vegetable cheese olive oil and coriander or mint

Preparation (10′):

Cut the cheese into cubes and let it drain for a few minutes. Cut the stem of the endives to separate the leaves and cut the base of each leaf into a point. Peel and dice the mango, drizzle with lemon and mix with the cheese.Stuff the endive leaves with the mango and cheese mixture, salt lightly, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with fresh coriander or mint.

Nutritional information (per canape):

Calories: 51 Carbohydrates: 4 g Protein: 2 g Fat: 3 g Cholesterol: 12 mg.

Cheese and quince checkerboard

Ingredients (for 8 canapés):

100 g of Manchego type vegetable cheese 4 thick compact quince cubes 8 slices of sliced bread

Preparation (15′):

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Cut the Manchego cheese into very thick slices, about two centimeters. On a slice of cheese, place a quince cube of the same thickness; on this, another slice of cheese, and so on, superimposing them. By alternating the color of the cheese with that of the quince, a beautiful checkerboard effect is achieved. Cut into several pieces to form the canapés and arrange on the slices of sliced bread.

Nutritional information (per canape):

Calories: 87 Carbohydrates: 8 g Protein: 5 g Fat: 4 g Cholesterol: 12 mg.

appetizers with vegetables

Vegetables and vegetables, whether raw or cooked, they enrich the canapé with their fiber and vitamins, but they are also an excellent source of flavor. There is no combination that resists them.

Beetroot with apple ball

Ingredients (for 8 canapés):

1 small ciabatta 1 boiled, peeled and drained beetroot half a Greek type vegetable yogurt 1 apple 2 leaves of red chicory 1 tablespoon of olive oil the juice of half a lemon and salt

Preparation (10′ + 4′ cooking):

Crush the beetroot with the yogurt, olive oil and salt. It should be thick. Cut eight slices of bread diagonally and toast lightly in the oven. Peel the apple and with a small scoop extract a few balls; Reserve them in water with lemon juice. Assemble the toasts with the beetroot cream, which can be placed with a pastry bag, and decorate with an apple ball and some strips of radicchio.

Nutritional information (per canape):

Calories: 75 Carbohydrates: 12 g Protein: 2 g Fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 1 mg.

Mushroom toast with tomato and parsley mayonnaise

Ingredients (for 8 canapés):

4 toasts of German bread 8 sliced fresh mushrooms 1 tablespoon vegan 1 lemon 10 g lightly toasted pine nuts 8 cherry tomatoes basil and parsley 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt

Preparation (15′):

Blanch the tomatoes and cut them in half. Season with salt and olive oil. Add the pine nuts and the basil cut with scissors. Finely chop the parsley and mix with a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Drizzle the mushroom slices with lemon juice. Cut the bread into two rectangles, spread with the parsley mayonnaise and layer the mushrooms on top of each other. Accompany with tomato and serve cold.

Nutritional information (per canape):

Calories: 50 Carbohydrates: 5 g Proteins: 1 g Fats: 2 g Cholesterol: 5 mg.

Triangles with gherkin pate

Ingredients (for 10 canapés):

5 slices of sliced bread 6 gherkins 50 g spring onion 100 g fresh vegetable cheese, spread sprigs of parsley

Preparation (12′):

Chop the gherkins and the onion, and mix with the cheese. Peel off the crust, cut it into triangles and spread it with the pâté. Garnish with parsley and serve very cold.

Nutritional information (per canape):

Calories: 44 Carbohydrates: 6 g Proteins: 2 g Fats: 1 g Cholesterol: 5 mg.

Ratatouille canape with anchovy

Ingredients (for 4 canapés):

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4 slices of village bread half a red, half green and half yellow pepper, washed and cut into small cubes 1 spring onion, finely chopped 1 splash of cognac 2 tablespoons of water 2 sheets of gelatin, olive oil and salt

For the garlic butter:

50 g margarine 1 clove of garlic, crushed 2 finely chopped vegan anchovies French parsley (curly) and salt

Preparation (15′ + 15′ cooking):

Sauté the vegetables in oil, starting with the onion, then the red, yellow and finally the green peppers. Salt, drain and reserve a bowl.Bate the butter with the garlic, veganchoas, chopped parsley and a pinch of salt.Heat the water with the cognac and a little salt and, when it boils, turn off and dissolve the gelatin inside.With With the help of four identical cookie cutters, cut the bread, spread it with the garlic butter and cover it, using the cookie cutter as a container, with the ratatouille. It is painted with gelatin and unmolded. It can be served decorated with parsley and a black olive.

Nutritional information (per canape):

Calories: 232 Carbohydrates: 13 g Protein: 4 g Fat: 18 g Cholesterol: 36 mg

Pepper rings with avocado

Ingredients (for 12 canapés):

12 slices of corn bread 2 small red peppers

For the avocado filling:

1 medium avocado 50 ml of soy cream the juice of half a lemon 1 tablespoon of olive oil a few drops of Tabasco 1 tablespoon of sherry 3 sheets of gelatin 3 tablespoons of water and salt

Preparation (20′ + 2h rest):

Soak the gelatin. Mash the avocado with the cream, lemon juice, oil, Tabasco and a pinch of salt. Remove the tops from the peppers. Heat the sherry with the water and, when it boils, add the drained gelatin. Dissolve off the heat and add two tablespoons of the previous mixture, stirring constantly. Pour the gelatin into the rest of the cream, stirring. Season with salt and, when it cools, fill the peppers. Let it rest for a couple of hours and, when it has solidified, cut the peppers into several rings and serve each ring on a rounded slice of bread with a cookie cutter. You can decorate the canape with dill.

Nutritional information (per canape):

Calories: 60 Carbohydrates: 6 g Protein: 1 g Fat: 4 g Cholesterol: 0 mg.

Exquisite appetizers without bread!

Doing without bread allows you to prepare delicious snacks that stimulate the imagination. Cereal and vegetable cakes are tasty and light bases that can be used instead.