Hi Nicky,

Thanks for your question.  I was actually on BBC Radio Nottingham this morning discussing this very topic, so let me tell you what my ideas are.

I know what you mean about dips, as they are so over-used, but they can be interesting and healthy, so don’t discount them just yet!  I recommend salsa dips for their low-calorie tomato content, houmous for the fibre and B vitamins in the chickpeas, guacamole for the essential good fats in the avocado and a yoghurt and cucumber dip high in calcium.  I serve these with baked sweet potato wedges (very festive with their glorious golden colour!) or baked wholemeal pita bread strips.

I also love stuffed peppers – again, very colourful.  You can have these cold,stuffed with cooked rice and pine nuts, or hot by baking with cherry tomatoes and goat’s cheese.  Vegetable kebabs also look and taste good and are very low calories.

I use oatcakes as a base for things like smoked salmon and cream cheese.  The oat cakes provide a filling, slow-release carbohydrate that fills you up and is a great crunchy base.

And salads don’t have to be boring!  You can make them interesting by adding different types of leaves and herbs and things like grated carrot or radishes to add colour and texture. Or how about serving a platter of char-grilled vegetables, such as peppers, aubergine and courgette, as an alternative?

I would avoid salted nuts in preference for plain mixed nuts. And you can be adventurous, if you like, by serving warm, savoury walnuts!  For this recipe, and others I have mentioned above, visit my website www.thefoodconsultant.com and you will find them in my blog.   

Finally, for those of us with a sweet tooth, serve fruit kebabs or brazil nuts, dried apricots or medjool dates dipped in melted dark chocolate.  Yummy!  Happy Christmas.