Tasteful Entertaining

The year is about to wrap up and we still have two of the biggest holidays to look forward to! To help with last-minute prep, we have collected some of our favorite appetizer recipes from this year that you can include in your holiday spread!

Last-minute prep with Libby’s® Fruits and Vegetables is not a problem. All you need to do is grab a can that you keep on hand in your pantry, open it and it is ready to go! There’s no need to worry about washing, peeling, or dicing – saving you time to get straight to cooking at the last minute. 

We have pulled together some beautiful appetizers to have at your holiday gathering that are easy to make. So, don’t stress and try one of the below recipes!

 

Corn and Pea Fritters with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce served with Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn and Libby’s® Sweet Peas These flavorful fritters are a great way to have veggies as a starter.

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Pastry Wrapped Beets and Brie made with Libby’s® Sliced Beets The sliced beets add a nice burst of color to this beautifully wrapped brie.

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Beet and Bean Salad Crostini made with Libby’s® Sliced Beets and Libby’s® Cut Green Beans  Tiny crostini packed with big flavor for your holiday spread.

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Rosemary Scallion Potato Puffs made with Libby’s® Sliced White Potatoes These potato puffs are sure to be a hit!

 

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, check out Libby’s® Recipe Box and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

It’s that time of year: gatherings, occasions, catch-ups, parties, festivities – you name it, and there’s an occasion going on! Generally, these occasions are surrounded by more so indulgent foods such as cookies, cakes, pies, tarts, and drinks all around. 

The holiday season can seem overwhelming – especially to those who may be following a specific dietary pattern. I wanted to share with you some of my party tricks to ensure you can keep to your health goals, all while still having a great time. 

• Go in with a plan
  • Same as when you show up to a meeting, you have a plan, so show up to the party with a plan! When you have a plan, remind yourself of the health goals you are trying to achieve, it is a lot easier to stick to the plan when you have a clear purpose in mind.  The plan could be to mingle more, eat veggies before more indulgent meals, or participate in an activity.
• Do not show up hungry
  • People tend to have the mindset to save their appetite for an event and not eat until then. This can affect your metabolism by going for hours without eating and then when you finally do eat, the body cannot digest quickly since it has shut off. Also, this may cause you to overeat instead, since by the time you get to eat, you are starving.
• Scan, select, satisfy
  • SCAN the food selection to see what is going to help you maintain your goal, then SELECT the top three or four food items that you are most interested to try, which will will help SATISFY yourself when you do not feel deprived in your options and get to eat the foods you enjoy. 
• Do not eat with your hands
  • A big way excess calories can sneak in during the holiday season is picking at food because it is around. Eating with your hands generally entails chips, crackers, pastries, and endless amounts of cheese leads to additional calories you did not account for. Therefore, a tip is to not eat with your hands. You can still enjoy these foods but put them on a plate, have a set amount, sit down finish and be done, and do not casually graze from the table during the event. 

You want to keep a positive healthy eating experience – the holidays are not a time to dread because of your health goals or restrict yourself. Use the holidays to practice balance and maintain. It IS possible to enjoy the holiday season, stick to your health goals, and enjoy dessert!

Below are some healthier options you can whip up to bring to a holiday party using Libby’s® Fruit & Vegetables.

  

Roasted Diver Scallops Over Pea Purée served with Libby’s® Sweet Peas The sweet peas can be a lower-calorie option that can be a fancy touch to your spread.

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Glazed Carrots with Spicy Pecans made with Libby’s® Sliced Carrots These carrots are sweet and spicy with a small protein kick from the pecans.

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Herbed Chicken and Veggies (Slow Cooker) made with Libby’s® Sliced Carrots Boneless chicken breast is a great option lean high protein option to incorporate in the holiday menu.

 

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, check out Libby’s® Recipe Box and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Welcome to turkey season!  As the year is starting to come to an end, this is a good point to reflect on the things you are thankful for.  We love the holidays here at Libby’s® Canned Fruit and Vegetables and want to help make it special for you and your loved ones. 

Before the big Thanksgiving celebration, we know the days leading up to it, even the morning of, can get a little hectic, especially when hosting.  You want to make sure you have the right food, décor, drinks, etc. which can be overwhelming.  Remember, not just one person must take it all on to make a memorable Thanksgiving meal. Be sure to get everyone involved in the prep!  Moments in the kitchen, creating something together as a family is a fun bonding experience and is where memories are made.

Luckily, Libby’s® can help ease some of the stress in the kitchen.  Spend less time dicing, chopping, slicing and overall prepping!  All that knife work cutting up vegetables can be tiring on the hands.  With the help of Libby’s® all you have to do is open a can and get cooking. Less prep time means your dishes will be finished faster and the sooner you can dig in and enjoy!

We love great tasting side dishes that add flavor and variety to your overall Thanksgiving spread.  We have put together some of our favorite dishes that pair excellently with your Thanksgiving turkey!  Be sure to try one of them out this season.

 

Bacon Corn Sourdough Stuffing made with Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn Add a twist to your family’s stuffing by mixing in flavors of bacon and corn – sure to be a hit!

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Creamy Potato Carrot Mash made with Libby’s® Sliced Carrots Change up your mashed potatoes this year by adding in color from carrots!

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Brown Butter Green Beans with Garlic Almond Bread Crumbs made with Libby’s® Cut Green Beans Green bean dishes are a staple at the Thanksgiving table – give this favorite of ours a try with some almonds!

 

 

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, check out Libby’s® Recipe Box and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Fall is in full swing!  That means so is football season and time to cheer on our favorite teams with family and friends.

In my family, Sundays this time of year always includes getting the family together to watch the game and having our favorite foods out on the table.  Sometimes partying or tailgating snacks may not always be the healthiest.  To help with that I have put together some easy recipe and cooking swaps for you to make!

It is easy to overeat when we are excited with a big gathering and are socializing around food.  I have come up with some tips that can help lighten the fare of our favorite game foods and still enjoy.  Follow some of these game time swaps in your cooking prep next time!

• Sour cream –> Plain Greek yogurt
  • Cuts the fat and calories and adds a protein boost
• Butter (in baking) –> Applesauce (equal parts)
  • Eliminates saturated fat and provides low calorie option while still binding ingredients
• Butter (in cooking) –> Olive oil
  • Eliminates saturated fat and adds in heart healthy fat
• Mayo – > Plain Greek Yogurt
  • Cuts the fat and calories and adds a protein boost
• Macaroni noodles –> Reduce the amount to half and add a can of Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn
  • Cuts the calories while still maintaining volume and adding a fiber boost
• Cheese –> Low-fat or part-skim cheese
  • Reduces the total fat content

Aside from these swaps, most of the time these gathering can take place as a spur of the moment thing.  Libby’s® Canned Fruits and Vegetables can help you quickly prep by coming ready to go as soon as you pop open the can.  No need to dice, slice or peel anything, which is great – one less thing for you to fuss over in the kitchen.

Give a few of these cooking swaps a try and throw a Sunday football get together!  Try some of these better for you recipe options at the next game.

 

Sweet Corn Salsa made with Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn Made with heart healthy olive oil and is also a gluten-free option for your guests!

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Loaded Beet Hummus made with Libby’s® Sliced Beets Featuring Libby’s® Sliced Beets packing in some Vitamin C!

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Black Bean & Corn Salsa made with Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn Vegetable Cups The beans in this recipe provides a great plant-based protein boost!

 

 

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, check out Libby’s® Recipe Box and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Spring has sprung, with its longer days, fresh beginnings, pastel colors, and fun light dishes – and let’s not forget, Easter is right around the corner! For those that celebrate Easter, what are your favorite family traditions? Perhaps it’s the Easter egg hunts, Sunday brunch, or a simple gathering with family and friends. Libby’s® Canned Fruits and Vegetables can help make the prep of celebrating much easier, so you have more time to enjoy the holiday and all of its traditions.

Libby’s® wants you to spend as much time enjoying your meals with your loved ones, so  and its line of canned fruits and vegetables are the perfect for helping to reduce prep time while adding flavor. 

Serving light side dishes brings a nice balance to your main entrees. To bring a little something special to your Easter meal plan, focus on adding vegetables and fruits in unique ways that everyone can enjoy. Sautéing can enhance flavors of what you are cooking. Baking settles and locks in all the favors of a mixture. Adding spices and herbs makes the flavors of Libby’s® even greater.

Below are some favorite spring side dishes to enjoy this Easter along with your main ham, lamb, or roast.

Sautéed Peas with Honey and Feta

A fast recipe you can easy whisk up and prep right before serving!

Rosemary Ricotta Corn

A creamy new way to serve corn!

Chilled Rotini Pasta Salad

Add volume to your pasta salad with colorful veggies!

Vegetable Medley Foil Packs

An easy way to highlight a delicious array of vegetables using foil for a fast way to seal in flavors!

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, check out Libby’s® Recipe Box and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Let’s get ready to celebrate the Irish and paint the town green!

 

Did you know the Irish are known for their veggies?! So, in addition to dressing in green this year, why not plan a green-themed spread full of delicious green veggies!

 

The pot is plentiful when it comes to green-themed recipes – all perfect to prepare and enjoy this St. Patrick’s Day. Libby’s® Fruit and Vegetables makes it simple and easy to incorporate your favorite greens, like green peas, beans, or asparagus, into your spread. Each variety of Canned Vegetables offers smart nutrition, as well as helps save you time with the veggies already peeled and sliced. With Libby’s® your prep will be easier than you can say “Erin go Bragh.”

 

For some St. Patrick’s Day party tips to help make hosting simple and easy:

• Great food

• We all know the success of a party is contingent on good food. Prepare recipes you’re familiar with and can be made in bulk so there’s plenty to go around.

• Simplify

• Keep it simple and serve no more than three dishes you know will be a crowd pleaser. Anything more can be overwhelming, both for you and your guests.

• Use as much help as you can

• Rather than doing everything on your own, ask family and friends to bring a dish or festive decoration to the party. It will take stress off your plate and get everyone involved.

 

For some easy and delicious recipes from Libby’s® that will be the perfect addition of green to your St. Patrick’s Day spread:

 

Cheesy Peas made with Libby’s® Sweet Peas

These are always a crowd pleaser and ready in minutes.

 

Green Bean and Tomato Salad made with Libby’s® Gourmet Whole Green Beans

This salad is packed with nutrition, making it a perfect side salad for your Irish themed party. 

 

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps made with Libby’s® Cut Green Beans and Whole Kernel Sweet Corn

These wraps are the perfect party snack. We recommend leaving the spice on the side and let guests add to their liking.

 

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, check out Libby’s® Recipe Box and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.