MMM! Quick and Delish Party Food

Simple hors d’oeuvres free of gluten, nuts, dairy and eggs 

Any online search yields a bounty of recipes that are free of gluten, nuts, dairy, egg and other allergens. But such possibilities may need you to, say, make cashew-based cheese, scoop out cherry tomatoes innards, or search for gluten-free xanthan gum. All fine when you have time. But let’s have some options that help us get out of the kitchen and enjoy the holidays with our guests.

Here’s the criteria. 1. You don’t have to prepare a separate dish. 2. It’s something all guests will enjoy. 3. The steps are actually easy. Think prepping not cooking.

And here’s the solution!: A round-up of 10 straightforward options that are both “free of” and flavourful.

10 Easy-to-prep party food ideas

1. Fresh bell-pepper poppers
   Stuff colourful halved mini bell peppers with your fave flav of hummus. You can’t go wrong with a classic hummus or consider a roasted red pepper hummus as a natural pairing.
2. Mango salsa cups
   Opt for the “scoops” variety of tortilla chip. Fill each chip-cup with a dollop from a jar of mango salsa. Add a sprig of fresh cilantro for an eye-catching and flavourful flourish. (If you have the inclination to do a bit of extra chopping, check out the Mango Red-Pepper Salsa recipe.) Set out an array of filled cups on a platter with a stem of cilantro for decoration.
3. Bruschetta
   Simply use a good-quality gluten-free baguette and a bruschetta mix. The easy-peasy option: Top slices with the spread plus a basil leaf and yer done. Level up: Drizzle each bread slice with olive oil and lightly toast on a cookie sheet under a broiler, then rub with the cut side of a halved garlic clove before topping with the tomato mixture.
4. Classic onion dip
   Basic but badass: Get some dairy-free sour cream and add onion soup mix. Stir. That’s it! For extra points, you can always make your dip from scratch. My inner child says ruffled potato chips make the best pairing. (Find a small dip bowl here.)
5. Fruit skewers
   This makes a great option for brunch, or a refreshing hors d’oeuvres before a heavy meal. Chunks of tropical fruit like mango and pineapple work well. Drizzle on some lime juice and sprinkle with chopped fresh mint. Or do bite-sized fruits like strawberries alternated with green grapes for a seasonal colour combo. 
6. A trio of crostini
   Toasted bread with toppings is a classic, and gluten-free bread options abound. Choose from hot pepper jelly with mango, or a mashed avocado slice topped with sun-dried tomato slices, or beet hummus with roasted chickpeas and a mint leaf.
7. Hummus, upgraded
   There’s nothing wrong with cracking open a container of hummus. You can easily elevate it with out-of-the-ordinary veggies. Choose from candy-cane beet slices, sugar-snap peas, actual baby carrots with a bit of stem, yellow and/or purple cauliflower, a trio of carrot colours, and endive or radicchio leaves for scooping.
8. Guacamole with rice crackers
   A change from chips that still brings a nice salty contrast.
   
9. Roasted olives
   Preheat oven to 400F. Spread the olives in a casserole dish. Toss with olive oil (about 1 T. oil per 1 c. olives), and aromatics like a choice of Greek seasonings, or lemon juice and fresh thyme, or garlic, oregano and chili flakes. Bake for about 20 min or to taste. (An Olives Bowl makes for a perfect presentation. Find them here.)
10. From the freezer
    On some occasions, when I’m asked if something is homemade, I reveal, “It’s lovingly home-heated.” ;) Head to the freezer section for buffalo cauliflower bites or pakoras which are made with chick-pea flour, and falafel to serve with a dip of tahini thinned with lemon juice and water. An easy upgrade: a unique serving bowl.
    
    However you choose to celebrate, I hope you enjoy! Just one last thing... When should I be there?