Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are a childhood favorite of mine and a staple at our annual 4th of July party. They are a fun, easy to make, and make a great finger food appetizer to bring to a party or have handy as a mid-day snack!

Ingredients

• 12 large egg(s)
• 2-3 wedges of Laughing cow light swiss cheese (or 1/2 cup(s) cottage cheese, low-fat)
• 2 tablespoon relish or pickle juice
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard
• 3 tablespoon light mayonnaise (or substitute 0% Greek yogurt)
• Paprika

Preparation

1. Place the eggs in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer (do not boil!) and cook about 10 minutes. Drain and set the pan under cold running water for about 2 minutes. Peel the eggs (its easier to do under the running water) and slice them in half lengthwise. With a small spoon, carefully remove the yolks, and put them in a medium bowl.

2. If you are using cottage cheese, put in a blender puree until smooth.

3. Mix the egg yolks with the cottage cheese mixture (or cheese wedges), mayonnaise (or yogurt), relish (or pickle juice), and mustard until thoroughly mixed

4. Spoon the mixture back into the hollowed-out egg whites. Arrange the eggs on a platter and sprinkle with paprika.

I served mine with other healthy appetizers – Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Salmon Cakes, and Chinese Dumplings.

Go Nuts!

Don’t be thrown off by the high calorie and fat content of nuts. Research shows that nuts play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy physique. Nuts help suppress hunger because they are difficult to absorb during digestion. People who consume about a handful of nuts a day are actually found to be thinner than those who do not.

Most nuts, particularly almonds and walnuts, contain most omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce cholesterol and have been shown to improve mood and fight cancer. Walnuts also contain the antioxidant melatonin, which helps to regulate sleep.

Throw a mixture of (unsalted) nuts for a great afternoon snack. I will also add some raisins, which increase blood sugar preventing fatigue, and giving you the caffeine-free boost of energy you need to get through the 4 o’clock slump.