Delicious Healthy Whole Grain Appetizers: Entertaining Healthy

Everybody wants to be healthier, but many people think that eating whole grains means that your food is tasteless. This prevents many from enjoying some of the best recipes and from serving them to guests. Whole grains help to lower your risk for stroke, diabetes, heat disease and obesity! Plus, most recipes are delicious! The next time you invite friends over for dinner; try some of these appetizers to warm up their taste buds and to make them healthier, even if it is only for one night!

Snack Mix
Any great party, whether it is a football party or just some friends catching up, is not complete without the snack mix. Snack mix is one of the simplest appetizers to make, and I don't know anyone who can resist munching on some. By throwing some whole grains in there, you will also help your guests' health while you help their fun factor.

Needed: 2 cups FiberOne bran cereal, 2 cups FiberOne honey cluster cereal, 2 cups Honey Nut Cheerios, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup peanuts, 1 cup Frosted Mini Wheats, 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Simply mix the ingredients together in a large closable bag and serve. The fiber cereals will add the healthy part and the mini wheats will add a bit of sweet and studies have shown that semi-sweet chocolate in small amounts is an aid for weight loss!

Crunchy Cookies
Who can resist a sweet treat to start off an evening? These cookies offer that and a healthy does of oats to add a crunch!

Needed: 3/4 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1/4 cup milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 2 1/2 cup Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned) (uncooked), 3/4 cup honey cluster bran cereal, 1 1/2 cup raisins, chopped.

Beat together butter, sugars, egg, milk and vanilla. Add combined flour, salt and baking soda. Mix well. Stir in oats, wheat germ and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated moderate oven (375 degrees), 10 to 12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies. Bake about 8 minutes.

Spinach Dip
Simply serving whole grain bread with this tasty dip will offer a healthy alternative for guests and your self, but don't count on having leftovers of this party favorite.

10 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained), 1 cup fat free sour cream, 1 can water chestnuts (diced), 1 package of Ranch dip mix, whole grain loaf of un-sliced round bread, veggies!

Mix the first 5 ingredients together and chill for a few hours. Take the bread and slice out the center to create a bowl, save the cut out bread and slice up for guests to use as dippers. Don't add the dip until you are ready to serve. Arrange the veggies and bread around for guests to dip. You can even add whole wheat crackers if you want to double the dip recipe.

Whole grains can be a delicious start to any evening, and your guests may not even realize that you are making them heart healthy in the process.