Easy Recipes for Fruit Appetizers

Everyone knows that fresh fruit is so good for you, but sometimes it can be the last thing on your plate when in fact, it could be the first. Delicious combinations of sweet and savoury flavours and textures make fruit an excellent appetizer and perfect party food. Go for small portions of really fresh produce with bright colours.

Make these easy recipes in minutes and serve chilled on a summer evening or at room temperature if you prefer. Either way these healthy appetizers are packed with vitamins and anti-oxidants which are important to keep your skin looking good and your insides really healthy.

All recipes serve 4 people and are made on individual plates.

Mushroom and Strawberry Appetizers

Ingredients

• 8 fresh closed cap mushrooms
• 8 large firm strawberries
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup Greek or plain yogurt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Mint leaves to garnish

Method

1. Wash the cucumber and slice – not too thinly.
2. Place 5 circles of cucumber in a ring on each of the 4 plates.
3. Trim stems mushrooms and wipe clean.
4. Gently peel, leaving stems intact.
5. Slice each mushroom into 4 pieces and put to one side.
6. Rinse and dry the strawberries. Remove tops.
7. Chop each strawberry into quarters.
8. Mix mushrooms and strawberries together and pile within the cucumber circles.
9. Sprinkle with a little black pepper and garnish with mint leaves.
10. Serve with a dish of plain or greek yogurt and a teaspoon.

Feta, Pomegranate and Watermelon Cooler

Ingredients

• 1 cup Feta Cheese cubed or crumbled
• ¼ small watermelon with seeds removed
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 8 Basil leaf tips – the small ones
• Olive oil to drizzle
• Freshly ground Black pepper

Method

1. Cut the watermelon into 16 rectangles about half an inch by half an inch by 1.5 inches and pile 4 in the centre of each small plate.
2. Cut the feta cheese into cubes, or if it is very crumbly, allow it to crumble and scatter over the watermelon.
3. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, black pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
4. Garnish with basil and serve very cold.

Celery, Apple and Goats Cheese Fans

Ingredients

• 1 large firm red apple
• 2 sticks fresh celery
• 1/2 small round goats cheese
• ½ cup toasted pine nuts
• Honey for drizzling
• 1/2 cup apple juice

Method

1. Wash and cut apple into 4 quarters.
2. Slice apple into 6 sections so that each piece has some red skin.
3. Place in a fan shape on one side of each of the plates.
4. Trim and chop the celery, keeping some of the green leafy bits to one side.
5. Pile celery at the base of the fan of apple slices in a small strip.
6. Cut goat’s cheese into 4 wedges.
7. Place wedge of goat’s cheese in position for the bottom corner of the fan, creating an overall triangle effect.
8. Pour small amount of apple juice over apples.
9. Drizzle a wavy line of honey across the apple and drop a blob on the goat’s cheese.
10. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the celery and place a sprig of celery leaf at the bottom corner of the cheese.