10 Christmas dinner starters, salads and appetizers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Get your holiday dinner off to a delicious start with some of these delicious appetizers. Whether you're like for a winter-inspire soup or salad, these savory dishes are sure to satisfy-- but won't leave you too stuffed to enjoy the main course.
1. Butternut Squash Soup
(FoxNews.com)
This creamy squash soup is rich and hearty but surprisingly healthy.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2. Roasted Broccoli Soup with Peppers and Onions
(Sydney Kramer, The Crepes of Wrath)
Roasting the broccoli, bell peppers and shallots together adds a lovely caramelized flavor to the vegetables, which translates even better when pureed into a soup. Add new flavors by experimenting with your favorite roast vegetables.
3. Roasted Potato Salad with Arugula
(Sydney Kramer, The Crepes of Wrath)
Adding greens to a traditional potato salad adds vibrant color, new texture and a fresh taste.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Recipe: Roasted Potato Salad with Arugula
4. Quick Balsamic Quinoa Salad
(Balsamic World USA)
This colorful salad is super simple but full of flavor.
Recipe: Quick Balsamic Quinoa Salad
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}5. Harvest Kale Salad with Honey-Miso Dressing
(Allison Beck)
Squash, cranberry, pumpkin seeds and crunchy kale come together in this hearty salad that's full of seasonal flavor.
Recipe: Harvest Kale Salad with Honey-Miso Dressing
6. Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with Chevre Fondue and Sherry Vinaigrette
(Molly M. Peterson, Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy)
This delicious and boldly flavorful salad came to Haystack from Chef Matt Christianson, of Q’s Restaurant at the Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colorado. This recipe appears in Forrest Pritchard's "Growing Tomorrow."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Recipe: Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with Chevre Fondue and Sherry Vinaigrette
7. Roasted Carrots with Harissa Sauce
(Lexington Brass)
This dish features multi colored carrot varieties such as black midnight, red, orange and yellow. Harissa, a Mediterranean-inspired sauce, offers a kick of spice while contrasting textures of the carrots balance out the dish.
Recipe: Roasted Carrots with Harissa Sauce
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}8. Pumpkin Curry
Pumpkin curry with chick-peas (iStock)
Dried curry powder evokes the flavors of India and coconut milk is reminiscent of the red, yellow, and green curries of Thailand. This unusual and flavorful curry is a delight that kids seem to love. If you’re sending this to school undercook the rice a bit, mix it with the hot curry, and pack it in a wide-mouth vacuum bottle.
9. Asparagus Champagne Risotto
(Sophisticated Pie)
Asparagus stalks are boiled in broth, while savory shiitake mushrooms are sautéed simply on the stove. The Arborio rice is cooked briefly in Champagne to celebrate the coming of spring.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Recipe: Asparagus Champagne Risotto
10. Mushroom Flatbread
(Chef Danny Elamleh)
This is a fresh take on the classic pizza. Instead of pizza dough, you will be using the delicious Lavash bread and many fresh ingredients as toppings.