Party On with Stuffed Apricot Bites!

Need a tasty, colorful and simple appetizer recipe for your next party or holiday event? You will love this easy-to-make in minutes appetizer with dried apricots and ricotta cheese. Not only is dried fruit delicious, but as a preservation method, it reduces food waste. Dried fruit also creates year-round harvest seasons, making for a more sustainable agriculture model for many fruit farmers. The recipe is gluten free and vegetarian for those on special diets.

Ricotta-Stuffed Apricot Bites

Ingredients:

• 30 dried apricots
• 5 Tbs. ricotta cheese
• 2 tsp. pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup roasted pistachios and/or peanuts, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Using a paring knife, cut a horizontal slit in each dried apricot to create a pocket (do not cut all the way through). In a small bowl, combine ricotta and maple syrup.
2. Spoon ½ teaspoon ricotta mixture into each apricot “pocket.” Flatten gently, and dip the exposed ricotta edge in chopped pistachios. If desired, secure with a toothpick. Arrange on a platter to serve.

PER SERVING (1 bite): 19 cal, 1g fat (0g mono, 0g poly, 0g sat), 1mg chol, 2mg sodium, 2 carb, (0g fiber, 2g sugars), 1g protein

SOURCE: The recipe by Jamie Gates is posted by permission of Delicious Living (and its parent company New Hope Network), a trusted voice in the natural living community for 30 years. Photo by Jennifer Olson.