Fruit and Vegetable Trays aren’t the Only Gluten and Dairy Free Appetizers

Starlite Cuisine Vegan Taquitos

Taquitos are rolled-up tortillas that contain filling, in this case chicken style soy protein.  I baked them in the oven and they were crispy, and the shredded soy had the consistency of meat. I wished the company had included a dipping sauce so I dipped the taquitos in salsa, which really brought out the flavors.  Not only are they gluten free and vegan, but they contain no trans-fat, cholesterol, and are non-GMO. Eight large taquitos come in a box.

Feel Good Foods Pot Stickers and Egg Rolls

The pot stickers are chewy without being mushy and very tender. The soy and ginger dipping sauce brought out their great flavor.

The egg rolls are also delicious. I heated the vegetable ones in the oven and they came out crispy. The egg rolls are battered in a rice tempura and stuffed with antibiotic free proteins and vegetables. Three large eggrolls come in a package.

Ian’s Onion Rings, Fish Sticks and Chicken Tenders

Ian’s appetizers are allergy friendly, made without wheat, gluten, milk, casein, eggs, nuts and soy. In fact, you can print allergy cards from their website if you have allergies to these foods.

The onion rings are dipped in cornflake crumbs and are crunchy and delicious. However, they were a little dry when baked although there were instructions to deep and pan fry, which probably would have made them less dry.

Ian’s Fish sticks are made with Alaska pollock fish and corn breading. The small fish sticks look kid-sized, but they taste just as good as regular fish sticks.

Ian’s breaded chicken nuggets are dipped in cornflake crumbs which has been used for years as a substitute for flour in fried and baked chicken. Like the fish sticks, the meat is tender while the coating is crispy.

Conclusion

You are no longer limited to fruit and vegetable trays for appetizers. Feel Good Foods really lives up to its name with their pot stickers and egg rolls; Starlite Cuisine makes crispy taquitos; and Ian’s makes tasty onion rings, fish sticks and chicken nuggets. All are worthy of being served in restaurants.

Fun Food Fact

Appetizers include canapes, chips and dip, cocktails, finger foods, fruits and vegetables and meat and cheese trays.

Did You Know?

Appetizers are not the same as hors d’oeuvre, although they are used interchangeably. An appetizer complements an entrée and is taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite.

Hors d’oeuvre is a French term that translates to ‘outside the meal’. As the name implies, they can be served with or without a meal afterwards, such as at receptions and cocktail parties.

Quote

“Whenever you go out to eat you gotta get the appetizer. ‘Cause the appetizer’s just an excuse for an extra meal. You’re always like “Let’s see, I will start with the 80 buffalo wings…and do you have a low-cal blue cheese? ‘Cause I don’t wanna fill up too much.” Jim Gaffigan