Sugar-free snacks to serve guests?

[Smokering]

Soooo, I've finally, grudgingly, taken the plunge to go sugar-free for a month and see if it helps my litany of woes (currently: slow postpartum weight loss, psoriasis, general fatigue and occasional bouts of crippling depression). Plus, it just seems like the thing to do, and SIL keeps nagging me about it. :p

The thing is, I bake for at least two events a week - choir practice and Bible study. I don't have to provide food for either occasion, but I usually do. And I'm a good cook, if I do say so meself; and people look forward to my cakes and muffins and what-have-you. I could make them and just not eat them, but I don't want the temptation.

So, what could I make? I'm on a budget here, so buying crackers and fancy cheese isn't really an option, and I'd rather not do chips. Homemade stuff would be better. So far I've thought of:

-Cheese straws

-Cheese puffs (I have a recipe for these little savoury profiterole things - quite tasty)

-Veggies and dip - either hummus or a yoghurty one

-Homemade pita chips and dip

-Popcorn (too messy for Bible study, but OK for choir)

Aaaand that's about all I can think of. Devilled eggs seems too "food-y". Pesto's expensive (I do grow basil, but not right now). Sausage rolls or chipolatas... meh. For Bible study, it'd be better if it was a snack people could take and eat, not something that invited constant dipping or taking (like popcorn or veggies and dip) - just because of the seating arrangements, and potential mess.

Any ideas?

[ollyoxenfree]

Kale chips - you could put them in paper muffin cups to serve, so people could carry them away to their seats

Spanokopita - easy to make if you buy phyllo pastry (I'm not sure about the sugar in the pastry though)

I thought of protein or power bars, but most contain a little fresh or dried fruit and/or nut butters that also have some sugar. 

[serenbat]

I'm on a budget here, so buying crackers and fancy cheese isn't really an option,

what about "cheap" cheese? You can get (I assume since we can- you can) feta or feta with herb-goat cheese plain and goat cheese with herb --super big difference in price! add your own- take simple cheap cheese and roll them just in herbs, use soft cheese and make balls, put 3 in a cup-cake paper cup and one cheap cracker (you can make your own and really save money on crackers too!)

you can also get a cheaper cheese and add to frozen phyllo cups (tiny) and fill them - bake 10 min - very easy - http://www.shoprite.com/cnt/documents/Wk7D9_Brie.pdf

you can add all kind of things to them - cut up sharp cheese, a tiny bit of pear or apple, mustard (you can add all types- we like a cranberry mustard) and bake cost is about $3.00 US for 24 - the phyllo cups I buy come frozen 24 in a box for less than $2.00 - even cheaper at ethnic markets

you do bake - make savory scones with just bits of cheese and herb or tiny bits of smoked meats - you just need a small amount and it will taste great

cream cheese also!--fill celery and sprinkle on some herbs and make some with peanut butter - like a little boat

I always try and have a least two different items- you should be safe that way

have fun with it

[emmaegbert]

I don't know how serious you are being about low sugar (I pretty much have to cut out grains and strictly limit fruit in addition to cutting actual refined sugar and other sweeteners to deal with pp weight loss, and that gets pretty restrictive). But you can easily make banana muffins sweetened only with actual bananas, for example.

I definitely like where you are going with savory baked goods. Cheese biscuits (or any kind of herbed or salty, like olives, biscuit/scone) and you don't have to use "fancy" cheese for that. savory breads and rolls would be easy and tidy to serve. small sandwiches on very thinly sliced bread, then you can do a variety (some with jam or honey, some with cream cheese and veggies, egg salad, etc). Whenever we have PB&J at parties, they all get eaten... sounds mundane but people do like them (unless there is a peanut allergy, obviously). various vegetables done as refrigerator pickles rather than just raw might be exciting...

and I definitely sometimes just bake for other people and don't eat it myself. I bet people look forward to your sweet treats. IME, it sounds harder than it is (especially if you provide something for yourself that you *can* eat). You could also decide that choir practice is when you get to have your "cheats".

[Megan73]

How about baking some savory pastries like these (which are awesome): http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/empanadillas-tuna-tomato-pepper-filling.aspx?nterms=50046
You could also serve roasted pepitas (which are much cheaper than nuts) in parchment paper cones.