With a good portion of the summer remaining, outdoor grilling is still at the forefront of eating and entertaining guest.
But why not incorporate a healthier measure to accompany your barbeque dishes?
Don’t fret, Athens Foods has the remedy to solve your dilemma, adding healthier, tasty appetizer options to your barbeque menu. Try the below recipes, with Athens’ Phyllo Bites.
Note: The trick is not to eat all appetizers by yourself. Yes, simple enough, but they are good, and you might be tempted to do so. Good luck.
Curried Chickpea Salad Phyllo Cups:

NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Serving size: 1 piece (56g); Calories: 90; Calories from Fat: 25; Total Fat: 2.5g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Trans Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 150mg; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Total Carbohydrates: 14g; Sugars: 2g; Protein: 3g; Vitamin A: 6%; Vitamin C: 6%; Calcium: 2%; Iron: 4% (Percentage is based on the Recommended Daily/Dietary Allowance (RDA).
DESCRIPTION:
A salad consisting of chickpeas, spinach, bell peppers and carrots gets a sweet-and-spicy dressing and crunchy phyllo shell in these easy-to-assemble appetizers.
INGREDIENTS:
• Cooking spray
• 20 sheets Athens® Fillo Dough (9″x14″), thawed
• 2 cups canned cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup red (or green) bell peppers, finely diced
• 1/4 cup carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
DIRECTIONS:
Lightly coat a 3” cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Layer 5 phyllo sheets, lightly coating each with cooking spray. Cut four, 4-inch circles from phyllo stack. Place cut shape into the muffin cup. Carefully push phyllo into cup, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Repeat process 4 times to make 16 shells.
Bake phyllo shells in preheated 350ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.
1. In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, bell pepper, carrot, scallions, and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, maple syrup and curry powder. Drizzle dressing over chickpea mixture and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
2. Place about 1 tablespoon of baby spinach into each shell. Top with about 2 tablespoons of the chickpea filling. Serve immediately.
Lime Shrimp Avocado Phyllo Bites:

Nutritional Info:
Serving size: 1 shell (16g), Amount per serving: Calories 35, Calories from Fat – 20, Total Fat –2, Saturated fat –0g, Trans Fat – 0g, Cholesterol –10 mg, Sodium – 45mg, Total carbohydrate – 2g, Dietary Fiber – 0g Sugars – 0g, Protein – 2g, Vitamin A – 0%, Vitamin C – 2%, Calcium – 0%, Iron 2%.
Ingredients:
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
• 1 cup shrimp, cooked and chopped
• 2 tablespoons corn kernels (or grilled corn)
• 1 Haas avocado, 1/4″ diced
• 2 packages (15 count, each) Athens® Mini Fillo Shells
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, cilantro and onion. Add shrimp and corn, mixing until coated. Chill for a least 1/2 hour. Gently mix in avocado. Drain any excess liquid and spoon into mini shells. Serve immediately.
TIPS:
For added crispness, preheat oven to 350⁰F. Place empty shells on a baking sheet and bake for 3-5 minutes. Cool and fill.
About Athens Foods:
Athens is the world’s largest producer of phyllo dough and phyllo products, including convenient, fully baked Mini Fillo Shells®.
With more than 55 years of experience perfecting phyllo, Athens is dedicated to continually creating new recipes, gourmet appetizers, handmade desserts and a full array of phyllo delicacies.
For more information about Athens Foods and its products, visit www.athensfoods.com, www.phyllo.com, www.facebook.com/AthensFoods, www.twitter.com/athensfoods, www.youtube.com/user/PhylloTips, and www.pinterest.com/athensfood.
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— Jerry Del Priore