Today, I’m sharing one of my all time favorite healthy appetizers from the Simply Real Health Cookbook (pg. 273 for those of you that have your books!)

I don’t know about you, but every time I go to a party, the apps are always bread or flour based. Because it’s easy, no doubt. A classic option. Or more likely- a default choice.

Bread with cheese, crackers with spreads, pita chips or baguettes with toppings. Which leaves us gluten-free (or gluten-reduced) people a little out of good options, and anxiously waiting for the salads and main courses.

So, I got to thinking, as I usually do about these things.

Why is flour the only vehicle used? Just because it’s the most common doesn’t mean it’s the only thing. All the flavor and good stuff is usually in the toppings anyways… like I always tell my clients about pasta: put the good stuff on good stuff (for you) instead. Not tasteless air.

So, potatoes. They’re a real food (1 ingredient and they grow in the ground). With this sauce- that I love on regular sized baked potatoes for it’s oniony sour cream taste. But with everything mini and bite sized.

Roasted Potato Bites with Chive Parsley Tapenade. Your new favorite little app is here.

Plus, this sauce is amazing on almost anything else- veggies, chicken, meat, fish, quinoa or brown rice. It’s seriously like a sour cream and onion sauce (without the cream) and can be made in 2 minutes by throwing everything in the blender. That also happens to freeze great for later use. Told you. You need this.

Roasted Potato Bites with Chive-Parsley Tapenade

Makes approximately 12 servings 

12 baby potatoes, halved, with rounded ends trimmed flat

1 .75 ounce container chives or ½ cup chopped

1 bunch fresh parsley, stems removed

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Add all ingredients (except potatoes) to a blender with a splash or two of water. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a small ziplock plastic bag.

For potatoes: Preheat oven to 400°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add sliced potatoes, and coat with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until they start to brown. When ready to serve, cut a tiny bottom corner off of the plastic bag and squeeze the tapenade onto the potato halves.

Photos by Jasmine Pulley for the NEW Simply Real Health Cookbook, on sale now! Read the reviews or order your own here!