Eating healthy is a challenge, Coming up with easy appetizer ideas can be equally difficult. Why not save some time and stress by taking your healthy snacks and turning them into appetizers for your next dinner party or large gathering?

Healthy snacks tend to be simple, raw, and meant to refuel. What you want to serve for an appetizer should have a little more flavor and personality. Often, though, appetizer recipes can be heavy, rich, or too complicated. So let's channel our inner health guru and whip up some easy, but savory, healthy bites.

Dips:

Dips come in many varieties. To make it even healthier, why not use lots of veggies in place of heavy cheeses and cream. Try layering shredded carrots and zucchini, tomatoes and cucumbers with hummus. Add shredded chicken, olives and seasoning and scoop it up with a healthy baked snack cracker.
Have you ever nibbled on edamame? It's a healthy snack that can be turned into a creamy dip.

8 ounces frozen shelled edamame

1/4 cup water

2 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbs minced fresh ginger

1 Tbs rice vinegar

1 Tbs tahini

1 clove garlic

1/8 tsp salt

Hot pepper sauce to taste

Cook edamame according to package directions.

Puree the edamame, water, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, tahini, garlic, salt, and hot sauce in a food processor until smooth.

Chill for 1 hour before serving

You may want to serve something that looks like it took more effort, but don't throw out processed, calorie laden goodies. There are some healthy, easy appetizer ideas that won't make you crazy. We found this Hoisin-Tofu Lettuce Wrap appetizer recipe you'll love.

1/2 cup water chestnuts

12 ounces firm tofu (fresh bean curd, not silken style)

3 Tbs rice vinegar

2 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs sugar

1/4 tsp Asian chili sauce

Dash of toasted sesame oil

1/2 cup shredded carrot

2Tbs Hoisin sauce

1 cup fresh cilantro

16 leaf lettuce leaves

Cut tofu into 1/4 inch cubes

In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, Asian chili sauce, and sesame oil: stir to dissolve sugar

Heat same skillet over medium-high heat and add tofu, carrot, water chestnut and vinegar mixture to the skillet.

Cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vinegar sauce mixture is absorbed.

Stir in the 2 Tbs hoisin sauce; mix well.

Add 1 cup cilantro, heat and stir for 1 minute.

Serve mixture in lettuce leaves.

Use your imagination, add some twists, and turn healthy snacks into appetizer ideas that won't have you feeling guilty!