Neighborhood open house, office potluck, or holiday family meals — what to bring? Instead of dropping by the grocery store and picking up a box of cookies, this year try something different. Here are some tips that will keep you on the invitation list of any hostess.

• Nuts are a healthy snack with a bonus. They don’t require refrigeration so they are the perfect food to take to an after-work event. Opt for something unusual — every nut has a commodity Web site containing great recipes. For example, try the wasabi almonds at www.almondsarein.com. If pressed for time, try the new line of nuts from “Snacktrition” (www.snacktrition.com). They offer a variety of nuts that are oven-roasted, not oil-roasted. My favorite is the salt and pepper cashews, but the smoked almonds with added calcium are a close second.

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Special to AJC

Wasabi almonds

Recipes and ideas
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• If a salad or appetizer is your assignment, think about fall flavors and colors — check out the Web site for Georgia pecans (www.georgiapecansfit.com) and try the “Fall is in the Air” fruit kebabs with Georgia pecans. Or try Marion Cunningham’s Cranberry and Walnut coleslaw from www.walnuts.org. Since everyone will ask for the recipe, type it on a recipe template found in most word processing software programs, print and copy for a personal touch.

• If you want to make sure there is a healthy, delicious choice at the buffet table, bring it yourself. A pretty vegetable or fruit tray with a yogurt-based dip is always a hit at a party, but break out of the baby carrots and celery sticks routine. Try a red and green vegetable tray to carry on with the traditional Christmas colors — green and red bell pepper slices or grape tomatoes threaded on a skewer with mozzarella pieces and fresh basil leaves. Try a fruit dish of red and green grapes in small paper cups arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree for some visual appeal or mix kiwi fruit and strawberries to keep the red-green theme going.

• Consider a nonfood addition to the party — seasonal soap dispenser for the kitchen sink, red and green cutting boards, flowers (in a vase so the hostess doesn’t have to be bothered with finding a vase) or a bottle of wine are welcome at any party.

When planning for holiday gatherings, don’t forget to leave out a healthy snack for Santa. Encourage your kids to help Santa lighten his load by leaving fat-free milk and graham crackers in place of whole milk and cookies.

This week’s healthy recipe: Wasabi Almonds

16 servings (about 23 almonds)

Hands on: 10 minutes

Total time: 60 minutes

Find wasabi powder (usually sold in a little can) at Whole Foods and other specialty markets.

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 pound (3 cups) whole natural almonds

2 tablespoons wasabi powder

2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a sided baking sheet with greased foil or parchment paper. Whisk egg white and water together until foamy. Add almonds and toss to coat. Transfer to a sieve or small-holed colander and toss gently and let drain. Stir together wasabi powder, salt and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add almonds and toss to coat. Spread almonds on baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 minutes. Gently stir, reduce temperature to 200 degrees and continue baking for 20 minutes. Let cool completely before serving. Serve or store airtight for up to a week.

From: www.almondsarein.com and click on recipes

Per serving: 160 calories (percent calories from fat, 73), 4 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 13 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 225 milligrams of sodium.

Nutritional bonus points: Don’t worry about the high percent of calories from fat — nuts contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fat with just a trace of saturated fat. Almonds are also a good source of potassium, calcium and vitamin E.