Fresh Festivities: Healthy Entertaining

JUST AS A FRIEND doesn't let a friend walk out of the bathroom with a wad of toilet paper stuck to her shoe or leave for a date with spinach in her teeth, a friend shouldn't give a friend license to eat unhealthy junk. Yeah, we're talking to you, party planner with a penchant for potato chips and buffalo wings.

Fortunately, it's not hard to create a menu for your next bash that makes your guests' health a priority. Just ask Tim Jones, executive chef of the OZ, a Zen-theme restaurant that focuses on calorie-conscious cuisine in the Doubletree Hotel Bethesda (8120 Wisconsin Ave.; 301-652-2000; Ozbethesda.com). "Use the best possible ingredients with just a little bit of fanfare," advises Jones, who is teaching a class on healthy entertaining at the OZ on Sept. 20. For instance, he says, an easy dish might be grilled heirloom tomatoes; add a brush of olive oil and sea salt to enhance their flavor. Browse local farmers markets to find inspiration from produce in its prime. Squash, potatoes, kale, eggplants, apples and heirloom tomatoes are all at their best this month, Jones says.

After you've stocked up on locally grown eats, Jones recommends firing up your grill. Grilling is "very healthy for you because there's very little fat involved," he says. Plus, it's not too time-consuming, which will free you up to mix with your guests.

And once you're making the rounds, should you tell your guests that they're in for some good-for-you grub? No way, Jones says. "It should just be something that you know and they wonder, 'Why does it taste so fresh and different?' It's your own little secret."

Photo courtesy OZ