• 50 canapes guaranteed to get the party started
• Alice Zaslavsky's three-ingredient canape recipes

Long gone are the days when a pre-dinner party appetiser was either a fried mini spring roll or party pie.

There are now a growing range of delectable bites, skewers and stacks that not only look and taste so good it can be hard to stop at just one - or ten.

The good news is that while some of our fried favourites still appear occasionally on platters at parties, there are many light, healthy and tasty canapes you can make at this time of year, with just three easy-to-find ingredients.

Fig with prosciutto

Prosciutto is relatively high in sodium, but when teamed with fibre rich figs, and a lighter white cheese such as goats cheese you have a match made in heaven.

Smoked salmon with apple

Smoked salmon a rich source of Omega-3 fat and protein, and it tops a sliver of apple beautifully along with a little natural yoghurt or sour cream for a little creaminess.

Don't forget to add a squeeze of lemon to keep the apple from browning.

Caprese skewers

Not only is bocconcini much lower in fat than yellow cheese, but when teamed with ripe baby tomatoes, yellow or orange capsicum and a little basil, you have a low-calorie, nutrient-rich Christmas stack that compliments any platter or festive table.

Aussie Tiger prawns

For a single bite-size party snack, you cannot go wrong with a fresh Aussie Tiger prawn that needs little else than a squeeze of lemon. If you did want to mix it up, a prawn bruschetta with some fresh crunchy Sourdough or wholegrain cracker and a little beetroot dip is protein rich, easy to make and delicious.

Cucumber bites

Perfect to swap in place of high fat crackers and chips, sliced cucumber can be topped with chopped crab, prawn, smoked salmon or even mashed legumes along with a little dill, chilli or beetroot for a crunchy, light summer snack.

Mini turkey cranberry wraps

The growing range of protein and high-fibre wraps means you can top with lean protein ingredients such as turkey or ham, a little ricotta or cream cheese and salad leaves, and cut into bite-sized pieces for a healthy Christmas platter snack.

Sourdough toasts

Find a dense seedy loaf, or sourdough baguette, char-grill with a little extra virgin olive oil and top with ricotta and roasted capsicum for a vegetarian canape that is rich in vegies and protein.