Stuffed Celery Bites (italian Style)

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• nonstick cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8 stalks celery
• 1 (8 ounce) container cream cheese (or cream cheese with sun-dried tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup shredded italian cheese blend
• 2 tablespoons dry roasted sunflower seeds
• celery leaves (optional)

Recipe

• 1 lightly coat a skillet with nonstick cooking spray. add pine nuts and minced garlic. cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until nuts are golden brown, stirring frequently. set aside.
• 2 remove tops and wide base from celery stalks.
• 3 in a small bowl stir together the creeam cheese and italian cheese blend. spread or spoon cheese mixture into celery.
• 4 cut each filled stalk of celery into 2-inch pieces.
• 5 sprinkle half the pieces with the pine nut mixture and half with the sunflower seeds.
• 6 if desired, top with celery leaves.