This is one vegetable platter that will get plenty of notice. What better way to get your children to eat a wide variety of vegetables than to make them lots of fun. The carrot "ornaments" can be added in simple coins as described below, or else can be cut into decorative shapes with aspic cutters or tiny cookie cutters. The star topper can also be cut from a yellow bell pepper or a cucumber slice if desired.

Ingredients

4 cups - broccoli florets
1 - medium cucumber, peeled, halved, and sliced
1 cup - red pepper strips
1 - container cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
1 cup - cauliflower florets
1 cup - sliced carrots
1 - sliced starfruit

Instructions

Arrange the broccoli florets on a large flat platter in the shape of a Christmas tree. Add the sliced cucumber at the bottom for a trunk. Arrange the red pepper strips as a garland over the broccoli. Dot the tree with the tomatoes, cauliflower, and carrots for the "ornaments". Add the sliced starfruit in a single pile at the top of the tree for the star.

Preparation Time

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time : None
Chilling Time : Optional
Total Time : 10 minutes

Number of Servings

Serves 8

Tips

The platter can be arranged ahead of time, covered, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours, with the exception of the cucumber slices and the star fruit.Quicker : Purchase the vegetables already cut from the salad bar at your local grocery store. The vegetables can be simply tossed together and served in a bowl or on a platter.