I’m always looking for something to liven up brunch menus. Try these buttery bite-sized treats at your next get-together.

An average size plain croissant has 310 calories with more than 50% coming from fat. Pile in sugary and high-calorie fillings and it will quickly sabotage your breakfast or brunch. Smart downsizing is the way to have the best of both worlds.

Puff pastry dough may seem intimidating but it couldn’t be easier to use. Start with a good quality brand (we like Dufour). Roll it out, slice into skinny triangles, add fillings, roll and bake.

The measurements of fillings are minimal – which is nice because the calories stay that way too. Use thinly sliced pieces of fruit and ¼ teaspoon of wet ingredients like jam or honey. For hard ingredients like chocolate or cheese use a 1/8-ounce piece for each croissant.

•    Apricot jam, fresh strawberries and sliced almonds (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place puff pastry on a floured board and cut in half. Roll out the half sheet into a rectangle that is approximately 15 x 9 inches. Using a pizza cutter, divide that piece in half lengthwise. Then, working from left to right, cut diagonal lines up and down to slice the dough into 4 triangles. Slice each triangle in half, leaving you with 8 pieces of dough. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough to finally end up with 32 pieces.

To assemble croissants, fill each piece of dough. Place apricot jam on the wider end of the triangle, top with a strawberry slice and 2 pieces of sliced almond. Gently roll up the dough towards the tip of the triangle and transfer to the baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar, if using. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until puffed and golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition. See Dana's full bio »