Super Bowl Snacking

Game day is approaching. THE most important day of the year for football fans, not just for Saints and Colts fans. The Super Bowl is one of the biggest “holidays” for most households. To many, this day brings together friends and family, but it also may be the highest calorie consuming day of the year. To help curb your caloric intake, see below for some great recipes that won’t overfill your fuel tank. Remember to endulge in fiber filled raw veggies and minimize your portions of higher fat meats, fried foods, and high calorie dips and chips.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip
This yummy dip is not only filled with red peppers, for a rich source of vitamin C, but also incorporates yogurt, which is a fantastic source of calcium. Replace high calorie/high fat dips with this one.

2 cloves garlic
3 7-oz jars roasted red peppers
6 ounces Greek Yogurt (0% fat)
1 ½ tsp cumin
½ cup chopped tomato
¼ cup chopped green onions
2 cucumbers, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced (red, orange or yellow)
2 packages mini cut and peeled carrots

Combine garlic, roasted red peppers, and pepper juice in a food processor and blend until smooth. Blend in the yogurt and cumin. Transfer to a bowl and add tomato and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve with cut vegetables.

Hummus Dip
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) are a great source of fiber, folate and iron, in addition to other vitamins and minerals. Spread this dip on sandwiches or dunk your cut up veggies in this for a delicious treat.

1 15-ounce can organic garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 TBSP lemon juice, fresh
3 TBSP tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt and pepper
½ tsp paprika

Using the pulse setting, finely chop garbanzo beans and garlic in food processor. Add lemon juice and remaining ingredients; process until pureed. Season with additional salt, pepper and lemon juice if desired. Transfer to airtight container and chill.

“Knock Your Cleats Off” Hot Pepper Shrimp
Shrimp are naturally a low fat food, and is high in Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, and selenium (needed for proper thyroid function and touted for its antioxidant properties which may delay or prevent the onset of cancer and have an anti-aging effect)

2 cups water
4 habanero chilies, halved
3 green onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 TBSP salt
1 bay leaf
1 ½ tsp allspice
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 pound uncooked extra large/jumbo shrimp, un-peeled

Combine water, habanero chiles, green onions, garlic, salt, bay leaf, allspice and lemon juice in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 10 minutes to blend flavors. Add shrimp and bring to boil. Remove pan from heat; let stand until cooked through – shrimp should lose their glossy appearance and become opaque in center. Drain, discarding liquid. Transfer to bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.

Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce
Using skinless chicken wings instead of traditional skin-on wings decreases the total fat from 7 grams to 1 gram per wing and decreases the total calories by 75 calories per wing. This peanut sauce adds flavor, and kick and satisfies the hungriest of eaters.

4 lbs chicken wings, skinless
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 ½ TBSP minced, peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced

Sauce
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small piece fresh ginger ~ 1 inch square
2 Thai chilies
¼ cup water
½ cup reduced fat peanut butter
½ cup rice wine vinegar
2 TBSP brown sugar
¼ c low sodium soy sauce
1 TBSP chili paste

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Pat wings dry, toss with oil, ginger and garlic. Arrange wings, in one layer in a large shallow baking pan and roast in upper third of oven for 25 minutes. Turn on broiler, broil wings, turning once until golden brown. Remove from oven.

Make sauce while wings cook. Simmer sesame oil, ginger, garlic and chilies for about 10 minutes. Drain oil through mesh sieve and discard chilies, garlic and ginger. Add drained oil to blender with water, peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and chili paste. Add more or less water depending on desired consistency.

Toss cooked wings in peanut sauce and serve.

Fruit Kebobs
Adding fresh fruit kebobs to your next super bowl party will add a healthy sweetness and great nutrition. Fruit is a great source of fiber; these are a great source of vitamin C, and potassium.

2 pts fresh strawberries
1 large papaya, peeled and cubed
1 large canteloupe melon, scooped into balls
1 pineapple, peeled, cored & cubed
3 kiwi fruits, peeled & sliced

Alternating the fruits, thread them onto a 6 inch skewer. Enjoy!