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Super Bowl Food Frenzy

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Super Bowl Food Frenzy

Hey all, I’ve been hearing several of my patients talk about the upcoming “food holiday” also known as the Super Bowl. Since this can be a challenging day for sticking to your goals, I thought I would offer up some suggestions for navigating this day.

I myself, could care less about the game, but I do love to make healthy treats so any excuse for me to get creative in the kitchen, I’ll take. My strategy with food is to simply take classic standard dishes and make some ingredient swaps, shift some ratios and voila, there is an enhanced more nutrient dense version of a classic dish you already like.

Remember, Veggies First and Veggies Most + Plenty of Protein. 😊

 

 Here are some ideas to consider for your football feast!

 

Ground Turkey Meatballs, serve with Marinara or Cauliflower Tatziki Dip

Ingredients

  • 1lb lean ground turkey
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 medium zucchini or 2 carrot sticks finely chopped.
  • A few cloves of garlic, minced.
  • Salt, pepper, and oregano to season

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients together and form into desired size meatballs.
  • Tip: don’t pack meatballs too tightly or they may become tough. Keep all balls roughly the same size.
  • Line baking sheet with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Check and add time if needed.
  • Cover with warmed no sugar added marinara sauce or if enjoying chilled, serve with Simple Truth Cauliflower Tatziki Dip

 

Chicken Salad Mix, serve with rice crackers, rice cakes, on salad or in mini sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 3 cans of chicken
  • 1 avocado
  • 5 oz plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • ¼ of a red onion, chopped
  • Chives, chopped
  • Paprika and garlic powder to taste

Instructions

  • Use a fork to mash all ingredients together. Store in airtight glass container. Serve with finger crunchies like veggies, crackers, rice cakes, or make into little mini sandwiches.

 

Mushroom Pizza Bites, may also try whole wheat English muffins

Ingredients

  • Portabella Mushroom caps. Remove stem and scrape off the inside gills.
  • No sugar added pizza or marinara sauce.
  • Mozzarella or feta cheese
  • Fresh basil and oregano
  • Toppings of choice: sliced olives, ground turkey or chicken, turkey pepperoni, chopped artichokes, spinach, tomatoes.
  • Olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic

Instructions

  • Remove stem and scrape the inside gills of mushroom caps.
  • Brush the caps with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
  • Line a baking sheet with foil. Bake the caps at 400 degrees for 10 minutes until they release moisture.
  • Top each cap with a few tbsp of red sauce and favorite toppings.
  • Broil at 425 degrees for about 5 minutes until cheese is bubbling and/or toppings appear cooked.

 

Good ol’ fashion veggie tray with dip

Ingredients:

  • Carrot sticks chopped into matchsticks.
  • Celery sticks
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Cucumber slices
  • Bell peppers slivered.
  • Mushroom caps
  • Sprinkle with salt and garlic pepper
  • Dip: Hummus or pico de gallo or lupini bean hummus, or Greek yogurt tzatziki dip

 

Crustless Mini Quiche

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 6 eggs
  • About ½ cup egg whites
  • ¼-1/3 cup milk of choice
  • Mix ins: feta cheese, veggies

Directions

  • Spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray very well
  • Whisk eggs, milk and seasoning together
  • Fill mini muffin pan about ¾ full of egg mixture
  • Top with desired veggies
  • Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Time will vary oven to oven.

 

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Ingredients

Chicken:

  • 1 lb Chicken tenderloins
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • ¾ cup almond flour
  • ¼ cup arrowroot starch
  • Season: onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper
  • Avocado oil for frying
  • 1/3 cup original franks hot sauce

Salad

  • About 3 cups Chopped romaine or salad greens
  • About 3 Celery stalks, chopped
  • About ½ cup shredded cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 large avocado, sliced
  • Red onion, thinly sliced

Dressing

  • ½ cup olive oil may or Greek yogurt
  • 3 tbsp coconut milk
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • Cilantro, minced
  • Chives, chopped
  • ¼ tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp fresh lime juice
  • Salt and pepper to tase

Instructions

  • Mix dressing ingredients together and set aside in fridge.
  • Prepare salad ingredients and set aside.
  • Heat a large skillet with oil for frying. Prepare chicken by whisking the egg, flour and seasonings together. Place chicken tenders into the mix and fry in pan until golden brown and cooked through. Once cooked, dip chicken in the hot sauce to coat.

 

Good ol’ fashion fruit tray

 

Tip: Remember that calories add up quickly when consuming fried foods, dips, sauces, breads and finger foods like chips. They also don’t leave you feeling great in the end. Try to bring or provide low calorie dip options like pico de gallo or salsa and make sure there are plenty of veggies to crunch and munch on. Mindless snacking can lead to not feeling good at the end of the day. Consider filling up on nutrient dense, low-calorie foods prior to the “party,” such as drinking a protein shake or having a chicken salad or a broth-based soup so that you can choose small portion snacks during the game rather than needing an entire meal. Stay adequately hydrated on water. Aim to move your body and get a good sweat on before the game starts.

And enjoy yourself because relationships and laughter are primary foods for the soul that help us to have more balance in our nutrition as well.

 

In health and love,

Dana

*Also even though I don’t really care, I have to say “Go Chiefs” to support my dad who is a big Chiefs fan. 😊