Football Food

I over heard some of you talking about "game day" food! Here a few to try! IF anyone else has any great ideas post under comments below! ENJOY! I'm not foolish enough to suggest you prepare dainty little roll ups and pass around the sparkling water. It is Football Sunday after all. You can still serve a hearty chili, burgers, chicken wings, and have plenty of tasty snacks on hand. With a little planning and some nifty ingredient substitutions, the lighter fare will taste just as good. So here are some low-fat tips, followed by some terrific recipes, to make your low-fat Super Bowl party a success.

Take chili, for instance: all those beans and tomatoes that form the base of this versatile dish are wonderfully nutritious by themselves. So choose extra-lean beef or turkey to accompany them, or forgo meat altogether and add an extra can or two of reduced-sodium beans instead. Provide reduced-fat cheese to sprinkle on the chili, and reduced-fat or fat-free sour cream for garnish. You can even add a scoop to a low carb tortilla with a sprinkle of cheese and some light sour cream--do good!

Load your potato skins(scrape MOST of the potato out) with salsa or just a sprinkling of reduced-fat cheese and fat-free sour cream. Add some paprika or even some cayenne pepper to spice them up a bit.

Bake or Saute some skinless chicken pieces dipped in egg white, or buttermilk, and roll in crushed cornflakes. Either serve tossed in wing sauce or serve your favorite sauce on the side.

If you must have regular old wings--buy your own and bake them!

Turkey Meatballs-marinara or even buffalo hot wing flavor--yummy!!!

Shish kabobs-chicken, beef, shrimp, veggie!

Serve home-made baked or sauteed lo carb tortilla, pita crisps, or sliced jicama and serve them with low-fat dips that use fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream, yogurt or cream cheese as their base. Make fresh salsa.

Have a large plate of cut veggies to go with the dips, too: include different colored sweet peppers and jicama, as well the usual carrots and celery.

Serve a big salad platter featuring groups of black beans, sweet corn, chopped red onion or scallions, chopped tomatoes, artichoke hearts, diced avocado, chopped green pepper and shredded reduced-fat Jack cheese. Make a lime-based vinaigrette to go with it.

Make a flat bread low carb pizza! Everyone will love them get creative and make all different ones! I have a recipe in the old archives!

Instead of buying one of those huge over-filled subs, have your guests make their own lower-fat sandwiches. Provide a variety of lean (and low-sodium) meats and reduced-fat cheeses, a variety of 100% whole-wheat breads and low carb wraps plus some fat-free or low-fat mayos and dressings. Have pickles, sliced tomatoes, shredded carrots, salad leaves, roasted red peppers, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes, all of which can help make a satisfying sandwich. Make tuna or chicken salad with fat-free mayo or low-fat plain yogurt. Use herbs and black pepper for seasoning, and omit the salt.
Make your own platter with dried fruit, unsalted nuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

Don't eat too much! It's all very well cutting fat here and there, but if you pile your plate high with party food, you won't be doing yourself any favors. Have fun and have a great Football Sunday! Go Vikings!!!