Your game plan for healthier football snacks
| 3 min read
Watching the big game isn’t exactly the easiest time to stay true to your diet. In fact, the U.S. Calorie Control Council estimates that Americans pack away 11 million pounds of chips next Sunday alone! For healthier game-day grub, leave the chicken wings and mozzarella sticks alone and try some of these homemade and store-bought snacks instead.
Spicy sweet potato fries
This recipe was originally featured in a post from last year, which highlighted three of our favorite game-day treats. They are so good we want to make them again and again!
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes (one per person), peeled and cut into steak fries
- Olive oil
Seasoning Mix
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground fennel
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper
- 2 tablespoon Kosher salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Mix or grind coriander, fennel, oregano and pepper in a mortar, spice grinder or wiped-down coffee grinder. Add salt and stir.
- In medium bowl, mix sweet potatoes, olive oil and as much of the spice mixture as you need. (Typically you’ll need about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of spice mixture for every two sweet potatoes.)
- Pour sweet potato fries on to prepared pan, spreading them out as you go.
- Roast 30 to 40 minutes, until potatoes are tender and the outside is a little browned, flipping occasionally. Serve immediately.
From Cheap Healthy Good
Black Bean Guacamole Dip
This recipe was originally featured in a post last fall, which highlighted go-to tailgating recipes for college football games. The beans add a shot of protein to this heart-healthy dip.
Ingredients
- 2 jalapenos (seeded for less heat, if desired), finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- ½ medium white onion, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- 1 can (15½-ounce) black beans, rinsed
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the jalapenos, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.
- Add the beans, scallions, lime juice and oil. Toss to combine. Fold in the avocado and cilantro.
- Serve with baked lentil chips and enjoy!
Recipe from Woman’s Day
Not in the mood to cook this year? You can still keep it light by opting for healthier alternatives when filling your cart at the supermarket. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Instead of chips and dip: Try pairing multi-grain pretzel sticks with hummus for a classic favorite everyone will love.
- Instead of cheese and crackers: Spread some light Laughing Cow cheese on whole grain melba toast for the perfect game-day finger food.
- Instead of candied peanuts: Fill up your peanut bowl with chopped walnuts instead for a heart-healthy alternative that’s packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
Photo credit: MaryMakesDinner
