Super Bowl Party Ideas

Game day is officially upon us. Whether your team is in the BIG game or not, I am sure you are still out there watching to see who wins. Maybe you have some money in a poll or you just always get together with friends no matter who is in it to catch up and you now have an excuse to have a party. Whatever the reason is you know the typical football foods will be there....pizza, wings, dips, you name it. But what if you are hosting or going to a party and you don't want to throw away all your hard work you put in during the week with your workouts & eating. How about making some healthy appetizers or taking something you know you can eat to a friends?

You don't have to throw away all your hard work for one football game, try out some of these appetizers.

1. Buffalo Chicken Meatballs - what you need...

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, sliced

4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

1/2 cup very finely chopped carrot

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 pound lean ground chicken

 

how to cook them -

Finely chop mushrooms, onion, celery and garlic in a food processor. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.

2.Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
3.Add breadcrumbs, carrot, cheese, hot sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper to the cooled vegetables; stir until combined. Add chicken and mix gently to combine (do not overmix). Form into 30 meatballs (a scant 2 tablespoons each) and place on the prepared baking sheet.
4.Bake the meatballs until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, about 15 minutes.

2. Pita Pizzas - pita-pizzas

3. Buffalo Chicken Tenders - what you need -
4 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce (like Frank’s®), divided use
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 dash cayenne pepper (to taste; optional)
1 lb. raw chicken tenders
¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
4 medium celery stalks, cut into sticks

 

how to cook them -
 1. Combine 1 Tbsp. hot sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne in a small bowl; mix well.
2. Add chicken; toss to coat. Marinate, covered, in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375° F.
4. Place chicken in a baking dish. Discard any remaining marinade. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.
5. Combine yogurt and cheese in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
6. Combine chicken and remaining 3 Tbsp. hot sauce in a large bowl; toss gently to blend.
7. Serve chicken with dip and celery.

4. Nachos - what you need
 4 corn tortillas, cut into wedges
2 tsp. olive oil
½ medium lime
1 dash chili powder
Sea salt (to taste, optional)
½ cup cooked pinto beans, warm
4 oz cheddar (or jack) cheese, shredded
2 medium tomatoes chopped
½ medium onion, finely chopped
½ medium green bell pepper, chopped
½ medium jalapeno, seeds and veins discarded, finely chopped
¼ medium avocado, chopped
4 fresh cilantro sprigs, chopped
2 Tbsp. nonfat plain Greek yogurt

how to cook them -
 1. Heat oven to 375° F.
2. Brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp.
3. Squeeze lime over chips. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt (if desired).
4. Arrange half of the tortilla chips in a medium baking dish. Layer with half the beans and cheese. Repeat.
5. Bake chip mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese melts.
6. Top with tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, avocado, cilantro, and yogurt.

5. Baked Corn Tortilla Chips - what you need -
15 corn tortillas, cut into wedges
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

how to cook them -
 1. Heat oven to 375° F.
2. Lightly coat both sides of tortillas with spray. Arrange in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp.
3. Sprinkle with salt.

6. Zucchini Fries -  what you need -
Nonstick cooking spray
¼ cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. cornmeal
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
3 medium zucchini, cut into ½ x 3-inch sticks
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

how to cook them -
 1. Preheat oven to 475° F.
2. Line baking sheet with foil; lightly coat with spray.
3. Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag; shake to combine.
4. Working with a few pieces at a time, dip zucchini in egg whites and lift out, letting excess drip back into bowl; drop zucchini into bag containing flour mixture. Seal bag and shake to coat. Repeat with remaining zucchini.
5. Place zucchini on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes, or until tender-crisp and golden brown.