8 Healthy Game-Day Recipes That Will Make You The MVP
1. Buffalo Hummus
INGREDIENTS:
1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
4 tablespoons tahini
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons buffalo sauce
2 chopped scallions
Crumbled blue cheese
Veggies or chips for serving
PREPARATION:
Add chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and buffalo sauce into a saucepan or large bowl and pulse with immersion blender. Once the hummus is thick and creamy, transfer to your serving bowl and top with crumbled blue cheese and scallions. Serve with your favorite veggies or chips.
Featuring:
2. Nacho Cauliflower Tots
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups steamed and grated cauliflower
⅔ cup bread crumbs
½ cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup black beans (drained and rinsed)
Sour cream and guacamole for serving
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place grated cauliflower into a small thin towel, twist, and squeeze out any liquid. Place in a bowl and mix with bread crumbs, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper. Shape mixture into small tots and place on baking sheet. Cool in fridge for about 10 minutes to firm. Bake for 14 minutes. Flip the tots and bake for 8 minutes more or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with shredded cheddar and black beans, then return to oven for a few minutes until cheese melts. Top with sour cream and guacamole before serving.
3. Spinach Artichoke Dip
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces cream cheese
⅓ cup Greek yogurt
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
1 cup canned artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, yogurt, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Then fold in spinach and artichoke hearts. Transfer to a baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes. Broil for 2–3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
4. Teriyaki Shrimp Skewers
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup soy sauce
½ tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1½ pounds shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 red bell peppers (cut into 1-inch pieces)
2 yellow bell peppers (cut into 1-inch pieces)
PREPARATION:
Create marinade by combining soy sauce, oil, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Next, fix shrimp and bell peppers onto skewers, alternating each item. Place skewers onto a hot grill and brush with marinade. Cook for about 3 minutes or until edges of shrimp are pink. Then flip, coat the other side with marinade, and cook for another 3 minutes.
5. Sweet and Spicy Meatballs
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan
4 tablespoons chopped scallions
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons honey
½ tablespoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ tablespoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon cornstarch (to thicken if needed)
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375°F and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, Parmesan, scallions, salt, and pepper. Shape mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden brown. Meanwhile, whisk together honey, hot sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for about 7 minutes until glaze becomes thick (whisk in cornstarch if you have trouble thickening the sauce). Coat meatballs in sauce and serve with toothpicks.
6. Salsa Two Ways
INGREDIENTS:
Classic
1 can tomatoes with juice (28 ounces)
¼ cup onion (chopped)
1 jalapeño pepper (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Handful of cilantro leaves
Half a lime
Black Bean Salsa
1 cup black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cup corn
½ cup tomato (diced)
3 tablespoons red onion (chopped)
2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION:
Classic
Use an immersion blender to combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Pulse until you reach your desired consistency, then top with cilantro leaves and a bit of lime juice.
Black Bean Salsa
Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
7. Sweet Potato Crostini
INGREDIENTS:
2 sweet potatoes (sliced into thin circles)
2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1 white onion (thinly sliced lengthwise)
½ tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, sugar, and salt, then cook for 20–30 minutes, stirring throughout, until onions are caramelized. Meanwhile, brush each side of sweet potato slices with the remaining olive oil and place onto a hot griddle. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side and transfer to a non-stick baking sheet. Top each sweet potato with caramelized onions and goat cheese, then broil for 2–3 minutes until cheese melts.
8. Veggie Pinwheels
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces cream cheese
½ teaspoon dried chives
½ teaspoon dill (chopped)
½ teaspoon dried basil
Spinach tortillas
1 red pepper (julienned)
1 carrot (julienned)
1 yellow pepper (julienned)
½ red onion (julienned)
PREPARATION:
In a bowl combine cream cheese, chives, dill, and basil. Allow to reach room temperature for easier spreading. Next, spread a layer of herbed cream cheese onto a tortilla. Add a thin layer of veggies on top of cream cheese and tightly roll up tortilla in a spiral. Be careful not to overstuff with veggies, or it will be difficult to roll. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill for at least 15 minutes. Cut into 1-inch pieces and serve.