Tailgating Made Healthy

Fall is officially here! I am anxious to welcome cooler weather any time now. Fall tends to be a time when people fall off the weight loss wagon. We have an influx of candy during Halloween then come the Holidays, full of feasts and family gatherings. But the problem begins with football season and the unhealthy, greasy, fatty tailgating foods.

This month’s blog features common tailgating foods with a healthy twist. You can still have fun and watch the game without having to watch your waistline grow. 

Southwestern Pumpkin Burgers -who can resist a dash of pumpkin flavor during fall months?

Servings: 6 Time: 60 minutes 

Ingredients:

6 teaspoons Extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped red or green bell pepper

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Pico de Gallo 

1/2 cup canned, unseasoned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ (find in cereal aisle or sub with breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 Tablespoon dried parsley)

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

6 8-inch (taco sized) tortillas

2 cups shredded lettuce

Directions:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in bell peppers, corn, garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool. 
2. Add pumpkin, cheese, wheat germ, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper to the onion mixture. Mix well. Dampen hands and form mixture into six 1/2 inch thick patties. About 1/2 cup mixture per patty. 
3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Stack tortillas and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in oven for 15 minutes to heat through. 
4. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan and cook 2-4 patties at a time, adding 2 teaspoons oil for each batch. Cook patties about 4 minutes per side until heated through and browned on outside. 
5. Wrap patties in tortillas and serve immediately, garnish with lettuce and pico de gallo. 

Nutrition: Calories 331, Fat 13 g, Cholesterol 8 mg, Carbohydrates 45 g, Protein 12 g, Fiber 6 g. 

Tip: Prep patties ahead of time, wrap in plastic and store in refrigerator up to 3 days. 

http://mobile.eatingwell.com/recipes/southwestern_pumpkin_burgers.html

Spicy-Sweet Slaw

Servings: 6 -1 cup servings Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients: 

4 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw

1 red bell pepper cut into strips

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon canola oil (great source of monounsaturated fats)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss in the coleslaw, red pepper, green onions, and tomatoes. Set Aside
2. Whisk together horseradish, honey, vinegar, pepper, salt, and oil in small bowl.
3. Pour dressing over slaws and toss to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Nutrition: Calories 59, fat 2.5 g, cholesterol 0 mg, carbohydrates 9 g, protein 1 g, fiber 2 g. 

http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,10000001662804,00.html

Zesty Baked Chicken Wings

Serving: 8 servings (4 wings per and 2 Tbs of dip) Time: 1 hour (plus 1-4 hours marinating time)

Ingredients: 

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

dash a cayenne pepper (more for hotter wings)

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

16 chicken wings, each halved at joint with tip removed

Cooking spray

1 cup fresh Parmesan

6 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 3 Tablespoons dried parsley)

1 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

Dip:

1 cup fat-free yogurt (use Greek yogurt to increase protein content)

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire

Directions:

1. Combine first 8 ingredients (through lemon zest) in a large bowl, whisk until combined. Pour into a zip-top plastic bag, add wings marinate in refrigerator for 1-4 hours. 
2. Preheat Oven the 425°F
3. Line a baking pan with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray. 
4. Mix together Parmesan, parsley, and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Coat wings in breadcrumb mixture. Place on prepared pan. 
5. Bake on lowest rack for 20 minutes, turn and cook for 10 more minutes
6. While wings are in oven, combine dip ingredients in a small bowl.

Nutrition: Calories 295, fat 19 g, cholesterol 64 mg, carbohydrates 6 g, protein 23 g, fiber 1 g. 

http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,10000001731393,00.html

Honey Ginger Chicken Bites

Serves: 12 (1 1/2 oz servings)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup honey

2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil (use canola or vegetable oil if you don’t want to spend the extra cash)

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

Cooking Spray

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons water

2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted (optional but adds extra protein and fiber)

Directions: 

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag: seal and shake well. Add chicken, seal and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. 
2. Preheat oven the 425°F
3. Remove chicken from bag, reserve marinade. Arrange chicken in a single layer on the broiler pain coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, turning once. 
4. While chicken cooks, strain mariande and discard solids. Place marinade in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes; skim any solids that surface. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, stir with a whisk, Add cornstarch mixture to pan, stirring with a whisk, cook one minute. Remove from heat; pour glaze into a large bowl. 
5. Preheat broiler. Add chicken to glaze; toss well to coat. Place chicken mixture under broiler 5 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve warm. 

Nutrition: Calories 179, fat 4.4 g, cholesterol 76 mg, carbohydrates 17 g, protein 18 g, fiber 0 g

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/honey-ginger-chicken-bites?utm_source=un_display_na_ti_20150501_outbrain

Seven Layer Dip

Ingredients: 

3 medium ripe avocados

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 and 1/2 cups plain Greek Yogurt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 cans refried beans

1 bunch green onions, chopped

3 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped

2 cans pitted sliced black olives

1 package reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: 

1. Peel, pit and mash avocados in a bowl with lemon juice and pepper. 
2. In another bowl combine yogurt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne. 
3. Assemble in a large shallow serving platter: spread beans on bottom, then avocado mixture, follow with yogurt mixture, next come the onions, tomatoes, olives, and cheese. Serve chilled. 

http://www.fannetasticfood.com/recipes/healthier-seven-layer-dip/