Super Bowl Snacks: A Healthy Alternative

Super Bowl Sunday is almost here, and you know what that means, football - and being surrounded by tempting junk food and beer.  On average, people eat 2,400 calories during the game! With those stats, there is sure to be some regrets the next day.

Super Bowl Sunday doesn't have to be a cheat day. Instead, let’s embrace a new tradition of healthy snacks. This 53rd Super Bowl, it’s time to stick to those resolutions we made (less than a month ago) and replace some of the classic game day dishes with healthier alternatives for everyone.

Of course, we also don't want you to be snacking on carrot sticks all day while watching your friends and family devour their 3rd slice of pizza. We want to make this transition to better health as easy as possible for you and your guests, so we’ve compiled a few of our favorite healthy alternatives to Super Bowl snacks just for you.

Yields 12 Servings (at ½ Pound each)

No matter how hard we tried we just couldn’t omit buffalo wings from our snack list, so we decided to switch up the recipe, and make them healthy enough to deserve a spot at your Super Bowl party.

(Bleu Cheese Yogurt Dip)

• 1 ½ cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• ½ cup of crumbled bleu cheese
• 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 2 cloves of chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons of skim milk
• The juice from 1 lemon
• Salt & Pepper

(Buffalo Wings)

• Aluminum Foil (for the baking sheet)
• Cooking spray (for the baking sheet)
• 6 pounds of chicken wings (split at the joints with the tips removed)
• 8 stalks of celery (cut into thirds)
• 8 carrots (cut in half)
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cups of fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups of your favorite hot sauce
• 4 tablespoons of paprika
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoon of honey

(Dip)

1. In a food processor or blender, mix yogurt, mayonnaise, bleu cheese, garlic, milk, and lemon juice until it is thoroughly mixed but still chunky.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Refrigerate until the wings are ready to be served.

(Wings)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray on the cooking spray (to keep the wings from sticking).
3. Put half of the chicken wings, 3 celery sticks, 3 carrot halves, 4 bay leaves, chicken broth, hot sauce, paprika, butter, and ½ cup of water and simmer over medium heat for 18 minutes. The chicken should be almost thoroughly cooked at this point.
4. Put the wings on the baking sheet so that no wings are overlapping each other. (Keep the sauce in the skillet).
5. Bake the wings at 425 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crispy.
6. Simmer the remaining sauce over low-medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until it is thickened slightly.
7. Pick out the celery, carrots, and bay leaves, and discard.
8. Separate and save ¼ of the sauce as a side for dipping.
9. When the wings are done baking return them to the skillet of sauce and toss.
10. Repeat with second half of wings.
11. Serve with celery, carrots, bleu cheese yogurt dip, and remaining buffalo sauce. 

Yields 12 servings (at 2 pieces each)

We got creative with this one and revamped your typical potato skins. Sweet potato skins are the perfect compromise that everyone at your party will love!

• Aluminum Foil (for the baking sheet)
• Cooking spray (for the baking sheet)
• 6 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 ½ pounds)
• 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 thinly sliced scallions
• ½ cup of salsa verde
• ½ avocado (pitted and cut into small pieces)
• 1 cup of black bean chips (crushed)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray (to keep the potato skins from sticking)
3. Place whole potatoes onto the baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes (or until they are fork-tender)
4. Let them sit until they are completely cooled.
5. Cut each sweet potato in half (lengthwise) and scoop out most of the inside. Save what you’ve scooped out for later.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Put a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet and place the sweet potato skins, skin side up.
8. Brush 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over the skin and bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until they are slightly browned.
9. Let them cool completely before you cut them crosswise.
10. Put them back onto the rack, this time skin side down, and add mozzarella and parmesan cheese then top with scallions.
11. Bake them for 8-10 minutes, or until the mozzarella melts
12. Drizzle them with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and top with salsa verde, or avocado.
13. Serve.

Yields 4 Servings (at 1 ½ apples each)

These nachos won't be calorie loaded, and cheese drenched. Your Apple Nachos will be a breath of fresh air to the heavy dishes usually consumed during the Big Day.  These nachos are definitely a crowd-pleasing dessert that’s light on calories, and heavy on flavor.

• 18 cored and thinly sliced apples
• 3 cups of melted chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
• 1 ½ cups of warmed caramel sauce
• 1 ½ cups of chopped pretzels (or nut of your choice)

1. Arrange apple slices in a circular pattern on 3 large plates (spread out and on top of each other)
2. Drizzle with melted dark chocolate and caramel sauces
3. Top with chopped pretzels or nut of your choice)

Yields 12 servings (at 4 ounces of chicken per serving)

You’ll always have that one fan that insists that wings aren’t for them, even if they do make perfect Super Bowl snacks, so here’s an excellent healthy chicken alternative that will keep them happy and satisfied.

(Chicken Fingers)

• Aluminum Foil (for the baking sheet)
• Cooking spray (for the baking sheet)
• ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon of salt
• ⅓ teaspoon of black pepper
• ¾ cup of fat-free milk
• 1 ½ teaspoon of barbecue smoked seasoning (such as Hickory Liquid Smoke)
• ¾ cup of dry breadcrumbs
• ¾ cup of quick-cooking oats
• 3 teaspoons of garlic and herb seasoning
• 3 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch strips

(Honey-Mustard Dip)

• ⅓ cup of Dijon mustard
• ⅓ cup of honey

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray (to keep the chicken from sticking).
3. Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
4. In a separate dish, combine the milk and liquid smoke.
5. In another dish, stir breadcrumbs, oats, and garlic seasoning together.
6. Dip the chicken into the flour mixture and coat both sides.
7. Dip the chicken into the milk mixture and turn to coat each side.
8. Dip the chicken into the breadcrumb mixture and make sure that each side is coated.
9. Place chicken on a baking dish.
10. Continue until all of the chicken is breaded and on the baking dish.
11. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the crust is browned.
12. Mix mustard and honey in a new bowl.
13. Serve the chicken with a side of honey mustard dipping sauce.

Yields 12 Servings (at 1 burger per serving)

Super Bowl snacks have often consisted of chips and beef burgers, and we don’t want to disregard tradition completely, we want to tweak it to better fit our healthier lifestyle. Trade out your beef burgers, for these turkey burgers your taste buds won’t even notice the difference.

• Cooking spray
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 ¼ pound of ground turkey breast
• ½ cup (2 ounces) of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• ¼ cup of reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons of minced sweet gherkin pickle
• ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper
• 12 (1-ounce) dinner rolls
• 6 curly leaf lettuce leaves (torn in half)

1. Mix garlic pepper, salt, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, and ground turkey breast together in a large bowl.
2. Add the cheese and stir.
3. Separate the turkey mixture into 12 equal portions and shape into a ¼ inch thick patty.
4. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray.
5. Place 4 patties in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Flip the patties and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes.
7. Repeat with the remaining patties.
8. Combine mayonnaise, pickle, and ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper.
9. Serve each patty on a 1-ounce dinner roll and serve with mayo mixture and lettuce.

Serve these healthy dips with your choice of kale, beans, or pita chips, instead of corn chips.

Yields 12 Servings (at 2 tablespoons per serving)

• ⅓ tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 ounces of lima (or butter) beans (canned and drained)
• ⅓ cup of light mayonnaise
• 1 ½ ounces of tub-style fat-free cream cheese
• ⅓ teaspoon of hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
• ⅓ teaspoon of capers (drained)
• ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon of dry mustard
• 5 ¼ ounce of artichoke hearts (canned and drained)
• 3 ¾ ounces of frozen chopped spinach (thawed, drained, and squeezed dry)
• ¼ cup of pre-shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• ⅛ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup of sliced green onions
• ⅓ tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the extra-virgin olive oil, lima (or butter) beans, mayonnaise, cream cheese, hot pepper sauce, capers, black pepper, and mustard in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.
3. Add artichoke hearts, spinach, cheese, onions, and lemon juice and blend or process those well.
4. Transfer mixture to a casserole dish and smooth the top.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the edges are bubbling.
6. Cool for 10 minutes.
7. Serve with choice of chips.

Yields 12 Servings (at 2 tablespoons per serving)

• 1 (15-ounce) can of cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves
• ¼ cup of loosely packed chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper (to taste

1. Put beans in a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork.
2. Heat a small pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the pan to let it warm slowly.
3. Add the garlic and sage leaves and stir for four minutes until the sage is crispy and the garlic is browned.
4. Pour the hot oil over the beans and stir.
5. Add 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
6. Serve with choice of chips.

Yields 12 Servings (at 2 tablespoons per serving)

• 6 avocados
• 6 chopped sweet mini chili peppers
• 3 chopped heirloom tomatoes
• 1 ½ chopped shallots
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• 3 Limes

1. Cut avocados in half, remove the pit and scoop away from the peel.
2. Mash the avocados with a fork.
3. Mix the sweet mini chili peppers, heirloom tomatoes, and shallots into the mashed avocados.
4. Add the salt and pepper to taste, mixing into the guacamole.
5. Slice the limes in half and squeeze the juice of all six halves, into the guacamole and mix.
6. Serve with choice of chips.

Yields 12 Servings (at 2 tablespoons per serving)

• 1 (14-ounce) can of garbanzo beans (drained – keep the juice)
• 2 tablespoons of tahini (sesame seed paste)
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• ¾ teaspoon of salt
• ½ cup of roasted red bell peppers (bottled)

1. Combine all ingredients into a food processor or blender.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of the juice from the garbanzo beans and mix all ingredients.
3. Serve with choice of chips.

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