Lighten Up For Football Bowl Games
Nobody needs to remind you of your New Year's resolutions. Whether you resolved to get more exercise, lose some weight or eat healthier, the upcoming Super Bowl and other sports broadcasts will sabotage those healthy-minded plans. But wait. They don't have to. You can do your part to provide some healthier snacks that still feel like game party food. And if you get together with your sports friends, maybe you can all decide to fix healthier food—so that nobody has Monday morning regrets. Take a look at these recipes. They're all every bit as yummy as the less-healthy versions, but they will offer significant savings of fat and calories. For instance, did you know that a typical 6-piece order of wings contains over 500 calories and 34 grams of fat? Look below for some better choices.
Low-fat crispy chicken wings
Prep time 15 minutes; cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup self-rising flour (see note)
1/2 tsp onion salt
2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp herb seasoning blend (like Mrs. Dash)
12 chicken wings
Olive oil cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking trays with foil. Combine flour, onion salt, peppers and herb blend in a large plastic bag.
Spray chicken wings with cooking spray. Add half of wings to flour mixture. Shake until well coated. Place onto prepared baking trays. Repeat with remaining wings.
Spray chicken with cooking spray again. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until crisp and cooked through.
Serves 4
Nutritional Information
Calories Per Wing: 98, Fat: 5 g (1 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol:2 mg, Sodium:252 mg, Carbohydrates:34 g, Fiber:8 g
Reduced-Fat Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Ingredients:
3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/'2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and minced
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick vegetable spray.
In a large bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, garlic and cayenne.
Stir in the artichoke hearts and spinach; blend well. Fold in the Mozzarella cheese.
Spread in the baking pan, and bake 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.
Serves 22
Nutritional note: substitute carrot and celery sticks for the crackers and chips and you'll have an even lighter treat!
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 6,. Fat: 4 grams (2 grams saturated fat), cholesterol: 11 mg., sodium: 188 mg., carbohydrates: 2 gr., fiber: 1 gr.
Super Nachos
Set up a nacho bar in the kitchen for fix-your-own fun!
Ingredients:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 lb ground turkey breast
1 pkg dry taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup water
1 (12 oz) can refried beans
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded light cheddar cheese
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 cups chopped tomatoes
Directions:
In a nonstick skillet, brown the ground turkey in olive oil. Drain any excess fat. Stir in the dry taco seasoning mix and water. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Put the taco meat in a serving bowl.
Put remaining ingredients in individual serving bowls, or in piles on a large platter (Heat the refried beans in the microwave).
Encourage everyone to build their own nachos: start with a small layer of chips, and top with the meat and toppings.
Serves 6
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 386, Fat: 17 grams (5 gr. saturated fat), cholesterol: 290 mg., sodium: 688 mg., carbohydrates: 16 gr., fiber: 2 gr.
Fruit Platter with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1/4 cup orange juice
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs olive or canola oil
2 Tbs water
1 Tbs honey
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Red leaf lettuce
2 grapefruit, sectioned
1 navel orange, sectioned
2 pears, sliced
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup seedless grapes
Directions:
Whisk together dressing ingredients. Chill.
Line a platter with red leaf lettuce. Arrange fruit over lettuce. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.
Serves 6
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 158. Fat: 5 grams (1 gr. saturated fat), cholesterol: 0 mg., sodium: 151 mg., carbohydrates: 30 gr., fiber: 4 gr.
Black Bean Dip
Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 cup tomato salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Combine beans and salsa in a microwave-safe bowl; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Mash beans with a potato masher or back of spoon. Add 1/2 cup cheese; cook, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Serve dip warm with toasted pita triangles and fresh vegetables. Garnish, if desired, with more cheese.
Yield: 2 cups.
Nutritional Information
Calories per ¼ cup: 42. Fat: 1 gram (1 gr. saturated fat), cholesterol: 2 mg., sodium: 100 mg., carbohydrates: 5 gr., fiber: 2 gr.
Cinnamon Chips with Fruit Salsa
Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped strawberries
1 orange, peeled and finely chopped
3 kiwifruit, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
10 flour tortillas
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush tortillas with butter and cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the tortillas. Place tortillas on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 1 to 8 minutes or just until crisp.
While the tortillas are baking, combine the cut-up fruit in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Dip chips in fruit salsa.
Makes 2 1/2 cups salsa and 80 tortilla wedges. Serves 10
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 228. Fat: 5 grams (3 gr. saturated fat), cholesterol: 12 mg., sodium: 288 mg., carbohydrates: 35 gr., fiber: 2 gr.
All recipes © 2008, Brookshire Grocery Co. Nutrient counts are rounded to the nearest whole number. All dietary and lifestyle changes should be supervised by a physician
Published 01/04/08
