No matter what team you’re rooting for this Sunday, every Super Bowl needs hearty, delicious snacks. But just because it’s the Super Bowl doesn’t mean you have to stray from your New Year’s fitness resolutions. Here are four delicious recipes with a healthy twist so you can still savor the taste of Super Bowl favorites while cutting down on calories.
Get a boost of beta carotene and cut out the fat in traditional twice-baked potatoes with these twice-baked sweet potatoes.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, 8-10 ounces each
- 3 ounces Canadian bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
- 3 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Pierce potatoes with a fork and arrange them on paper towels.
- Microwave on high for eight minutes, turning potatoes over after four minutes.
- Cut each potato in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp, leaving quarter-inch-thick shells.
- Mash pulp with three ounces of Canadian Bacon, two tablespoons of sour cream (use plain Greek yogurt for a healthier alternative) and two teaspoons of chives in a bowl. Spoon mixture into shells.
- Sprinkle two tablespoons of cheese over tops of potatoes.
- Microwave on high for two minutes and sprinkle with a teaspoon of chives.
What’s a Super Bowl party without chicken wings? Try out these lemon-drop chicken wings, baked with a blast of tangy flavor and only half the calories of typical chicken wings.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 pounds chicken wings, tips trimmed off
Directions:
- Combine vodka, lemon juice, sugar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar.
- Add the chicken wings and mix to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for two to four hours.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan with two layers of foil.
- Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer in the pan and pour the marinade evenly over it. Bake for about one hour and 15 minutes until meat is well-browned and pulling away from the bone.
- Serve hot with a sauce of your choice.
Unlike heavy artichoke dips found in grocery stores, this delicious warm spinach artichoke dip keeps everything lower in calories. With only 30 minutes of prep time for a dip packed with flavor, this dish is sure to make both you and your guests happy.
Ingredients:
- 11 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (16-ounce) can lima (or butter) beans, drained
- 1 cup light mayonnaise
- 4 ounces tub-style fat-free cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
-
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
-
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
-
3/4 cup pre-shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
-
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-
1/2 cup sliced green onions
-
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the first eight ingredients (through mustard) in a food processor and process until smooth (about 15-20 seconds).
- Add remaining ingredients, pulse five times, then process mixture for about 10 seconds. With a spatula, transfer mixture evenly to a quart casserole dish, smoothing top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly at the edges. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
A rich, delicious dessert is a game day essential? These fudge chocolate brownies will leave you feeling satisfied but not guilty as the unsweetened cocoa keeps the fat content low in these decadent brownies.
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons stick margarine
- 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
- 2/3 cup Dutch-process or unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Cooking spray
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Melt margarine and chocolate in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in cocoa; cook one minute. Stir in sugar and cook for one minute (mixture will almost form a ball and be difficult to stir.)
- Remove pan from heat; cool slightly.
- Gradually add warm chocolate mixture to egg whites and egg, stirring with a whisk until well-blended.
- Combine flour and baking powder; add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring well.
- Spoon batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes; do not overbake. Cool on a wire rack.
Recipes courtesy of Health.com and Myrecipes.com.
Featured image courtesy of Flickr user HimmelrichPR.