Heart-Y Appetizers For The Big Game!
Easy Appetizers You Can Buy/Assemble That Look Homemade
Running out of time and energy before a party? The following options are healthful and super convenient and ready to grab in your neighborhood supermarket!
Cheese and fruit plate—Buy easy to prepare fruit that you just have to rinse or cut, such as grapes, berries, orange wedges and pre-sliced apples (in bags) and place decoratively on your serving plate. Place wedges of cheese on the plate with a serving knife or quickly cut the assorted cheeses of your choice (you can also buy a variety of cheese pre-cut). Add whole-wheat crackers from a box or dried fruit from a bag if you want to get fancy.
Cream cheese gets fancy—Light cream cheese is the perfect base for a colorful and flavorful party spread. Invert a tub of light cream cheese onto your serving plate and top with jalapeno jelly or chutney (available in jars) and surround it with whole-wheat crackers. Or cut the inverted tub of cream cheese in half and spread sundried tomato pesto (available in jars in produce section) in the middle and top with green basil pesto (available frozen in pasta section or in jars in condiment section).
Super savory BBQ bites—Cut your favorite lean, reduced fat sausage links into large bite size pieces and place in a slow cooker or large nonstick saucepan. Cover with your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce. Bring up to a medium-high heat then keep it on low to keep warm during the party. Instead of sausage links, you can do the same with your favorite light franks. Just cut each frank into about 4 pieces each to make cocktail sized franks.
Grab some guacamole—An assortment of prepared guacamole and chips are at the ready in your neighborhood supermarket. Garnish the guacamole with fresh chopped tomato, peppers or green onions.
Hummus and veggie platter—Choose from several brands and flavors of hummus, spoon it into your favorite serving bowl and serve it with pre-cut carrots, celery and jicama. Open a bag of sugar snap peas to place on the plate, they are already washed and ready to eat!
Create a quick and fancy salsa—Choose from several brands and flavors of salsa then create your fancy version by stirring in canned (rinsed) black beans and corn (cooked from fresh or frozen) or some freshly chopped avocado and mango with fresh cilantro.
4 Heart-y Big Game Appetizer Tips
Wings, potato chips, hot links, nachos…these are generally the first string appetizers on Super Bowl Sunday, loading on calories, saturated fat and sodium. February also happens to be American Heart Month, raising awareness that in the U.S. heart disease is the numero uno cause of death for both men and women.
So with the following 4 tips and recipes, we thought we would prove to you that you could have your fun and tasty big game appetizers and help the heart too!
Tip #1 Make Simple Ingredient Switches to lighten your party favorites!
Buy lighter, higher fiber items for your appetizer recipes when possible such as reduced fat chips, lighter chicken or turkey sausages, whole grain bread options, etc. Here are some sample ingredient switches for popular appetizers:
Potato skins: Bake – don’t deep fry – the potato skins and top with reduced fat cheese, beans, chopped tomatoes, green onions, and light sour cream.
Dips and spreads: Make your favorite dips and spreads with fat free or light sour cream, light mayonnaise or light cream cheese.
Tip #2 Balance Party Appetizers with Fruit & Vegetables Finger Food.
Balance party foods, heavy on calories, saturated fat and sodium, with fruits and vegetables, which are heavy instead on important nutrients and fiber. Have someone bring a fruit platter and someone else a vegetable tray. Berries are easy—just wash and they are ready. Jicama, celery, sugar snap peas and baby carrots are great palate-cleansing and crunchy veggies (the latter two don’t need any kitchen prep.)
Tip #3 “Mini” Portions are “IN” so bring or buy mini portions of food. It’s easier to sample and taste the party spread this way without getting uncomfortable or too full. For example, make cocktail hot dogs with light franks and whole grain buns cut into 2-inch segments and serve with gourmet mustards and spreads. Serve small “cups” of lean chili instead of “bowls.” And definitely serve dessert in bite size squares or in fun shot glasses instead of monster sized bars or bowls.
Tip #4 Light BBQ Anyone? Lighten up the barbeque spread with these tips:
Grill fish, skinless poultry or leaner meat options like grass-fed ground sirloin instead of higher fat or processed meat.
Make potato or macaroni salad with a blend of nonfat Greek yogurt and extra virgin olive oil with added herbs and spices and/or blend the Greek yogurt with light mayonnaise.
Enjoy pasta salads made with whole-wheat pasta and light vinaigrette (oil and vinegar based) instead of creamy dressing. You can dress potato salads with vinaigrette as well.
4 Heart-y & Healthful Big Game Appetizer Recipes!
Football fan or not, we hope you will love these appetizers! They are super easy to make and some of them can even be a wonderful weeknight dinner when paired with a soup or green salad.
Texas Tater-Skins!
Makes: 10 potato skins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
5 medium sized russet potatoes (red or white potato can be substituted)
1 cup canned beans with a BBQ or Chili flavor such as Organics Chili Beans
1 cup shredded reduced fat cheese of choice (such as reduced fat sharp cheddar)
1/3 cup chopped green onions (white and part green)
10 tablespoons fat free or light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (optional)
Sriracha chili sauce (or similar) if desired
Directions
Pierce each potato a couple of times with a fork and microwave, following your microwave instructions for baked potatoes, until tender.
Let potatoes cool slightly then cut in half lengthwise and scoop out some of the center of each half, leaving plenty of potato with the skin. Place the skins on a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan.
Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the beans down the center of each half. Top each half with shredded cheese blended with green onions. Broil about 6 inches from the heat until cheese is bubbling. Add a dollop of fat free or light sour cream to each skin if desired. Serve with Sriracha sauce (or similar) if desired.
Nutrition Per Serving: 92 calories, 3 g fat, 1.9 g saturated fat, 202 mg sodium, 11 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein
Sweet ‘n’ Sour Lean Mean Meatballs
Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound extra lean grass fed ground beef (or extra lean ground beef)
2 slices whole wheat bread, finely chopped or pulse in mini food processor until fine crumbs form
1 large egg
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons lowfat milk
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground pepper
2 to 6 tablespoons nonalcoholic beer, beef broth or water (optional)
1/2 cup Store brand chili sauce (or Heinz)
½ cup red currant jelly (cherry preserves can be substituted if necessary)
Directions
In mixing bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients on lowest speed (or mix well with wooden spoon).
Form mixture into 40 bite-size-meatballs (about a heaping teaspoon each). Spray a large nonstick frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.
When the pan is hot, brown the meatballs. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Turn the meatballs over, adding the beer or broth if necessary to prevent sticking. Cover, turn down the heat, and simmer until meatballs are cooked though (about 5 minutes).
While the meatballs are simmering, combine the chili sauce and jelly in a small bowl and pour over the meatballs in the frying pan. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring and basting the meatballs frequently until the sauce thickens nicely. If you want to keep the sauce separate, combine the chili sauce and jelly in a small saucepan and simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until the sauce is hot, blended and slightly thickened. If desired, put the sweet and sour mixture and the meatballs in a slow cooker set on LOW and this will keep the dish hot for the duration of the party.
Nutrition Per Serving: 182 calories, 4 g fat, 1.9 g saturated fat, 448 mg sodium, 20 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 15 g protein
Microwave Nacho Bar
Makes: 1 to 20 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35
Ingredients
Multigrain tortilla chips with no more than 7 grams of fat per ounce (such as Tostitos Multigrain Scoops or Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Tortilla Chips)
Possible toppings for the nacho bar:
Beef Taco Mixture (see recipe below)
Shredded rotisserie chicken (no skin or bones)
Canned beans of choice (fat free refried beans or drained and rinsed black or pinto beans)
Shredded reduced fat or regular Jack cheese
Shredded reduced fat or regular sharp cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions
Diced jalapeno or canned chili peppers
Chopped vine-ripened tomatoes or prepared fresh salsa (in tubs)
Chopped avocado or prepared guacamole
Fat free or light sour cream or 0% plain Greek yogurt
Directions
Arrange the nacho ingredients listed above in separate containers to create a make-your-own nacho bar for your party. Set out microwave-safe plates.
Encourage your guests to make their own microwave nachos by adding a single layer of multigrain tortilla chips to a microwave plate. They can top the chips with their favorite toppings starting with meat and beans and ending with green onions, chili peppers and cheese.
Microwave on HIGH for about a minute, watching it carefully. Microwave a little longer if needed until cheese is melted and meat and beans are hot.
Guests can then add desired cold toppings on top such as tomatoes, salsa, avocado and sour cream or Greek yogurt. Enjoy!
Nutrition Per Serving (with 2 ounces tortilla chips topped with meat, beans, cheese, onions, tomatoes, avocado and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt): 280 calories, 14 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 160 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein
NOTE: for Beef Taco mixture, heat 2 teaspoons of canola oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of chopped onion. 1 minced jalapeno pepper (if desired), season with pepper and salt (optional), and cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; stir and cook about 1 minute. Add a pound of extra lean grass fed ground beef (or similar), breaking up meat with a spatula, and cook until cooked throughout (about 5 minutes). Add a 14-ounce can of seasoned diced tomatoes and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about 10 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.
Double Mocha Brownie Bites
Makes: 50 brownie bites
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
6 tablespoons canola oil
6 tablespoons Kahlua (or other coffee flavored liqueur)
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon instant-espresso powder or 2 tablespoons decaf instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup egg substitute or egg whites
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (semisweet chocolate chips can be substituted)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with foil, allowing 2 inches of foil to hang over ends of pan. Coat foil with canola cooking spray.
In microwave-safe small bowl, combine canola oil and unsweetened chocolate and microwave on HIGH for about one minute. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into mixing bowl. Beat in the sugar, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt (mixture will be grainy). Beat in eggs and egg substitute one at a time, beating after each addition until batter is smooth.
In medium bowl, toss together whole-wheat flour, unbleached flour and chocolate chips then stir into chocolate batter just until combined.
Spread batter evenly in prepared baking dish and bake in middle of oven for 20 minutes until the top is firm and edges are just beginning to pull away from sides of pan. Do not overbake. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Just before serving, lift brownies from pan by grasping both ends of foil and cut into 50 squares by cutting the long end of the pan into 10 columns and the short end of the pan into 5 columns.
Nutrition Per Serving: 80 calories, 4 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 32 mg sodium, 10 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 8.8 g sugar, 1.5 g protein