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It’s almost Super Bowl Sunday, and that means it’s time to get your game-day menu dialed.
Football is pretty much a religion in our house, and so the Super Bowl always means lots of friends, fun, and of course, food.
It’s a day that traditionally has tons of very heavy and unhealthy foods, so I always try and come up with a menu that is still festive and snack-oriented, but has a healthier spin to it. I wanted to share with you guys some of my favorite game day recipes, and what is on my menu for my family this year …
To keep things on-theme, I have two recipes that look like footballs and are always a big hit …
Kibbeh Footballs
Ingredients:2 pounds good-quality, lean ground-beef or lamb2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil (divided)2 cups bulgur wheat (trigo para quibe), dry2 large eggs beaten2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped3 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped4 large cloves garlic, minced (divided)Salt and pepper to taste2 tablespoons of mayonnaisePreparation:Pour the bulgur wheat into a large mixing bowl. Pour 2 cups of room-temperature water over it. Let stand for approximately 45 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (divided) in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add the 1.5 pound of ground meat, half of the chopped garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until the meat loses all traces of pinkness and the mixture moisture has evaporated. Remove from heat, and stir in half of the parsley. Reserve.In the mixing bowl, add the remaining half pound of ground meat to the bulgur wheat and beaten eggs. Stir in the remaining parsley and chopped garlic, the mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix with hands until you have a mass. The mixture should be very homogeneous, so be sure to mix very well.Remove approximately 3 tablespoons of the meat-bulgur mix from the mixing bowl and roll into a ball shape in your hands. Cup the ball in the palm of one hand, and with the other, form a pocket in it. Fill the pocket with the cooked ground meat, then close the pocket over this mixture. Reform into a football shape in your hand. Place the completed kibbeh on a cookie sheet, then continue this process until you have used all of the mixture. Reserve. Place cookie sheet in freezer for 20 minutes.Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep frying pan until it is hot but not smoking. Fry the kibbehs a few at a time (don’t overcrowd the fryer) until they are dark brown and crisp on the outside. Remove to a cookie sheet lined with paper towel, to drain excess oil. Continue until all the kibbehs have been fried.Using a plastic bag, add about 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Cut a very small corner off the bag, approximately one-eight of an inch. Gently squeeze bag and pipe mayonnaise onto kibbehs to make “football laces.”Serve immediately, with lemon wedges and tzatziki sauce or hot sauce!
Mini Buffalo Chicken Balls or Footballs
Ingredients• 4 tablespoons 1/2 stick unsalted butter• 1/3 cup Frank's RedHot Sauce or any other favorite hot sauce as spicy or mild as you like.• 1 pound ground chicken preferably thigh meat• 1 large egg• 1/2 celery stalk minced• 3/4 cup bread crumbs• 1 teaspoon saltInstructions1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.2. Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.3. Combine the hot sauce mixture, ground chicken, egg, celery, bread crumbs, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.4. Roll the mixture into round, 3/4 -inch balls, making sure to pack the meat firmly. Chill the meat mixture for one hour. Makes it easier to roll the meatballs or form into footballs. Place the balls or formed footballs on parchment covered baking sheet.5. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through.6. Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.7. *You can use your favorite dipping sauce and to make the strings on the football, you can use any white color dressing you already have in your refrigerator. I added the dressing into a zip lock bag and snipped a small corner off to pipe the lines on the football.8. Serve with extra hot sauce or blue cheese.Inspired by Epicurious
Next up, Burger Bites. They are small, packed with flavor, and I have eliminated the bun.
Burger Bites
Yields: 20 bites1 lb of ground beef1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper1/2 teaspoon garlic powder20 pieces of cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese sliced into 1 inch squares4 pieces of bacon cooked (do not overcook)10 grape tomatoes cut in half20 slivers of jalapeno or pickle if desired20 skewersBreak each piece of cooked bacon into 5 pieces. This will give you enough bacon for each burger bite.Combine ground beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder.Shape all 20 pieces at once into round patties about 1″ in diameter, making sure to flatten so the burger bite will be able to stand on a tray. Set aside.Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat and place all burger bites into pan at the same time.Brown for about 3-4 minutes and flip each burger bites. Top with the square pieces of cheese and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes.If the cheese is not melting, cover the pan for about a minute and remove cover.Remove burger bites from pan and plate on serving dish.Top each bite with a small piece of bacon, a sliver of pepper or pickle, half of grape tomato and then slide the skewer in the middle of the tomato to secure.Serve and enjoy
Football food is all about being bite-sized! This recipe for Cauliflower Pizza Bites is great because it is a better-for-you option.
Cauliflower Crust Pizza Bites
Diet: Dairy Free, Grain/Gluten Free, Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal
Servings 12 mini pizzas
Ingredients
Cauliflower Crust
- 2 cups cauliflower rice approx 1 small cauliflower
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (or parmesan for SCD)
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup almond flour
Suggested Pizza Toppings
- tomato sauce
- fresh spinach
- sautéed mushrooms
- ham
- grated cheese
- basil
- chicken
- olives
- red onion
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF
- Cut the cauliflower into chunks and place in a food processor. Blend for approximately 1 minute until it becomes as fine as possible. Measure out two cups of the cauliflower and place in a bowl. Add in the remaining ingredients for the crust and stir together until well mixed.
- Using a paper towel dipped in olive oil, grease each of the cups of the muffin tin
- Place a spoonful of the dough mixture into each muffin cup and press down firmly so the crust is well packed in.
- Bake the pizza crusts for 10-12 minutes in the oven until firm. After 10 minutes remove from the oven and gently press with your finger, they should hold together and be firm to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Using a knife, run it around the edges of each crust and loosen them from the bottom of the pan, this will ensure they are easier to remove later.
- With the crusts still in the muffin tray, top each with tomato sauce and any topping of your choice.
- Place the muffin tray back into the oven an allow to bake for a further 5 minutes until the cheese begins to bubble.
- Once cooked, remove from the tray and serve warm.
These Buffalo Chicken Dippers are also a big hit…. They are not the healthiest dish I have ever made. BUT, they are a healthier alternative to deep fried wings, and are sure to be devoured by your guests.
Buffalo Chicken Dippers
Ingredients• 12 wooden skewers• 1 tablespoon cornstarch• 1/3 cup hot sauce divided (Or your favorite based on your desired heat level)• 1 pound chicken tenders cut into strips• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese• 1/2 cup fat-free blue cheese dressing or your favorite blue cheese dressing• 4 carrots cut into sticks• 4 celery stalks cut into sticksInstructions1. Soak skewers in water 15 minutes.2. Heat broiler; line broiler pan with aluminum foil.3. In a bowl, stir cornstarch into 1 tablespoon hot sauce until smooth; stir in remaining hot sauce.4. Add chicken; toss to coat. Let marinate for 30 – 60 minutes.5. Thread chicken lengthwise on skewers; reserve remaining hot sauce mixture.6. Place chicken in pan so skewers hang off edge; cover exposed sticks with aluminum foil.7. Broil 4 minutes. Turn chicken; brush with remaining sauce.8. Broil until chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.9. In another bowl, combine blue cheese and dressing.10. Serve chicken with celery sticks and blue cheese dipping sauce.Inspired by Epicurious
And if you like things done buffalo-style (who doesn’t?), try our Baked Buffalo Cauliflower
Baked Buffalo Cauliflower
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 head organic cauliflower
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 egg, or vegan egg substitute
- 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut cauliflower into 1-1.5 inch pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Prepare the dipping mixture by putting the egg (beaten) in one bowl and the almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper in another bowl.
- Pour the egg over the cauliflower and mix well, making sure each piece is coated.
- Pour the almond flour mixture over the cauliflower and mix, making sure each piece is coated well.
- Place the cauliflower on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until pieces are a little crispy on the edges. Careful not to let the pieces burn!
- Remove cauliflower from oven and place pieces back in a large bowl.
- Pour the Frank's Red Hot Sauce on top, making sure pieces are totally coated.
- Place the cauliflower back on the baking sheet and in the oven in 8 minutes.
- Broil on high for 1 minutes.
Next up are my Lettuce Wedge Bites which are like delicious little bite-sized pieces of creamy salad.
Lettuce Wedge Bites
IngredientsIceberg lettuceGrape tomatoes, sliced 2-3 slices per grape tomatoTurkey bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbledSkewers, cut to a 4" in lengthDirectionsCut iceberg lettuce into chunks. Skewer desired amount of tomatoes onto skewer. Insert skewer into the middle of the iceberg wedge. Top with desired amount of blue cheese dressing and crumbled turkey bacon.For the Blue Cheese Dressing1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese1/3 cup light mayonnaise1/3 cup light sour cream1 small clove of garlic minced1 teaspoon cider vinegarGround black pepperCombine all ingredients into a bowl. If you like a thinner dressing, add 1 tablespoon of milk.
One of my other go-to game day favorites is this Beet Hummus.
Beet Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas
- 1 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves of garlic (large)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3 beets cooked (medium size)
Instructions
- In food processor combine all ingredients and puree until creamy. If too thick, add a little water to get to desired consistency.
- Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with sliced almonds, feta cheese, thinly sliced scallions, and sliced radishes.
For another yummy idea, try this Healthier Hot + Creamy Crab Dip
Hot + Creamy Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups lump crab meat
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (or parmesan for SCD) (or 1/4 cup grated Parmesan for SCD)
- 1 cup mayonnaise or vegan alternative
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp chopped spring onions
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
Topping
- 2 tbsp brazil nuts
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast (or parmesan for SCD) (or 1 tsp grated parmesan)
- 1 tbsp chopped spring onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF
- In a bowl combine all of the ingredients for the dip. Stir until well mixed and then transfer to an oven proof dish.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until hot and bubbly
- While the dip is baking, add the brazil nuts and nutritional yeast to a food processor and pulse until broken down into a fine crumble.
- Remove the dip from the oven, sprinkle the top with the brazil nut mixture and then return to the oven for 3 to 4 more minutes until it is golden in color. Sprinkle the dip with chopped spring onions before serving.
And last but not least, this Herbed Feta Dip is delicious … To keep it a little bit healthier, I like to serve it with vegetables.
Herbed Feta Dip
Ingredients• 6 ounces feta• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill plus torn sprigs for serving• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper• Olive oil – For drizzleInstructions1. Blend feta and a splash of water (I used about 1/8 cup) in a food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in parsley, mint, and chopped dill; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and top with dill sprigs.2. Serve with cut vegetables, tortilla or pita chips.Inspired by Epicurious
I hope you guys enjoy, and have a great Super Bowl Sunday!
Beijos xx
Camila
