A Healthier Game Day
5:46 PM'Tis the season for rivalries, parties, and,
of course, game day food. Whether you’re hosting or attending a gathering to watch the
big game, there is sure to be a table full of finger food and snacks to munch
on throughout the game.
Often, when we eat or snack while watching TV (or
multitasking in general), we lose track of how much we eat and how our body
feels in response to what’s being put into it. The result is a much greater food
intake than we had initially expected. It’s easy to overeat when we aren’t
paying attention to eating; this can be more formally referred to as “Mindless
Eating”. To fully solve this problem, it may be wise not to eat while watching
a game, TV, or anything of the like. However, no one wants to miss out on the
seven-layer dip, wings, or potato skins. To solve this issue, we’ve found a few healthier versions of our game day
favorites for you to try this weekend.
Ingredients:
Medium sweet potatoes (sweet potatoes provide more nutrients
than regular potatoes, such as Vitamin A for good vision and immunity)
Olive Oil
Your favorite topping (a little salt and pepper, sour cream,
ketchup…)
Directions:
- Peel medium sweet potatoes.
- Cut lengthwise into chunks about ½-inch thick.
- Place on a nonstick baking sheet.
- Lightly coat with olive oil.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender.
- Season with salt, if desired, and top with low fat sour cream.
Ingredients:
1 16-ounce
can nonfat re-fried
beans, preferably “spicy”
1 15-ounce
can black beans, rinsed
4 scallions,
sliced
1/2 cup
prepared salsa
1/2 teaspoon
ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon
chili powder
1/4 cup
pickled jalapeño slices, chopped
1 cup
shredded Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup
reduced-fat sour cream
1 1/2 cups
chopped romaine lettuce
1 medium
tomato, chopped
1 medium
avocado, chopped
1/4 cup
canned sliced black olives, (optional)
Directions:
- Combine refried beans, black beans, scallions, salsa, cumin, chili powder and jalapeños in a medium bowl.
- Transfer to a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish; sprinkle with cheese.
- Microwave on High until the cheese is melted and the beans are hot, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Spread sour cream evenly over the hot bean mixture, then scatter with lettuce, tomato, avocado and olives (if using).
*The fun
part about this recipe is you can leave out ingredients you don’t have on hand,
such as the spices or scallions, without much of an impact on the dish. Also,
feel free to add/take out ingredients you don’t particularly like- make it your
own recipe!
For your sweet tooth: Oatmeal Cookies (from Better Homes and Gardens)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
(optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
(optional)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and, if desired, cinnamon and cloves. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in rolled oats.
- Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Makes about 48 cookies.
Best
Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy.
We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that
emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more
information visit www.bestteendiets.org
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