Are You Ready for Some Football?
If you are like our family, fall means football and football means serious snack food! I marvel at the amount of money that is spent on football, all the way from barbecue to just over the top dips and chips that can be costly as well as high on calories and fat and low in nutrition. Through the years, I have learned to keep it simple, add a little flare and with a little creativity, football season does not have to mean stressing out over the food part of it.
The first thing I am mindful of is to fit the football food into Choose MyPlate. This helps maintain weight, increase nutrition and can even lend itself to staying within your food budget. Here are a few favorites at our house! I hope your favorite team does well this season! Go Huskers!
Humus
Have you ever tried humus? If you have not, it truly is a treat and so easy to make in your kitchen. Humus is Middle Eastern food. It is a spread/dip made from Chic Peas, also called Garbanzo Beans. It is lovely and I enjoy using it as a dip for fresh vegetables and believe it or not, I enjoy a creative grilled humus and cheese sandwich that I put together in my kitchen. The recipe I use is very simple, a traditional Humus has tahini in it. Tahini is a a paste made from ground, hulled sesame seeds and has a bit of a nutty flavor. It is not an overpowering flavor, so not using it is not going to truly alter the flavor of the Humus. The main reason I do not add it to my humus is that it is a bit expensive and I would not use it enough to justify the cost of it. I have a recipe that I use that did not include Tahini in the ingredient list, and it is amazing!
Humus Dip
Ingredients:
1 can Chic Peas, drained
1 tsp. garlic powder or 1 clove garlic
1 tsp. chopped onion
1 to 2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/8 c. canola oil or olive oil
Directions:
Place all ingredients in food processor or blender. Add the garlic and lemon juice to fit your families taste. Start out with 1 tsp. garlic and the 1 Tbs. lemon juice and add to your liking. The oil is for mixing purposes only. I have found that 1/8 cup is enough to blend it. You may need to add slightly more. Serve on whole grain crackers, pita bread, as a dip for fresh vegetables and you can even use it as a whole grain grilled humus and cheese sandwich
Another great idea for football season is to make your own tortilla chips. You will find that they are healthier because you control the salt you add or you could choose to add another seasoning such as chile and cumin and forget the salt. Also, you will find them to be in-expensive, especially if you made your own flour tortillas (see my previous blog on making your own flour tortillas). Here is a link to walk you through how to make your own baked flour tortilla chips or baked pita chips: http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-baked-chips-tortilla-or-pita-124908
Dips are always a hit at a football party, a favorite for us is a simple dip made with processed cheese ( I do break my rule of natural cheese for dips, it melts better and is a bit less on the pocket book), 1 can refried beans (If I have prepared ahead, I make my own from dried pinto beans), browned hamburger with chile and cumin added to the mix, and finally, salsa ( your favorite heat) and melt this together. This dip works well to keep on low in a slow cooker for easy serving. This is one of those recipes that the amount of the ingredients depends on the size of the crowd at the football party as well as what your family likes.
Chile is always a great dish to make for a game day, especially on a cold Nebraska game day. One of our favorites is Taco Soup. Here is a recipe for Taco Soup in a Slow Cooker http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-taco-soup/ I enjoy soups in the colder months as they make great leftovers and you can freeze them for another game day festivity!
In place of a heavy sugary dessert, try a fresh fruit salad with fruits that are in season. For fall, I also love a tasty apple crisp prepared in the slow cooker, here is my favorite recipe for this lovely comfort dessert, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-apple-crisp/
Best of luck to your favorite team this year! Remember, keep the food simple, add a bit of flare with garnishing and your presentation and you can't go wrong!
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