Super Bowl Waistline Saving Recipes

The Superbowl is known not just for football and the awesome TV commercials but also for its food!  Everyone has a menu stacked with rib sticking, gut expanding drag you down and out foods.  So if you have been working super hard to get your body back after the holidays or just in general then don't let one football game get your down.  I want you to think in your head about how you feel when you eat healthy.  What are some characteristics that you feel about yourself when you are eating healthy and exercising?  Then, think about when you eat food that is fried, high in fat or just plain bad for you.  How do you feel?  What emotions go through your head after you have a cheat meal?  Is it worth it to eat all that crap?  Does it really comfort you or do you feel defeated?  Then, use that as your motivation to control the urge to scarf down every wing, pizza and bread stick that is put in front of you! 
Alcohol can also be your Nemesis!  You don't realize how much extra sugar and calories are in a glass of beer and wine.  So REALLY think about how hard you are working and make a decision if this is going to be your cheat meal for the week?  Then, if you answer yes, then remember it's not a license to go out and eat everything you see during that day!  When you have your cheat meal it's a time to mind your portion sizes but indulge in the things you want without going overboard!  It's ONE meal, not an entire day!!!

So to help you with some alternatives to the traditional super bowl foods I have listed some of my favorite dip recipes and some recipes from fellow bloggers who eat clean as well!  I really hope you enjoy them! 

Clean Eating Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe avocados
• Juice of 1/2 fresh lime
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 red or purple onion minced well
• 1 clove garlic passed through a garlic press
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation:
Cut avocados in half.  Discard pit and scoop flesh into bowl.  Place all ingredients in medium bowl and mix until just combined.  Don't over mix! I add a little lemon juice to keep the color and throw the pit into the guacamole until you are ready to eat.  It keeps it from turning a brown color!

Tip:  I also added some chopped fresh tomatoes into my recipe to give it something extra and it was delicious!

Nutritional Value Per Serving:
Calories:  166, Calories from Fat:  132, Protein 2g, Carbs 10g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 1g, Sodium 8g.

Eat-Clean Hummus

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and well drained
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup tahini
• juice of 2 fresh lemons
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

• Place all ingredients in food processor.  Pulse for a few minutes until well combined but still course.  Adjust seasonings.  Transfer to serving bowl and serve or cover with plastic wrap.  Keeps well.

Nutritional Value Per ONE-TBSP Serving:
Calories 35, Calories from fat 15, Protein 1g, Carbs 4g, Dietary Fiber .7g, Sugars 0g, Sodium 94 mg

Pita Chips
Ingredients:

• pita bread of your choice- when you look at the ingredients choose a pita that is whole grain and has the fewest ingredients and minimally processed.
• olive oil
• your favorite herbs and spices *see notes

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut each piece of pita bread into 6 pieces.
3. Place the cut pieces on a non stick baking sheet. (I use non stick foil on my baking sheets for easy clean up.)
4. Place some olive oil in a small bowl and using a basting brush, brush each piece of pita bread with a small amount of oil. Flip pita bread over and brush again.
   
   

   Sprinkle your pita bread with your choice of seasoning
5. Sprinkle each piece of pita bread with some herbs and spices. Flip the pita bread over and repeat.
6. Place pita bread in oven and bake for about 30 minutes, flipping the pieces over half way through cooking. Depending on the thickness of your pita bread you might need to cook for a little longer. The pita bread is done when each piece is slightly crispy.

Nutritional Info:
Nutritional info will vary depending on the brand of pita bread and amount of oil used.
Notes:
You can season your pita chips with your favorite herbs and spices. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Natural Pita Chips – season with sea salt
2. Parmesan Garlic & Herbs – season with garlic powder, parsley, grated Parmesan cheese and sea salt
3. Cinnamon Sugar – season with cinnamon and raw coconut crystals or date sugar
4. Italian – season with red pepper flakes, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, black pepper and sea salt
5. Onion and Garlic – season with dried minced onion (or onion powder), garlic powder and sea salt

You can use as little or as much seasoning as you prefer. I like the Onion and Garlic combination and my kids LOVE the Cinnamon Sugar chips. There really is no wrong way to make these. Have fun experimenting with different flavor combinations.
Leftover pita chips can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.

As far as store bought chips go!  Food should taste good chips are the best!  I found them at Costco and Giant Eagle.  They are made with flaxseed and quinoa and are super tasty!!

Other recipes from my blog that I use when entertaining friends that are tried and true that people love!!!
TurboFire Chili- this is my absolute favorite recipe and everyone loves it!  I made it for Bryce's first birthday and everyone thought it was delish!!!  I could seriously eat this every day of my life!
Mini Pita Pizzas- there are super easy and I saute some fresh veggies and throw on top!!!

Other Recipes that I love by my favorite bloggers:

Amazing SALSA recipe!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Recipe
Chili Nachos

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday!!!