NFL players have certainly been known to make a variety of alternative lifestyle choices in order to stay healthy, from dancing ballet (Lynn Swann) to following a vegan diet (Arian Foster). And just because most of the food commercials you see during the Super Bowl are for less-than-healthy munchies like potato chips, soda, and pizza, who’s to say that your viewing party fare must be over-processed and full of empty calories? Beat the stereotypes!
We’ve selected a few healthy food alternatives for you to try for this year’s Super Bowl party. Rather than a creamy dip, try hummus; add tofu and lots of veggies to your pasta salad; and marinate skinless chicken to enhance the flavor but reduce the fat.
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Hummus (Recipe from The Raw Transformation by Wendy Rudell)
This Middle Eastern spread, made from sesame seeds (tahini), is delicious on crackers, breads, or used as part of the filling for Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. Sesame seeds are one of the better food sources of calcium.
2 cups sprouted chick peas
1/2 cup raw sesame tahini
2–3 lemons, juiced, or 1/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
2–3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp minced jalapeño
Nama Shoyu or Celtic sea salt to taste
Blend all ingredients in the Vita-Mix [blender] until smooth. Add a tiny bit of water if too thick or a little more olive oil. Makes 2 1/2 cups.
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Noodle Salad (Recipe from Maximum Healing by H. Robert Silverstein, M.D.)
1/2 pound tofu
1 tablespoon sesame tahini
2 tablespoons light miso (such as Westbrae Organic Mellow White Miso)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup water
2 cups cooked noodles
1/2 cup diced carrots, cooked in boiling water for two minutes and drained
1/2 cup peas, cooked in boiling water for two minutes and drained
1/2 cup corn kernels, cooked in boiling water for two minutes and drained
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
In blender or food processor, combine the tofu, tahini, miso, lemon juice, and water and process until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked noodles and vegetables. Toss with the dressing until well combined. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serves 4–6.
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Grilled Chicken (Recipe from The Warrior Diet by Ori Hofmekler)
When you marinate meat before grilling, you reduce the risk of burning or caramelizing the protein. Further, adding herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme, in addition to improving taste, mimics an old tradition of curing meats while enhancing flavors. Most herbs contain healing properties. For instance, thyme and oregano are believed to have antibacterial and antiviral properties … and parsley is a powerful detoxifier.
2 packages of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Juice of two lemons
3 large cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (leaves only, not the stem)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh basil
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine garlic, onion, mustard, thyme, oregano, parsley, basil, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in the fridge for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.
To prepare the chicken for outdoor grilling:
Wash and clean chicken thoroughly. In a bowl combine lemon juice and the mustard mixture with the chicken. Mix well. Let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until ready to grill. If you don’t want to grill, the broiler works fine, too.
Grill for approximately 15 minutes on each side on a low to medium flame (check sooner if you’re broiling). Just make sure the chicken juices run clear.
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Featured image by Ksd5 [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
