Just days away from the big game and serving up some fan favorites could not only be weighing heavy on our minds, but if we’re not careful our waistlines too!
So if you’re hosting a party or just transporting a dish, I have a gameplan that will keep you in “fighting weight” instead of fighting your weight.
Pizza is a typical staple at kickoff time, but let’s toss aside the crust for some extra veggies and protein.
GRILLED CHICKEN PORTOBELLO PIZZA
8 ounces Chicken Breast, diced
1 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic, chopped
12 ounces of thickly sliced portobello mushrooms
6 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ripe roma tomatoes sliced
Preheat oven to 450. Mix together oil and garlic. Dip mushrooms and tomatoes in mixture and place on indoor or outdoor grill. When veggies are done, use remainder of mixture to coat chicken and place chicken on grill. Arrange mushrooms close together (like puzzle) on baking sheet. Place grilled chicken and tomatoes on top of mushrooms. Top with cheese and bake for about 3 minutes
Subs, Heroes, (and in my hometown of Philadelphia) Hoagies usually garnish several trays at a Superbowl Party. My suggestion is to keep these caloric bundles under “wraps” and reach for a healthier alternative.
CHICKEN CAESAR WRAP
6 ounce piece of grilled chicken diced
low carb whole-wheat tortilla
2 tablespoons of light Caesar dressing
2 ounces of shredded romaine
1 tomato cut into wedges
Mix chicken with dressing and romaine. Fold into Tortilla
RED PEPPER CHICKEN SALAD WRAP
6 ounces of grilled diced chicken
1 tablespoon of red pepper & eggplant spread (found in the ethnic food aisle at grocery store)
1 Whole "Wheat Low-Carb" tortilla
2 ounces of fresh baby spinach
Spread red pepper spread on tortilla. Layer spinach, followed by chicken. Roll up and enjoy.
At about halftime you’re dipping more than the receiver in his celebratory “Touchdown Dance.” But don’t just watch the scoreboard, watch your intake or your “end” will be way out of the “zone”! It’s now crunch time for the losing team, so crunch away on these delectable ingredients:
CHIPS AND DIP
½ cup of salsa
1 cup Greek or Non-fat yogurt
1 Low-Carb Tortilla
Slice several low-carb or whole wheat tortillas into pieces and toast then. Mix together salsa and yogurt. Dip chips in yogurt mixture.
GUACOMOLE & Baby Carrots
3 ripe avocados
1 small can green chillis
1 roma tomato, seeded & finely chopped
¼ cup of Greek Yogurt
1 clove of garlic
½ small onion chopped
Juice of one lime
Remove pit and peel from avocados, and prepare tomatos. Put onions, tomato, garlic and chili’s in processor. Place onion mixture and all items into a small mixing bowl and mix with a fork until desired consistency is reached. I like mine with some chunks of avocado left for some texture. This tastes wonderful with baby carrots.
Joanne Sgro is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training. Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com. She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her fiancé, where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.