Any day now, pumpkin spiced lattes and apple pies will make their appearances for the start of the fall season. And along with fall, comes the football.
While I understand nothing about football and only pay attention when the Patriots are winning or in the Superbowl, I can’t deny that tailgates and football parties are fun events to attend. The food, the people, and the rowdiness help to dull the sadness that summer is slipping away and are an excuse to enjoy the beautiful fall weather.
The food at tailgates, however, tends to be heavy and filled with unecessary calories that can ruin your diet plan. Luckily, I have some recipes that can make game day snacking easy on your wasitline and prevent you from feeling heavy and bloated the next day. Check out my suggestions below!
Baked Tortilla Chips
Your favorite chips and salsa can be improved by using baked chips, rather than fried. These are incredibly easy to make and can be customized with any spices of your choosing.
Ingredients
- Bag of white or yellow 6′ corn tortillas
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, other spices of choice
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Slice the tortillas into triangles.
- Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and spices.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve with salsa, hummus, guacamole, or any other healthy dip.
Baked Plantain Chips
These are on of my favorite recipes because they can be made salty or sweet and function just like chips. Look for greener plantains which are less ripe and easier to cut.
Ingredients
- 2 green plantains, or more yellow if you prefer them sweeter
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- Salt
- Wedge of lime
Directions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and slice the plantains as thin as possible. The thinner the crunchier.
- Melt the coconut oil and pour over the plantains in a mixing bowl.
- Squeeze the wedge of lime over the plantains, add more or less depending on your liking.
- Sprinkle the desired amount of sea salt on the plantains.
- Stir the plantains, oil, lime, and salt together until everything is evenly distributed.
- Place plantains on a baking sheet, you may need more than one.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden brown and crunchy.
- Enjoy plain, with guacamole, or with salsa.
Raw Chocolate Truffles
When the urge for something sweet hits, reach for these raw chocolate truffles made with almonds and dates. A great substitute for brownies or cookies.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pitted medjool dates, chopped
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 2 Tbs organic, raw cacao powder
- 2 tbs water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- More cacao powder or unsweetened coconut to roll truffles in
Directions
- In a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground.
- Add in the vanilla and cacao powder and continue to pulse until well mixed.
- Pulse in the dates and water. The mixture may stick together, so you might need to stop and scrape down the mix, and then continue to pulse.
- When a sticky, well-ground consistency has been formed, stop pulsing.
- Roll the dough into small truffles and coat with cacao powder or coconut if desired.
- Freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for an hour and then serve.