Superbowl Tailgate Degustation Menu 2008

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So, the last time we decided to have a Super Bowl party, around this time last year, things were a little bit different. For starters, let’s just say I was not as focused on maintaining a healthier lifestyle. But most importantly, the NEW YORK GIANTS WERE NOT IN THE SUPER BOWL!

This year, we’ve made more of a commitment to eating healthier. But the Super Bowl is still the Super Bowl, and that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy yourself. The folks over at Promise Buttery Spread contacted us and wanted to know if we were going to be posting any recipes this year, and of course I said we would. As it turns out, for this Super Bowl, Promise is having blogs participate in the 2008 Cardio Kick-Off, where they have their resident cardiologist, Dr. Richard Collins, help bloggers prepare heart-healthier tailgate menus.

So without further delay, here’s our heart healthy Super Bowl Menu for 2008.

Click on the “Read the rest of this entry” link below for more.

Giant Mushroom Chili

2 tsp Olive Oil or Promise spread
1 large Yellow Onion, diced
4 cloves minced garlic
4 large Portobello Mushroom Caps, chopped into small dice
1 14.5oz Can of Diced Tomatoes with Chili (Rotel or Whole Foods 365 Brand recommended)
3 cups Water
1 15 oz Can of Canned Beans (Pinto, Black, Red Kidney, etc., a combination is great)
1/2 Cup of Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP — you can find this in Whole Foods in the bulk food aisle) or 2-3 Veggie Burgers (Black Bean, Boca, Gimme Lean, etc) cooked and crumbled
2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 Tbs. High Quality Ground Chili Powder (Chipotle, Guajillo, etc)
1 tsp Salt, approximate (depends on salt levels of beans and tomato)

Optional Garnishes: Shredded Cheddar Cheese or Vegan Cheese Substitute, Diced Red Onion, Sliced Green Onion, Chopped Cilantro, Low Fat Sour Cream, Hot Sauce, Pomegranate Seeds

In a large heavy pot, heat 2 tsp of Olive Oil or Promise. Saute chopped yellow onions until lightly browned (about 10 minutes). Stir in minced garlic and saute an additional minute or two. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except salt, bring to a boil, simmer and cook to desired thickness for about 20, taste for salt and spiciness, it may need some hot sauce and keep warm until service.

Garnish as you like and serve over brown rice, or a baked potato, or with baked whole grain tortilla chips.

Southwest Turkey Meatball Soup (adapted from The Joslin Diabetes Quick and Easy Cookbook)

Turkey Meatballs:

1 small Whole Wheat Tortilla
1 small Onion
1 Carrot
1 Celery stalk
2 cloves Garlic
2 oz Egg Beaters (or 1 egg)
1 tsp ground Cumin
1 tsp dried Oregano
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle blend
10 oz ground Turkey Breast or “Gimme Lean” Vegan ground beef substitute

Olive Oil flavor cooking spray

Soup:

1 tsp Olive Oil
1 large Onion, diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
6 cups Chicken Stock
28 oz canned, diced, Tomatoes with Green Chilies (2-14 oz cans) (or regular canned tomato + 1-4 oz can diced green chili)
4 oz Carrot, diced
4 oz Celery, diced
1 tsp ground Cumin
1 tsp dried Oregano
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle blend
1 – 14 oz can Black Beans, drain & rinsed
8 oz cooked Brown Rice
2 oz fresh Spinach, julienne

Optional Garnish: chopped Cilantro leaves, baked corn tortilla strips, hot sauce

First, make the meatballs: Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grind the Tortilla in a food processor to make bread crumbs, remove to mixing bowl. Peel and roughly chop the onion, carrot and celery. Put these vegetables and garlic into the food processor and pulse to grind. Remove to mixing bowl, add the rest of the meatball ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly. Line a small sheet pan with foil and spray with Olive Oil. Make tiny meatballs (1-2 tsp each) and place on prepared pan. You should end up with 50-70 meatballs. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and add to soup pot.*

While the meatballs are baking, put the soup together. In a heavy 5+ quart soup pot, sauté the Onion in Olive Oil until lightly browned. Add the Garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes. Add the Chicken Stock, tomatoes with Chilies, diced Carrot and Celery and seasonings. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. *Add the meatballs whenever they are done cooking in the oven (as long as the liquid is in the pot). Add the Black Beans, Brown Rice and Spinach to the pot and simmer for about 5 more minutes. Taste for seasoning adding Salt, Pepper, more Mrs. Dash and/or hot sauce to taste – it may even need a cup or two of water if very strongly flavored.

Garnish with cilantro, a few baked tortilla strips and serve more hot sauce on the side.

Heart Healthy Spinach Dip with Fresh Veggie Chips
Very important: the dip must be started at least 1 day ahead for best results.

1 qt. Non-Fat Yogurt
1 – 10 oz package frozen Chopped Spinach
1 envelope dry Vegetable Soup Mix
1/4 cup Low Fat Mayonnaise (Canola based, Smart Balance brand is good)
1 – 6 oz can Water Chestnuts, chopped

Line a sieve with a paper towel or coffee filter and set it over a bowl. Place in the entire quart of yogurt, cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to drain in the refrigerator for several hours, overnight is best. (Dr. Collins’s recommendation — to save time, you can use FAGE Total Greek Non-fat Yogurt instead of draining regular lowfat yogurt overnight)

While you are setting that up, put the package of frozen spinach on a plate and allow that to defrost in the fridge as well.

The next day, carefully remove the thickened yogurt and place in mixing bowl. Put the spinach in the sieve and squeeze out all the water. When you are done squeezing, allow it to rest then squeeze it one more time. Add to yogurt in bowl, along with the soup mix, mayo and chopped water chestnuts. Mix and refrigerate for at least two hours before service. Mix again and taste for seasoning, you may want to add additional spices like freshly ground black pepper, hot sauce, or lemon juice. Serve in cups made from bell peppers with Fresh Veggie Chips.

Fresh Veggie Chips
You may have seen fresh looking veggie chips at health food stores, but these are usually still fried. Instead, try cutting fresh vegetables into chip shape instead of the more typical crudite sticks.

Very Large Carrots (the kind you buy loose by the pound)
Cucumbers (English or Kirby have less watery seeds)
Green Zucchini
Yellow Summer Squash
Red, Yellow and Orange Bell Peppers

Slice the large round vegetables in the diagonal into 1/8-1/4 inch thick chips. Cut the bell peppers into wide planks (think cracker sized). Serve in bowls with Spinach Dip to imitate potato chips. Other vegetables good for dipping: Steamed asparagus and green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, Cherry or Grape tomatoes, but these don’t imitate chips as well!

Patriot Not-Wings

1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch strips (Baked pressed Tofu may also be used)
1 Tbs. Promise or other low cholesterol spread, melted
2 Tbs. Hot Sauce (Franks Redhot is the original)
Celery

Start the broiler on your oven. Lay aluminum foil or a Silpat on a sheet pan. Brush with Promise using a basting brush. Lay out the chicken strips and brush them with the Promise as well (or spray with a butter flavored or olive oil cooking spray). Broil for about 4 minutes, until just done. Be careful not to over cook the chicken. Place the cooked chicken in a clean bowl with the hot sauce and quickly toss to combine. Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese sauce.

For a colorful and spicy variation, toss some of the chicken strips in a equal combination of one spoonful each of Mint Chutney, Green Chile Chutney and Coriander Chutney (available at Indian grocery stores) before broiling.

Lighter Blue Cheese Dip
Important: start 1 day ahead

8 oz drained non-fat Yogurt
2Tbsp Light Mayonnaise
3 oz Strongly Flavored Blue Cheese, finely shredded or crumbled.
Ground Black Pepper and Salt to taste

Line a sieve with a paper towel or coffee filter and set it over a bowl. Place the yogurt in the sieve and cover loosely with plastic wrap, allow to drain for several hours or overnight (Dr. Collins’s recommendation — to save time, you can use FAGE Total Greek Non-fat Yogurt instead of draining regular lowfat yogurt overnight) Carefully remove the thickened yogurt and place in mixing bowl. Combine with light mayonnaise and cheese. It is important to use a strongly flavored blue cheese, such as Cabrales, Gorgonzola or Roquefort, because you are using so much less of it.

Phoenix Black Bean Dip

1 can Whole Foods 365 Refried Black Beans with Red Jalapeno
1 can whole Black Beans
1 can Whole Foods 365 Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle flavor
1 oz shredded cheese (White Cheddar, Mexican Queso Anejo), optional

Mix together all ingredients except cheese and put into a heat proof bowl. Top with cheese, if using. Microwave for about 2 minutes to heat through. Serve with tortilla chips and vegetable crudités.

Turkey Sausage and Pepper Tailgate Panini Wraps with Marinara Sauce

2lbs of Turkey Sausage
2-3 Red Bell Peppers
4-6 Cubanelle Peppers
2-3 Long Hot Hungarian Style Peppers
3 Medium Onions
4 Cloves of Garlic
1 Can of San Marzano Tomatoes
1 Package of Multigrain or Low Carb Sandwich Wraps
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper To Taste
Oregano

Marinara Sauce: Add can of tomatoes to saucepan. Add 4 cloves of crushed/chopped garlic. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Panini Wraps: De-seed and slice up peppers and onions. Grill in a hot cast iron pan. Brush vegetables with a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and oregano. When cooked, move veggies to bowl, cover with aluminum foil. Grill turkey sausage in pan, cook thoroughly. Brush one side of each wrap with olive oil, grill in hot pan. Wrap up with sausage, peppers and onions.