Whether Panthers, Tar Heels, Gamecocks or another football team has your whole heart, you'll want to keep it in tip-top shape for the highs and lows of the season ahead.
What easier way to be good to your heart than to turn your tailgate into a training table of sorts?
A few simple — and tasty — twists can give game day fare big heart-health benefits, according to Callie Ford, a registered dietitian at Novant Health Bariatric Solutions - Huntersville. "I prefer to keep nutrition advice simple — that way it works no matter where you are," said Ford, who shared her tips for a heart-healthy game day spread as the calendar closes in on National Tailgate Day, the first Saturday of September. Just keep in mind the 3 S's: Salt, sugar and saturated fat, she suggested.
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"When you're faced with several yummy (high fat, sugary, salty) foods, it can be very difficult to choose the options that will contribute to good heart health," Ford said. "Rather than skipping traditional tailgate fare like hot dogs, cheeseburgers, fried chicken and deviled eggs, choose one and enjoy it." There's nothing wrong, she said, with eating those high-fat favorites "in moderation."
Adding flavorful, nutritious foods to your game day plate with homemade heart-healthy recipes is a good way to stay balanced and satisfied without sacrificing deliciousness. Aim for a serving of protein, a half-plate of veggies and a carb.
"When choosing a veggie, I'd rather someone eat a veggie that has cheese or dressing on it than not eat a vegetable at all — so go ahead and go for a salad with dressing or broccoli with cheese," Ford said.
Below are some of Ford's favorite gameday dishes. When whipping up tailgate meals, she looks for recipes that include ingredients with great sources of protein, carbohydrates and healthy unsaturated fat.
Finally, Ford urged, don't be too hard on yourself if a little "junk food" winds up on your plate.
"You want to look at your lifestyle as a whole and if only one day out of the week you are enjoying these, it will not derail your progress," she said. "But it's always a good idea to practice balance. A good starting place is intentionally adding tasty treats and healthier options to your plate at your next tailgate."
Now, let's go, team!
Cowboy caviar
Source: The Balanced Nutritionist
Ingredients:
2 bell peppers, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 English cucumber, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, diced
Dressing:
2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Juice of 2 limes
1 clove garlic, finely minced or micro planed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation:
Combine bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, corn, beans, cilantro and avocado. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until fully combined. Pour dressing over the veggies and toss gently to combine.
Serve with crackers, or tortilla or corn chips.
Yield: 10 servings. Per serving: 262 calories; 5.3 grams of fat (.9 grams saturated fat); 0 grams cholesterol; 8.9 grams dietary fiber; 11.7 grams total sugars; 10.8 grams protein.
On game day — and every day — plan your menu with heart health in mind. The American Heart Association recommends:
- Including a variety of fruits and veggies on your plate.
- Choosing whole grains.
- Picking healthy sources of protein, primarily seafood and plants.
- Cooking with liquid, non-tropical plant oils like olive, canola and avocado oil.
- Choosing minimally processed foods.
- Cutting down on salt and added sugars.
- Limiting alcohol.
- And finally, being active. Balance calories eaten with physical activity.
Greek yogurt Buffalo chicken dip
Source: Well By Mel Nutrition
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups shredded chicken, cooked. Use supermarket rotisserie chicken for a shortcut.
1-1/4 cups plain Greek yogurt, full fat
1/2 cup Buffalo sauce
2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
Preparation:
Combine yogurt, ranch seasoning and Buffalo sauce in a bowl. Add in the shredded chicken and mix. Refrigerate. Serve with your choice of raw veggies, such as cucumber slices, carrot sticks and celery.
Yield: 4 servings; 4.4 grams fat (2.3 grams saturated fat); 54 mg cholesterol; 3,873 mg sodium; 11.6 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 10.1 grams total sugars; 22.6 grams protein.
Chicken and pineapple kabobs
Source: The Whole Cook
Kabob ingredients:
1-1/2 to 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 pineapple, cut into large chunks
2 bell peppers, tops and seeds removed
Marinade ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger and black pepper
Preparation:
Cut breasts into large chunks. (If you cut them too small, the chicken can dry out.)
Toss chicken and marinade ingredients in a large zip-top bag. Squeeze out excess air and close. Use fingers to massage marinade around the chicken. Let sit for at least one hour, flipping bag over occasionally. Cut peppers into evenly sized chunks.
Remove top, outside and core of pineapple. Cut flesh into large chunks. Thread marinated chicken, peppers and pineapple chunks onto skewers.
Grill five to seven minutes, flip and grill other side for another five to seven minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. (If grill runs hot, you may want to do less time or lower heat.)
Yield: 6 servings; 342 calories; 17.7 grams fat (2.8 grams saturated fat); 15 mg cholesterol; 5,338 mg sodium; 44.6 grams carbohydrates; 4.2 grams dietary fiber; 31.5 grams total sugars; 7.6 grams protein.
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Greek-marinated shrimp skewers with lemon-dill sauce
Source: Dishing Out Health
Skewer ingredients:
A scant 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons each garlic powder, dried fennel seeds and dried cumin seeds
1 1/3 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon (reserve juice for sauce)
1 1/2 pounds raw peeled and deveined shrimp
1 1/2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2-inch thick, then sliced in half to create half moons
1 1/2 small red onions, cut into 1-inch chunks.
Lemon-dill sauce ingredients:
About 3 ounces plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 1/4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
3 teaspoons finely chopped chives
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
A small pinch each salt and black pepper
Preparation:
In large bowl, combine olive oil, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, salt and lemon zest. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to five hours refrigerated. If using wooden skewers, soak in water while shrimp marinates.
Prepare lemon-dill sauce, whisking until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Thread shrimp onto eight skewers, alternating with zucchini and chunks of red onion. (Aim for 3 shrimp per skewer.) Brush remaining marinade over the zucchini and red onion.
Heat grill to medium-high. Arrange skewers directly on grates. Cook, turning once, until veggies and shrimp are lightly charred, about five to six minutes.
Yield: 8 servings; 1,285 calories; 108.6 grams fat (15.9 grams total fat); 50 mg cholesterol; 6,880 mg sodium; 88.4 grams carbohydrates; 39.5 grams dietary fiber; 12.4 grams sugars; 26 grams protein.
Chickpea salad
Source: Love & Lemons
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons each extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 garlic cloves, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons each Dijon mustard and sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 cups mixed yellow and red grape tomatoes, halved
1 English cucumber, diced
3/4 cup each pickled red onions, Kalamata olives (pitted and halved) and fresh parsley
6 tablespoons each chopped fresh dill and chopped fresh mint, plus whole mint leaves for garnish.
Preparation:
In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt and several grinds of pepper. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, picked onions and olives. Toss to coat. Add parsley, dill and mint and toss again. Season to taste, garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Yield: 10 servings; 375 calories per serving; 30.9 grams fat (4.6 grams saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 6,258 mg sodium; 23.2 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 1.9 grams total sugars; 6.7 grams protein.
4-ingredient strawberry coconut milk popsicles
Source: Foolproof Living
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
3 tablespoons maple syrup
12 to 15 leaves of fresh mint
Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse till smooth. Divide mixture among 10 Popsicle molds (or use paper cups), add sticks to each one. Freeze at least six hours.
Yield: 10 servings; 427 calories; 29.8 grams fat (25.7 grams saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 66 mg sodium; 40.9 grams carbohydrates; 13.2 grams dietary fiber; 22.9 grams total sugars; 7.8 grams protein.
5-Ingredient protein balls
Source: Minimalist Baker
Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter (can substitute almond, cashew or other nut butter)
5 pitted medjool dates
2/3 cup raw hemp seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds (can substitute sesame or flax seeds)
4 tablespoons whey protein powder (vanilla, chocolate or flavor of your choice)
Preparation:
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until they are well combined and a cookie dough-like texture forms. (If too wet, add more dry ingredients of choice. If too crumbly or dry, add more nut butter.) Taste and adjust flavor as needed. Mix again until well combined.
Scoop out rounded 1 tablespoon amounts. Roll into balls and place on parchment-lined plate or paper.
Optional: Roll in hemp seeds or dried coconut. Or cover with melted dark chocolate and top with coconut or sea salt. Chill 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: 20 servings; 164 calories per serving; 5.5 grams total fat; 1.2 grams saturated fat; 42 mg cholesterol; 39 mg sodium; 12.7 grams carbohydrates; 1.3 grams dietary fiber; 8.3 grams total sugars; 17.1 grams protein.
