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Don't Sideline Healthy Eating During Football Season

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From Florida Hospital - Apopka

If you're a football fan or just enjoy getting together with friends, Sherri Flynt, registered/licensed dietitian at Florida Hospital, offers a few game day tips that substitute traditional high-calorie, high-fat food to something a bit healthier and tastier:

Have a defensive plan. Before loading your plate, take a look at all your options and decide on a few favorites, or something new, to sample.

Huddle at the barbeque. Grilling is a fan favorite and it’s also healthier. Pass on the BBQ sauce and go for a dry rub of herbs and spices. Another healthy tip: veggies and fruit are delicious when grilled.

Sack the fried chips. Make your own chips using either whole grain pita bread or corn tortillas. Cut into triangles and bake on low heat until crispy. If you're looking for more flavor, drizzle a bit of olive oil on the pita bread, or sprinkle the corn tortillas with a touch of chipotle seasoning.

Cut the fat. Here are a few tips to help cut the fat without cutting your favorites: add a variety of beans, whole kernel corn and chopped tomatoes to the leanest ground beef or turkey for chili; serve hot dogs that have three grams of fat or less per ounce; offer sliders instead of full-size burgers.

Do an end run around desserts. To offer a healthier ending to your get-together, serve bite-sized desserts. This provides all the taste without the calories, sugar, and fat.

Football season doesn't mean sidelining healthier eating until after the Super Bowl. Just a few tweaks of traditional items can make a difference and let you score big for healthier eating. Try this healthy black bean spread.

Recipe: Black Bean Spread

Prep time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons yellow onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons of fresh garlic, chopped
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground bay leaf

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth (no chunks).

Nutrition facts per serving (Serves 4):


Serving size 1-2 Tablespoons

Calories: 46
Fat: 0.3 g

Saturated fat: 0 g


Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 153 mg

Carbohydrates: 9 g


Fiber: 3 g


Protein: 2.5 g

Florida Hospital - Apopka, Football, Recipe

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