Game On: 5 Healthy Game-Time Snacks to Get You through Football Season

If you’re like me, you’re watching college or pro football games four nights a week for the next few months because either a.) you actually like football, or b.) your significant other has taken over the TV. I fall into the latter category at this point in my life, but I guess I have to play fair to my sports-loving husband and admit there is one thing I do adore about football games: the food. Put a plate of nachos in front of me before kickoff, and I’m a happy girl.

But eating snacks like said nachos four nights a week for the next few months—not necessarily good for my health (not to mention my waistline). So to even the score, we teamed up with a few amazing spas who shared their recipes for nutritious game-time snacks.

Pass the pigskin—and the healthy guacamole, please.

Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa’s Easy Chicken Skillet Chili
“All the lip-smacking flavors of beef chili but WITHOUT the mega-doses of saturated fat and sodium that usually come with beef chili,” Pritikin says.
Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
Canola oil cooking spray
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced green bell peppers
2 chopped jalapeno peppers, stems, veins, and seeds removed
1-1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken, cut into chunks
2 cups cooked pinto beans, drained
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
4 cups chopped stewed no-salt-added tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons natural rice vinegar
½ cup water
Chopped tomatoes (optional)
Chopped green onions (optional)
Nonfat sour cream (optional)

Instructions:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the cumin and chili powder in the pan and briefly swirl them around so they are toasted, about 30 seconds. Do not allow them to burn. Place them in a small bowl and set it aside. Allow the pan to cool.
Spray the pan with canola oil cooking spray and place back on the stove at medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic, onions, and peppers until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the toasted spices, and stir together. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil; decrease the heat and simmer until the chicken is done, about 10 minutes.
Serve this chili with chopped tomatoes, chopped green onions, and nonfat sour cream on top, or optional as condiments.

Nutrition Information (per one-cup serving): 232 calories, 3g total fat, less than 1g saturated fat, 49mg cholesterol, 25g protein, 8g fiber, 100mg sodium. 

Spa Anjali at Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa’s Maya Beaver Creek Tuna Guacamole
“A favorite of the staff and guests at Spa Anjali!” the spa reveals.
Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados – pitted
10 oz. of sushi-quality tuna loin, dice cut
1/4 cup white onion, dice cut
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and dice cut
1  ripe Roma tomato, seeded and dice cut
Fresh juice from 1 to 1.5 limes
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Mix ingredients.

Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago’s Oven Baked Buffalo Wings with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
“Some might not consider this healthy, but it contains wholesome ingredients, no trans fats or industrial seed oils, and a good amount of ‘good’ fats,” says Michael J. Fiddler, executive chef at Trump’s Chicago location. “With the exception of the dairy products, this recipe is good for those following a paleo diet or primal diet. Enjoy!”

Ingredients for Blue Cheese Dressing:
4 oz. Stilton blue cheese, crumbled
½ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 drops Worcestershire

Instructions for Blue Cheese Dressing:
Mash the blue cheese into small “pea”-sized pieces.
Season with salt, pepper, dry mustard, and granulated garlic.
Combine with sour cream.
Slowly stir in buttermilk, lemon juice, and Worcestershire.
Transfer to a serving bowl and let stand in fridge at least two hours or overnight.

Ingredients for Wings:
4 lbs pasture-fed chicken wings, halved at joints, wingtips discarded
2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions for Wings:
Combine baking powder and salt.
Pat wings dry with paper towels and combine thoroughly with salt and baking powder mixture (use a large bowl or large zip-top bag).
Spread wings out on a wire rack (sprayed with non-stick spray), skin-side up on a sheet pan and let rest in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, uncovered.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees and bake wings on middle rack for 25 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees and move wings to upper rack and cook an additional 35 – 40 minutes until golden brown and crisp (rotate the tray halfway through cooking if necessary).
While wings are cooking prepare the sauce (recipe below).
Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
Toss wings in a large bowl with sauce until well-coated.
Serve with the blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.

Ingredients for Wing Sauce:
1 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce (whatever brand you like)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes¼ teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup grass-fed butter (or more for more mild wings)

Instructions for Wing Sauce:
Heat hot sauce, black and red pepper, cumin, vinegar, and honey in a small sauce pan. Simmer 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add butter while stirring until butter is completely melted.

Miraval Resort & Spa’s Crab Wontons with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce
“These wontons are a favorite at Miraval, and they’re fun to make and serve at home, too. If you can’t get crab, you can substitute chopped cooked shrimp or even smoked salmon. The soy-ginger dipping sauce will last for days, so feel free to make extra and use it to drizzle on steamed vegetables and rice for a quick dinner.”—from Miraval’s Sweet & Savory Cooking
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1¼ cup low-fat buttermilk
2 eggs
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 medium-roasted poblano chili (cored, skinned, seeds removed, and minced)
1 cup roasted corn, cut off the cob
½ medium red bell pepper, minced

Instructions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the bread crumbs in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast until they’re a light golden color, about 8 minutes. Pulse the cream cheese in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the red pepper, green onion, shallots, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, crab, and lemon zest. Mix gently until well blended.
Put the mixture into a large zip-top bag; snip off one of the lower corners. Arrange the wonton wrappers on a dry, clean surface. Pipe about 2 tablespoons of the crab mixture into the center of each wonton; lightly brush a little water on the edges of the wonton to help seal the wonton. Bring the top-right corner and the bottom-left corner to a point and pinch; then bring your bottom-right corner in and pinch. Repeat the same with the other corner to form a pouch.
To bake, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the wontons on the baking sheet and spray each one with a very light coat of cooking spray. Bake until golden brown, or about 6 minutes. Serve two pieces for each serving immediately with dipping sauce.

Serving Size: 2 wontons calories: 160 total fat: 8 g carbs: 16 g dietary fiber: 1 g protein: 5 g

The Oxford Club Spa & Salon’s Baja Fish Tacos
Served at The Oxford Hotel’s McCormick’s Fish House & Bar

Ingredients:
2 1.5 oz Cod Strips
Flour
Beer batter
Panko bread crumbs
Jicama slaw
Roasted corn salsa
Cilantro ranch dressing
1 lime
1 sprig of cilantro
2 flour tortillas

Instructions:
Dredge cod in flour, shake off excess. Dip in beer batter, allow excess to drain off, then dredge in Panko bread crumbs.
Drop fish into 350-degree pan and fry until golden brown (approx. 2 minutes).
Place 1 piece of fish in the center of each taco.
Cover with Jicama slaw, corn salsa, cilantro ranch.
Garnish with lime wedge and cilantro.