Easy-to-Fix Tailgaiting Recipes That Won't Increase the Ring Around the Waist

By Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N.

Here's a few easy-to-fix recipes for the ultimate tailgaiting party that are good to eat and provide nutrient-dense calories, too. Keep in mind that portion size is important if the tailgait party lasts for many hours. When you add the calories from multiple alcoholic beverages and/or soda, the calories you ingest at your tailgaiting party can really get out control very easily. So be wise and portion size.

Ginger-Glazed Almonds with Dried Fruit

Per Serving: 125 calories, 1 grams protein, 9 grams of fat, 11 grams of CHO, 2 grams of fiber, 175 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Bake time: 35 minutes

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 ½ tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon
• 1 ½ teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup whole or blanched or natural almonds
• Cooking Spray
• 1 cup dried berries, cherries, cranberries, mango, apricot, apple, pear or other dried fruit

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir in sugar, water, fresh ginger, salt and ground ginger. Cook until sugar dissolves. Stir in almonds and remove from heat. Line a baking sheet with foil, and coat with cooking spray. Spread almonds onto foil, and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once, until almonds are golden (cut one open to test). Transfer almonds on foil to a rack and cool completely. Loosen with a spatula and combine with dried fruit. Store mixture airtight for up to 3 days.

From www.almondsarein.com

Chili and Corn

Per Serving: 250 calories, 20 grams protein, 11 grams of fat, 19 grams of CHO, 4 grams of fiber, 562 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: six ¾ cup servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce
• 16-oz can chopped tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn

Instructions

Brown ground beef and onion in large skillet. Drain off fat. Stir in seasonings. Add tomatoes and corn. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes before serving.

Shopping List

• lean ground beef or ground turkey
• onion
• chili powder
• cumin
• garlic powder
• Tabasco® sauce
• 16-oz can chopped tomatoes
• frozen whole kernel corn

With permission Recipes from Quick Meals for Healthy Kids and Busy Parents by Sandra K. Nissenberg, M.S., R.D., Margaret L. Bogle, Ph.D, R.D., and Audrey C. Wright, M.S., R.D. ISBN 1-56561-064-1.

1-2-3 Chili

Per Serving: 230 calories, 14 grams protein, 7 grams of fat, 30 grams of CHO, 7 grams of fiber, 760 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, undrained, cut up
• 1 jar (16 oz) thick ‘n chunky salsa
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed*
• 1 pkg (10 oz) frozen whole kernel corn
• 1 cup halved zucchini slices
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 pk (8 oz) 2% milk shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

Mix tomatoes with their liquid, the salsa, beans, corn, zucchini and chili powder in saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle two tablespoons of the cheese onto bottom of 8 soup bowls; top evenly with chili. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the remaining cheese.

*May substitute 1 can (15 oz) of kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed, for the black beans.

Shopping List

• 1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes
• 1 jar (16 oz) thick ‘n chunky salsa
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans
• 1 pkg (10 oz) frozen whole kernel corn
• fresh zucchini
• chili powder
• 1 pk (8 oz) 2% milk shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

with permission www.kraft.com .

Almond Banana Bars

Per Serving: 299 calories, 6 grams protein, 10 grams of fat, 49 grams of CHO, 4 grams of fiber, 160 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 18 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped natural almonds
• 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup wheat germ
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 large)
• 2 eggs
• Buttermilk-Caraway Icing

Instructions

Spread almonds in shallow pan and place in 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 mintues until lightly toasted. Remove from pan and cool. Mix flours, germ, sugar, baking powder, salt, ginger and cinnamon in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, bananas and eggs. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture, add almonds and mix. Pour batter into greased and floured 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees, 45 minutes or until pick inserted comes out clean. Cool. Glaze with Buttermilk-Caraway Icing. Cut into bars.

Buttermilk,Caraway Icing: Mix 2 Tbs buttermilk, ½ teaspoon caraway seeds and ¼ teaspoon almond extract into 1 ½ cups sifted powder sugar.

Shopping List

• natural almonds
• whole wheat flour
• all-purpose flour
• wheat germ
• dark brown sugar (packed)
• baking powder
• ginger
• cinnamon
• buttermilk
• vegetable oil
• 3 large bananas
• eggs
• caraway seeds
• almond extract
• powder sugar

From www.almondsarein.com

Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N., is a nutritionist with a masters degree in clinical nutrition who is also registered dietitian and has over 30 years of experience in promoting healthy active lifestyles to consumers. She is a member of the Mayor's Healthy Hometown Advisory Council. Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N., is the publisher and nutrition editor of Kentuckiana HealthFitness and Kentuckiana Healthy Woman and a runner, cyclist, hiker and mother/grandmother.