Are you ready to go tailgating? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Well why wait?~ get going.
Tailgate parties have combined food, friends and football in stadium parking lots for many years. The upside of this is all the fun and camaraderie. The downside? The artery-clogging, waist-expanding foods that are typically served in large quantities at tailgate parties.
Providing healthy food for these parties is not impossible.
Many people throw tail-gate parties several times during the football season. It is important to find healthy alternatives to all the fried foods, greasy burgers, and calorie-laden desserts that tend to be the norm at these popular events.
Apple pie and baseball symbolize traditional American culture. So, there’s no surprise that our love of sport and food go hand-in-hand. Whether you’re traveling to the ballpark or nestling in your comfy sofa for the big game, chances are your favorite finger food is in tow or at least in arm’s reach.
This “sport-food” phenomenon is probably best characterized by the food frenzied fans that congregate just before kick-off or the first pitch. The tailgate party where friends and fans alike join to root for the home team and enjoy stadium favorites is just as important as the game itself.
While getting pumped up for the big game, it’s also important to make sure you have an offensive and defensive nutrition game plan to block the fat and intercept the added calories often found in traditional party foods. Weight Watchers offers two strategies—either plan to use some or all of your extra weekly points.
Weight Watchers suggests you choose lower-fat versions of popular staples like hamburgers and hot dogs, a tuna sandwich topped with ripe tomatoes and fresh lettuce, or grilled chicken breasts flavored with calorie-free seasoning or a low-fat dressing of your choice. For snacking during tailgating, consider a hot pretzel with mustard, salsa and low-fat or fat free chips and fresh veggies with low-fat yogurt dip. In addition, make sure to keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water and never head out to the stadium on an empty stomach.
To help make your game day celebration a big hit, Weight Watchers offers a spicy version of Buffalo Wings, the consummate sport fan fare. This special low fat, low-cal recipe calls for skinning and marinating the wings prior to broiling as opposed to the original frying method. Nachos Grande is another great recipe that’s sure to be a fan favorite finger food, before, during and after the game. Lastly Weight Watchers recommends an easy-to-prepare, light recipe for Grilled Green Shrimp.
Weight Watchers recipes reflect the food values inherent to Weight Watchers philosophy that eating should be satisfying as well as healthful. In fact, learning and sharing innovative ideas about healthy cooking and eating is part of the experience at weekly Weight Watchers meetings where members teach and support each other.
Healthy Tailgate Recipes from Weight Watchers
Buffalo Wings
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
3 pounds (12-14) chicken wings, skinned
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4-cup plain fat-free yogurt
1-tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
6 celery stalks, trimmed
1. Wash and pat the wings dry with paper towels; cut off the tips and reserve for another use. Halve the wings at the joint.
2. Combine the vinegar, broth, oil, and pepper sauce in a large zip-close plastic bag; add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn the bag to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, 30 minutes. Drain and discard any remaining marinade.
3. Spray the broiler rack with nonstick spray; preheat the broiler.
4. Broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat, turning once, until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side.
5. Meanwhile, combine the blue cheese, yogurt, and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Serve with the chicken wings and celery.
Per serving (4 wing halves with 1 1/2 tablespoons dip and 1 celery stick): POINTS value 4, 156 Cal, 8 g Fat, 3 g Sat Fat, 47 mg Chol, 182 mg Sod, 3 g Carb, 1 g Fib, 18 g Prot, 76 mg Calc.
Recipe from Weight Watchers Greatest Hits: 250 Classic Recipes from the Sixties to Today. © 2002 Weight Watchers International, Inc.
Nachos Grande
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
1-teaspoon canola oil
1 cup cooked or rinsed drained
canned red kidney beans
1/4-pound lean ground turkey breast
1 small onion, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can diced green tomatoes with green chilies
2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning mix
1/4-teaspoon salt
6 ounces reduced-fat restaurant-style tortilla chips
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
12 pitted small black olives, sliced
1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeno peppers, drained
1/2-cup fat-free sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, then stir in the beans, turkey, and onion. Cook, stirring to break up the meat, 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, Mexican seasoning, and salt; cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
3. Spread the tortilla chips on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the cheese, olives, and jalapeno peppers. Bake until the cheese just melts, about 5 minutes. Transfer the nachos to a serving platter. Top with the turkey mixture and sour cream and serve at once.
Per serving (1 1/4 cups): POINTS value 4, 204 Cal, 4 g Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 17 mg Chol, 483 mg Sod, 29 g Carb, 4 g Fib, 13 g Prot, 141 mg Calc.
Recipe from Weight Watchers Greatest Hits: 250 Classic Recipes from the Sixties to Today. © 2002 Weight Watchers International, Inc.
Grilled Green Shrimp
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4-teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1. To prepare the marinade, combine the parsley, basil, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper in a zip-close plastic bag; add the shrimp. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the shrimp. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, 1hour or overnight.
2. Spray a nonstick-ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Working in batches, if necessary, grill the shrimp until they are just opaque in the center and lightly browned on the outside, 2-3 minutes on each side.
Per serving (about 9 shrimp): POINTS value 3, 125 Cal, 3 g Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 202 mg Chol, 451 mg Sod, 1 g Carb, 0 g Fib, 22 g Prot, 48 mg Calc.
Recipe from Weight Watchers Take 5: 150 five-ingredient recipes. © 2003 Weight Watchers International, Inc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The small snack size bags are perfect for those snack items. Carrots......baked chips....raisins ....grapes.....almonds.......count it....& enjoy it! How simple is that. A little effort ( like 2 minutes people)will make you feel AMAZING in the long run! Have a great game!!!!
Tailgate parties have combined food, friends and football in stadium parking lots for many years. The upside of this is all the fun and camaraderie. The downside? The artery-clogging, waist-expanding foods that are typically served in large quantities at tailgate parties.
Providing healthy food for these parties is not impossible.
Many people throw tail-gate parties several times during the football season. It is important to find healthy alternatives to all the fried foods, greasy burgers, and calorie-laden desserts that tend to be the norm at these popular events.
Apple pie and baseball symbolize traditional American culture. So, there’s no surprise that our love of sport and food go hand-in-hand. Whether you’re traveling to the ballpark or nestling in your comfy sofa for the big game, chances are your favorite finger food is in tow or at least in arm’s reach.
This “sport-food” phenomenon is probably best characterized by the food frenzied fans that congregate just before kick-off or the first pitch. The tailgate party where friends and fans alike join to root for the home team and enjoy stadium favorites is just as important as the game itself.
While getting pumped up for the big game, it’s also important to make sure you have an offensive and defensive nutrition game plan to block the fat and intercept the added calories often found in traditional party foods. Weight Watchers offers two strategies—either plan to use some or all of your extra weekly points.
Weight Watchers suggests you choose lower-fat versions of popular staples like hamburgers and hot dogs, a tuna sandwich topped with ripe tomatoes and fresh lettuce, or grilled chicken breasts flavored with calorie-free seasoning or a low-fat dressing of your choice. For snacking during tailgating, consider a hot pretzel with mustard, salsa and low-fat or fat free chips and fresh veggies with low-fat yogurt dip. In addition, make sure to keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water and never head out to the stadium on an empty stomach.
To help make your game day celebration a big hit, Weight Watchers offers a spicy version of Buffalo Wings, the consummate sport fan fare. This special low fat, low-cal recipe calls for skinning and marinating the wings prior to broiling as opposed to the original frying method. Nachos Grande is another great recipe that’s sure to be a fan favorite finger food, before, during and after the game. Lastly Weight Watchers recommends an easy-to-prepare, light recipe for Grilled Green Shrimp.
Weight Watchers recipes reflect the food values inherent to Weight Watchers philosophy that eating should be satisfying as well as healthful. In fact, learning and sharing innovative ideas about healthy cooking and eating is part of the experience at weekly Weight Watchers meetings where members teach and support each other.
Healthy Tailgate Recipes from Weight Watchers
Buffalo Wings
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
3 pounds (12-14) chicken wings, skinned
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4-cup plain fat-free yogurt
1-tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
6 celery stalks, trimmed
1. Wash and pat the wings dry with paper towels; cut off the tips and reserve for another use. Halve the wings at the joint.
2. Combine the vinegar, broth, oil, and pepper sauce in a large zip-close plastic bag; add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn the bag to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, 30 minutes. Drain and discard any remaining marinade.
3. Spray the broiler rack with nonstick spray; preheat the broiler.
4. Broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat, turning once, until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side.
5. Meanwhile, combine the blue cheese, yogurt, and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Serve with the chicken wings and celery.
Per serving (4 wing halves with 1 1/2 tablespoons dip and 1 celery stick): POINTS value 4, 156 Cal, 8 g Fat, 3 g Sat Fat, 47 mg Chol, 182 mg Sod, 3 g Carb, 1 g Fib, 18 g Prot, 76 mg Calc.
Recipe from Weight Watchers Greatest Hits: 250 Classic Recipes from the Sixties to Today. © 2002 Weight Watchers International, Inc.
Nachos Grande
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
1-teaspoon canola oil
1 cup cooked or rinsed drained
canned red kidney beans
1/4-pound lean ground turkey breast
1 small onion, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can diced green tomatoes with green chilies
2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning mix
1/4-teaspoon salt
6 ounces reduced-fat restaurant-style tortilla chips
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
12 pitted small black olives, sliced
1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeno peppers, drained
1/2-cup fat-free sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, then stir in the beans, turkey, and onion. Cook, stirring to break up the meat, 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, Mexican seasoning, and salt; cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
3. Spread the tortilla chips on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the cheese, olives, and jalapeno peppers. Bake until the cheese just melts, about 5 minutes. Transfer the nachos to a serving platter. Top with the turkey mixture and sour cream and serve at once.
Per serving (1 1/4 cups): POINTS value 4, 204 Cal, 4 g Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 17 mg Chol, 483 mg Sod, 29 g Carb, 4 g Fib, 13 g Prot, 141 mg Calc.
Recipe from Weight Watchers Greatest Hits: 250 Classic Recipes from the Sixties to Today. © 2002 Weight Watchers International, Inc.
Grilled Green Shrimp
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4-teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1. To prepare the marinade, combine the parsley, basil, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper in a zip-close plastic bag; add the shrimp. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the shrimp. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, 1hour or overnight.
2. Spray a nonstick-ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Working in batches, if necessary, grill the shrimp until they are just opaque in the center and lightly browned on the outside, 2-3 minutes on each side.
Per serving (about 9 shrimp): POINTS value 3, 125 Cal, 3 g Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 202 mg Chol, 451 mg Sod, 1 g Carb, 0 g Fib, 22 g Prot, 48 mg Calc.
Recipe from Weight Watchers Take 5: 150 five-ingredient recipes. © 2003 Weight Watchers International, Inc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The small snack size bags are perfect for those snack items. Carrots......baked chips....raisins ....grapes.....almonds.......count it....& enjoy it! How simple is that. A little effort ( like 2 minutes people)will make you feel AMAZING in the long run! Have a great game!!!!
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