The NFL playoffs are here and that means one thing: New Year’s Resolution’s get thrown out the door during football parties with tailgating snack foods and great tasting Hors D’oeuvres. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can enjoy your food, football, family and friends without blowing your diet – if you know how to prepare the right healthy tailgating snack recipes!
Buffalo Chicken Dip
- 2 (10oz) Cans Chicken breast
- 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese Cottage or Fat-Free Ricotta Cheese
- 1C ranch dressing SWAP THIS FOR 1 C PLAIN GREEK YOGURT
- 3/4C Franks RedHot
- 1 ½ C Shredded Cheddar Cheese (You can order Liftime Brand Fat-Free Cheese online to reduce calories & fat even more) If you use regular cheese, I suggest raw cheese (cheese made from raw milk)
Heat the hot sauce and chicken in a pot, then add the other ingredients and stir. Move the entire thing to a slow-cooker and cook on low until bubbling.
Serve with celery, raw broccoli, and raw cauliflower.
This dip is protein and fat. This can work in an anytime meal setting – not ideal for post-lift meals. Your “boats” or vessels that carry the dip into your mouth should be veggies. You shouldn’t be eating crackers & chips anyway!!
Deviled Eggs
- Cottage Cheese or Fat-Free Ricotta Cheese (I like ricotta in this one)
- Salt & Pepper
- Paprika
- ½ the egg yolks
Cut your hard-boiled eggs in half, remove the yolks, and keep ½ for this recipe. Give the other half to your dogs (good for their coat). Mix the remaining egg yolks, spices, and cheese together and fill the egg whites.
This recipe INCREASES the protein content and DECREASES the fat content of deviled eggs! It is a protein and fat combo – so this is good for an anytime meal. Can be post-lift if you add carbs, but be aware of the fat content in the egg yolks.
Meatballs 1
- 1lb 97-99% Lean Ground Turkey
- ¼ C diced onion
- Garlic
- Poultry Seasoning
- 1 whole egg
Mix them all together and roll into balls. Makes about 8. Bake at 375 F for 8-12 minutes. This is just protein – you can have this anytime and add a fat source (guacamole for dipping) or add a carb source (home fries) for post-lift meals.
Meatballs 2 (Actually a Meatloaf recipe)
- 1/3 C Grated Zucchini
- 1/3 C minced Parsley
- 1/2C diced onion
- 2 egg whites
- Mrs. Dash All-Purpose seasoning (I add sea salt)
- 20oz 97-99% lean ground turkey
- Salsa (for topping)
Mix them all together and roll into balls. Makes about 10. Bake at 375 F for 8-12 minutes. Bake longer if making meatloaf. Top with salsa.
This is just protein – you can have this anytime and add a fat source (guacamole for dipping) or add a carb source (home fries) for post-lift meals.
**You can use ANY lean ground meat in these meatball recipes – beef, chicken, turkey, venison, bison, etc. Just be sure to account for the added fat if the meat is less than 97% lean.**
No-Bake Preacher Cookies
- 1 C Oats
- 1TBSP butter (grass-fed)
- 2 TBSP almond or peanut butter
- 1 Scoop whey protein (banana is the shit in this recipe!)
- 1 ½ TBSP REAL cocoa powder (darker = better)
- 1 packet Stevia (or 7 drops of liquid kind)
- 1/3 C UNSWEETENED almond milk
- Dash vanilla extract
In a small saucepan, mix almond milk, butter, cocoa powder and stevia. Bring to boil and let boil for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add protein, oats, and nut butter. Stir until mixed. Plate in small cookies (8-10) and refrigerate for as long as you can wait. I eat them all at once – its only 60g Carbs, 30g Protein, and 30g Fat. (630 QUALITY Calories – much better than you’d do somewhere else!)
