Friday Five: Game Day Food

Get ready for game day with these cheering-from-the-couch friendly recipes.

Rumor has it there's a big game on Sunday? Truth be told, my interest quickly waned when the Packers lost in the NFC Championship game; although I guess if I had to choose I'd root for the Falcons.

But, really? I'm just in it for the food. Here are a few recipe ideas to amp up your game-day feast.

Slow Cooker Beef Chili

Cauliflower Buffalo Bites

French Onion Dip

Avocado Hummus

Greek Layered Dip

Made From Scratch: Meyer Lemon Hummus

There's a Big Game coming up next Sunday, and since my team isn't in the mix (go Pack go!), my focus will be more on the food than the game itself. Okay, well, really, my focus is always more on the food than the game. I am what one would call a fickle football fan, and my allegiance shifts with my changing state of residence. As a former Cincinnatian (ish), I was a Bengals fan until they broke my 10-year-old heart in 1989 when they lost against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII.  

As a resident of Chicago in the mid-2000s, I was a fan of da Bears, particularly of Tank Johnson, solely for his first name, if I'm being honest. (I might own a homemade "I ♥ Tank" sweatshirt that I wore at a Super Bowl party back in the day.) When we moved to Laramie, our closest team was the Denver Broncos. I remained a Bears fan. As was the case when we moved to Philly, where I suppose I should've been an Eagles fan, but, meh, that was when infamous Michael Vick was in the mix.

And then we moved to Wisconsin, where the Green Bay Packers rule the land. I have probably watched more football games since moving here in 2012 than I have in all my previous years of existence. And, yes, I have a custom Packers jersey with my last name on it. And this past fall we made it to a pre-season game at Lambeau Field. A few of my Chicago friends have yet to forgive me for changing my allegiance to their team's sworn enemy. What can I say? I love cheese. And Aaron Rodgers.

But ... back to this Sunday's game. While I might not care what the outcome is (and, um, I might rather change the channel over to Downton Abbey...), I'm still down for an excuse to eat lots of yummy food and hang out with friends. And since there is sure to be plenty of not-so-healthy foods in the mix, I better plan on bringing something nutritious (and tasty) to the table. Meyer lemons – which have a sweet floral flavor that lands somewhere between a lemon and an orange – add a slight twist to this classic hummus recipe. The tart flavor of ground sumac adds a counterbalance to the lemon's sweetness and gives this hummus a little something extra. Serve it up with pita wedges or veggies, and you've got a delicious dip ready for kick-off.

Meyer Lemon Hummus (printer-friendly version)
makes about 1 1/2 cups

2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 16-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons tahini
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (~1 lemon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground sumac
1 teaspoon fresh Meyer lemon zest

1. Add the garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until minced.
2. Add the chickpeas, salt, tahini, and lemon juice to the food processor. Process until coarsely pureed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
3. Add in the olive oil and process until smooth. Sprinkle in the ground sumac and lemon zest and process until well combined.
4. Season with additional salt if necessary. Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl and drizzle with about one tablespoon of olive oil and add a sprinkle of ground sumac before serving, if desired. Serve alongside pita bread, toasted bread slices, or fresh veggies.

Made From Scratch: French Onion Dip

Even deep in the winter, the Wausau Farmers Market is still going strong on Saturday mornings. D and I like to make the trek down every couple of weeks (it is an hour's drive each way for us) to pick up some fresh produce, meat, coffee, and chat with our friends who run farms in central Wisconsin.

On a recent trip to the market, I came home with multiple bags of root vegetables. We picked up parsnips, carrots, and a grab-bag of gorgeous radishes from Stoney Acres Farm, and another bag of carrots from Red Door Farm.

With all those fresh veggies on hand, it took me little time to decide to make up a quick dip. I wanted something fairly light in flavor that wouldn't overwhelm the taste of the vegetables, so I opted to whip up a French onion dip with a yogurt base. I've made this recipe a number of times over the past couple of weeks, and it is pretty easy to adapt to what you have on hand. You can use either regular or Greek plain yogurt -- the Greek yogurt will add a little extra tang. I've made this dip with both full-fat and nonfat yogurt varieties, and both work, though a richer yogurt will lead to a creamier and thicker dip.

This dip is fresh, easy, and perfect for game day (or mid-afternoon weekday) snacking.

French Onion Dip (printer-friendly version)
makes about 1 cup

1 cup plain yogurt (nonfat, low-fat, or whole would work; the richer the yogurt, the creamier the dip)
2 tablespoons dried minced onions
2 tablespoons dried chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
freshly cracked black pepper

assortment of fresh vegetables for dipping

1. In a small bow, stir together the yogurt, dried minced onions, dried chives, garlic powder, salt, and ground mustard.
2. Season to taste with pepper and additional salt if necessary.
3. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve with fresh vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, radishes, or broccoli. (And of course, potato chips also make a great dipping option, too.)

What I Made for Game Day: Vegetarian Mexican Layer Dip

Let's ignore the results of yesterday's Packers-Seahawks game and instead focus on this delicious vegetarian Mexican layer dip I made as a game-time snack.

This tasty Mexican-inspired dip includes layers of refried beans, cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, taco-seasoned Greek yogurt, green onions, chopped tomatoes, and sliced black olives. Whoa - that is a lot of goodness in one dish!

While the list of ingredients may be long, this dip is actually quite easy to put together and makes for a spectacular presentation as a part of your game-day snack spread. I think there's a good chance this dip may make a reappearance for the Big Game on February 1st.

Vegetarian Mexican Layer Dip (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 servings

1 15-ounce can vegetarian refried beans
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup guacamole (see recipe below)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, monterey jack)
1 cup pico de gallo (or your favorite salsa)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
1/2 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
1/2 cup chopped roma tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced black olives

1. In a small saucepan, heat the refried beans over medium heat until warmed through. Stir in the ground cumin and ground coriander. Use a rubber spatula to spread the beans into an even layer onto the bottom of an 8x8 square baking dish.
2. Evenly spread 1/2 cup shredded cheese over the refried bean layer.
3. Dollop the guacamole over top the cheese layer and carefully spread to cover the cheese.
4. Top the guacamole layer with 1 cup pico de gallo.
5. In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup Greek yogurt with 1 teaspoon taco seasoning. Dollop the Greek yogurt mixture over the pico de gallo layer and carefully spread to cover the pico de gallo.
6. Sprinkle the chopped green onions over top the Greek yogurt layer. Top the green onion layer with chopped tomatoes. Finally, cover the chopped tomato layer with sliced olives.
7. Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips. Store any remaining dip in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Guacamole
makes about 1 cup

2 avocados, pits removed
1 garlic clove, pressed (or finely minced)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Scoop the avocado flesh into a small bowl. Add in the pressed garlic and lime juice. Stir to combine the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

What's For Dinner: Slow-Cooker Black Bean Bulgur Chili

I have a feeling I'm going to be making a lot of chili this autumn. It's only just past the middle of September, and already I'm reaching for warming comfort food. Looks like I may also need to start reaching for the car keys and driving over to the Y for 6 a.m. spin classes...

I was on the search for a new chili recipe to try out this time around and as I paged through a few different cookbooks I have on hand, I found several different recipes that called for using bulgur as a protein replacement for meat. (Bulgur, a grain which originates in the Middle East, has about 6 grams of protein and 8 grams of dietary fiber per cooked cup.) So, here you go -- super filling [and meat free!] bulgur chili with black beans!

Slow-Cooker Black Bean Bulgur Chili (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 cup bulgur
2 cups hot water
1 orange pepper, de-ribbed, de-seeded, and chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 14.5-oz can roasted diced tomatoes

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon natural cocoa powder
1 cup organic vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium bowl, combine together the bulgur and hot water. Let the bulgur sit for 15-20 minutes. After the time has elapsed, drain off any remaining liquid and squeeze out any excess water. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, saute the chopped onion and pepper over medium heat until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Place the sauteed veggies into a 4-quart slow cooker bowl.
3. In a small skillet, saute the chopped mushrooms over medium heat until lightly browned and softened. Add to the slow cooker bowl.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and black beans to the slow cooker mixture.
5. Season with oregano, chili powder, ground ancho chile pepper, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
6. Stir in the cocoa powder and veggie broth.
7. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Serve with a variety of toppings such as oyster crackers, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, or fresh chopped chives.

What's For Dinner: Game Day Chili

There is a definite chill in the air these days. It looks like autumn really is right around the corner. I am looking forward to jumping wholeheartedly into the days of sweaters, boots, and puffy vests. And of course, with the arrival of fall comes the beginning of the football season. Let's face it, I am a fickle fan, and typically adopt whatever team I'm located nearest to. So, while in the past I may have rooted for the Bengals, Bears, or Broncos, I am now a HUGE Packers fan. (Don't tell my Chicago friends.) Of course, by "huge," I mean I'll watch the games and pretend like I care what the outcome is. (Don't tell my Wisconsin friends.) But, regardless of who's playing, I still want to prepare a delicious spread of food to go along with the game. For the Packers' season opener yesterday, I made D and myself a slow-cooker-full of veggie chili.

Game Day Chili (printer-friendly version)
makes 6+ servings

1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz-can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz-can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz-can diced tomatoes (preferably no salt added)

1 8-oz can no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic into the 4-qt bowl of a slow cooker.
2. Stir in the rinsed beans.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes (including the juices) and tomato sauce.
4. Season with cumin, chili powder, crushed red pepper, oregano, cocoa powder, and cinnamon.
5. Place the cover onto the bowl and cook on high for 4.5 to 5 hours.
6. Serve with toppings such as crackers, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, and freshly chopped chives.

What's For Dinner: Veggie Beef Chili

Last weekend I had plans to make a veggie chili, but someone insisted that I add in some beef. Luckily for him, I had yet to do the grocery shopping for ingredients I needed to make the recipe, so I picked up some grass-fed beef while at Whole Foods. However, I think this chili would be just as good without the beef, or you could always substitute in some soy crumbles as a meat substitute. Long story short, this chili was hearty and delicious, and would make an excellent addition to your Super Bowl game-day meal plan.

Veggie Beef Chili (printer-friendly version)
makes 6+ servings

1/4 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 15-oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable juice
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 yellow or orange sweet pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
dash cayenne pepper
dash paprika

1. Brown the meat in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 5-7 minutes. Cover a plate with a paper towel. Spoon the cooked meat onto the plate to drain off the excess fat.
2. Add the meat along with the rest of the ingredients to a 1 1/2- or 2-quart slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours on the low setting, or 3 to 4 hours on the high setting.
4. Serve with toppings of your choice, such as oyster crackers, shredded cheese, plain Greek yogurt, or green onions.