February 2nd, 2012 
The Super Bowl is Sunday and whether you’ll be watching for the Manning vs. Brady match up or just for the commercials, we’ve got you covered for your game day snacks. We’ve posted five of our favorite healthy snacks the whole family is sure to love.
Grab your pita chips and get ready to dive into Rachael Ray’s Greek Hummus. Loaded with flavor, this healthy dip is sure to be devoured before halftime.
Photo Credit: Food Network
Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) can chick peas, drained
- 1 lemon
- 1 sprig fresh oregano, leaves chopped
- A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- Salt
- 2 rounded tablespoons tahini paste
- Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives, well drained, coarsely chopped
- 1 sack pita chips, sea salt variety
- 1/2 seedless cucumber, cut into sticks for dipping
- A medium red pepper, seeded and cut into strips for dipping
Directions:
Combine chick peas, juice of 1 lemon, oregano and parsley in food processor. Mash garlic into paste with some salt pressing under the flat part of your knife then add garlic to processor along with tahini paste. Process hummus, drizzling in olive oil, until smooth then transfer to a bowl and stir in olives, reserving a few for garnish. Serve dip with pita crisps and vegetable sticks.
Photo Credit: www.eatingwell.com
Breaded with whole-wheat breadcrumbs and baked in the oven, these healthier onion rings are much more heart-friendly than their battered and fried counterpart.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium yellow onions
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Note)
- 1 tablespoon seasoning blend, such as Cajun, jerk or Old Bay
- Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray
Directions:
- Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 450°F. Coat 2 large rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.
- Cut off both ends of each onion and peel. Slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices;separate into rings. (Discard the smallest rings or reserve for another use.) Place the rings in a medium bowl; cover with cold water.
- Combine flour and baking powder in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs and seasoning in a third shallow dish. Working with one ring at time, remove from the water, letting any excess drip off. Coat in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in egg and let any excess drip off. Then coat in the breadcrumb mixture, shaking off any excess. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Generously coat the onion rings with cooking spray.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each onion ring over and return to the oven, switching the positions of the baking sheets. Continue baking until brown and very crispy, 8 to 10 minutes more.
Adapted from her book, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea, author Martha Hall Foose offers a tasty soda the whole family will love.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 tablespoon of almond extract
- 1/4 cup cherry juice**
- 1 quart soda water
Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and the sugar. Add the vanilla bean. Boil over medium heat for 2 minutes or until the mixture is reduced to a thin syrup.
2. Remove the vanilla bean. Rinse in hot water. Set aside to air-dry and save for another use.
3. Allow the syrup to cool. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts and the cherry juice.
4. Pour 2 tablespoons of the cherry-vanilla syrup over ice cubes in a tall glass and fill with soda water. Stir to combine. Serve with a silly straw.
Sesame Street’s Murray and Ovejita’s Tortilla Pizza
What’s not to love about Sesame Street?! Get your kid involved in the food prep and he’s sure to be asking for a second helping of this yummy, healthy pizza.
Ingredients:
• 2 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 green pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
Directions:
Step 1:
Things You’ll Need
Gather these ingredients.
Little
Hands Tips: Ask your child to sort the ingredients by color.
Step 2:
Prep and Bake
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place tortillas on a baking sheet and poke small holes in them with a fork; this will keep them flat while baking. Bake until crisp.
Step 3:
Cool and Spread
Remove the baked tortillas from the oven and let cool.
Little Hands Tip: Now, spread the tomato paste over the tortillas.
Muppet’s Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes with Frosting
These cupcakes are sure to satisfy the sweet tooth in any family member. Watch Iron Chef Cat Cora prepare these cupcakes with the Muppets as they prepare for game day.
Cupcakes:
• 2 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting:
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8 oz. powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 3 oz. bar bittersweet 60% chocolate, for garnish
Special equipment:
• 1 12-cup muffin tin lined with white paper cupcake liners.
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, or in a glass or stainless steel bowl set atop a pot of with one-third-full of barely simmering water. Stir the chocolate until melted. Remove and set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. In a separate large bowl, using a hand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each until incorporated. Add the cooled chocolate and mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) into the chocolate mixture, beating on a low speed and then increasing to medium-high until fully mixed and smooth. Do not overmix.
6. Add the peanut butter chips and vanilla extract into the chocolate batter. Stir to combine.
7. Divide the batter evenly among 8 cupcake molds.
8. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely for 30 minutes before frosting.
9. For the frosting: Using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on a low-medium speed until creamy and fluffy.
10. Gradually add the powdered sugar. Do it slowly so as to not create a big dust cloud of sugar. The frosting will appear to be slightly dry and crumbly.
11. Add the vanilla and water and continue to beat on a medium speed until the frosting is creamy but thick.
12. Add the creamy peanut butter and beat again until just combined.
13. Using an offset spatula, decorate the cooled cupcakes with the peanut butter frosting.
14. Using a microplane, box grater, or vegetable peeler, grate or shave the bittersweet chocolate and sprinkle on top of the frosted cupcakes. Place the finished, decorated cupcakes on a serving platter and serve or store in an air-tight container.
