I don’t know how many of you are football fans, but I know at least some of you will be cheering for your favorite team this weekend (go 49ers) and you can’t watch football without some classic football food. I did, however, make a commitment to eat healthier this year, so I will be serving some variations on the classics. The first is a recipe I saw the other day on Rachael Ray – Meat-Free Buffalo Wings. Instead of fried chicken wings you use roasted cauliflower. Hey! Don’t knock it till you try it! Served along side Greek yogurt blue cheese dip, you will never miss the meat. Next up, instead of chips and dip, homemade hummus with pita wedges and red peppers. This recipe, which I found on The Food Network, is way better than any store-bought hummus I’ve ever had!
Ingredients:
1 cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
salt
1/2 cup hot sauce
For Dip:
1 cup Greek yogurt
juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 TBSP chopped fresh herbs (such as dill, chives & parsley)
1 garlic clove finely grated
salt & pepper
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (optional)
To Make:
Preheat oven to 450
Place cauliflower florets on baking sheet and dress with olive oil and season with salt. Bake for 25 minutes or until crispy and carmelized at edges. Remove from oven, place into bowl and toss with hot sauce. Serve along side dip.
For Dip:
In a small bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, herbs and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Fold in blue cheese if using.
Ingredients:
2 15 oz. cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 TBSP roughly chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic peeled
1/2 tsp salt (the recipe called for 1 1/2 tsp but I used 1/2 tsp and it was plenty)
1/2 tsp dark Asian sesame oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
12 to 15 grinds black pepper
1/4 cup water
paprika for garnish
To Make:
In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients except parsley and paprika for garnish, and process on low until smooth. Stop occasionally to push down ingredients. If it seems too dry or it is not blending well, add a little more olive oil until it is the right consistency. Scrape hummus onto a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with paprika and parsley. You can make up to a couple of hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature.
Enjoy watching football this weekend and may the best team (49ers) win! 😉
Mmm…..Hummus is so good with pita bread too! Great way to start off the football party with some delicious and healthy appetizers, that look very good btw! 🙂
Thanks!
I love this recipe Lynne! I am on day 12 of Atkins and have been missing the snacky things. I also just pulled out the Franks Red Hot Pepper Sauce (used in buffalo recipes) and it is sugar free!! Can’t wait to make these on Sunday 🙂
You won’t believe how tasty the cauliflower is when it’s roasted and carmelized! Enjoy and thanks for the comment!