The big game is almost here, and whether you’re hosting a party or bringing a dish to pass to a friend’s place, it can be tough to make healthy choices. We enlisted the Nutrition Twins, nationally recognized registered dietitian nutritionists and personal trainers, to share some touchdown-worthy snacks that are sure to score.
Ridiculously Easy Garlic and Tarragon Sweet Potato Fries
These roasted sweet potato fries are sure to be a frequently-requested snack from friends and family. The carbohydrates in sweet potatoes come with fiber, loads of phytonutrients and in a virtually fat-free package (as long as you avoid those high-calorie toppings). One small sweet potato contains nearly four grams of fiber, which keeps you regular, light and happy. Tarragon has a somewhat licorice-like flavor that can help lower blood sugar, and garlic is good for your heart!
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
¼ tsp minced garlic
1 ¾ tsp extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of dried tarragon
Sea salt to taste (optional)
A sprig of fresh tarragon, leaves for garnish (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450° Place parchment paper on baking sheet.
2. Combine olive oil, garlic and tarragon in a bowl. Set these aside while preparing sweet potato.
3. Cut sweet potato into French fry-shaped spears, about 3 inches long by ¼-inch wide or evenly sized cubes—we call these golden nuggets, nips (if serving as a side dish).
4. Toss cut sweet potato with olive oil, garlic, and tarragon mixture.
5. Bake approximately 20 minutes, turning potatoes at 10-minute intervals to prevent burning. Roast until golden brown on all sides.
6. Remove from oven, sprinkle with dash of salt and fresh tarragon leaves (optional).
Nutrition Facts Per 2 Servings: 92 Calories, 4 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 36 mg Sodium, 13 g Carbohydrate, 2 g Fiber, 3 g Sugar, 1 g Protein
Scoreboard-Worthy Sweet Potato Nachos
Are fries “nacho” favorite app? Then these Sweet Potato Nachos are for you and are sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Serves: 3
Ingredients
3 large sweet potatoes
½ cup black beans
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup shredded, cooked chicken breast (or canned chicken)
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese, reduced fat
2 tbsp jalapenos (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325°
2. Rinse and thoroughly clean potatoes.
3. Thinly slice using a paring knife.
4. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place potato slices on the baking sheet to make an even layer of slices. Potatoes can overlap.
5. Place potatoes in oven.
6. While potatoes are baking, prepare frozen peas as directed on bag.
7. Drain and rinse black beans.
8. Shred chicken breast or drain and pull apart canned chicken.
9. After approx. 20 minutes, remove potatoes and flip the chips (they should be a little crispy on the side that was facing up and soft and warm on the bottom).
10. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
11. After potatoes are baked and crispy on both sides, remove from oven, place them on a plate and top with peas, black beans, chicken and cheese. Sprinkle on sliced jalapenos.
Nutrition information per serving (1/3 of the recipe): Calories: 328, carbs: 47.3g, fat: 6.3g, saturated fat: 2g, protein: 23.5g, sodium: 479.5mg, fiber: 9.8g
Tropical Salsa
We can’t get enough of this tropical salsa recipe! Pineapples provide antioxidants and vitamin C, which help repair muscles and tissues and aid in recovery, plus every ingredient in this recipe is packed with antioxidants. A party dish we can feel good about dunking into all day? Sign us up! Serve this sweet salsa with chopped veggies—Jicama is great for scooping, too—or baked tortilla chips.
Serves: 6
Serving size: 1 cup (that’s a lot of salsa!)
Ingredients
2 cups pineapple, diced from fresh or frozen
2 cups mango, diced from fresh or frozen
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1/4 cup jicama, chopped
1/2 cup orange pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 lime
2 tbsp 100% pomegranate juice, no sugar added
1/8 cup cilantro, unpacked (optional)
Directions
1. Dice mango, pineapple, peppers, and tomato and toss in a large bowl together. If using frozen mango or pineapple, defrost and then toss in large bowl. If you don’t have time to defrost first, separate the chunks and they will defrost fairly quickly once they are tossed in the bowl.
2. Chop cilantro.
3. Add jicama and cilantro to the bowl with the fruit and veggies.
4. Cut lime in half and squeeze both halves over bowl.
5. Add pomegranate juice and toss everything for a final time.
Nutrition Facts for 1 serving (1 cup): Calories: 76, carbs: 19g, fat: 0g, saturated fat: 0g, protein: 1g, sodium: 4mg, fiber: 2.5g
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Have you made any of these recipes? Share your notes with others!