A Healthy Twist On A Game Day Classic

From your Henry Mayo Nutritionist: Liz Tarabour, MS, RDN

Game Day Game Plan:

Pregame Warm up:

• Start the day off right with a work out.
• Have a healthy breakfast.
• Hydrate well. Drinking lots of water right before (and during) a party will help fill you up and prevent gorging on high calorie foods and drinks upon arrival.

Offensive Strategies:

• Bring something yummy and healthy that you can choose to eat instead of other unhealthy options.
• Choose plant based goodies: hummus, bean dip, guacamole, etc. Use veggies as the dipping stick/chip.
• Have a glass of water between each alcoholic drink.

Defensive Strategies:

• Allow yourself to enjoy some tasty treats. If you refill your plate, go for the healthier choices.
• Sit far away from the food. Limit your trips to this “red zone”.
• Enjoy your day, but don’t let the game-day excitement and food table get the best of you. Go prepared with a plan.

Baked Buffalo Wings With Blue Cheese-Yogurt Dip

Recipe and Photo courtesy of Food Network Kitchen

From: Food Network Magazine

For the Dip:

• 3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1 small clove garlic, chopped

• 1 tablespoon skim milk or buttermilk

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Wings:

• Cooking spray, for the baking sheet

• 3 pounds chicken wings, split at the joints, tips removed

• 4 stalks celery, cut into thirds

• 4 carrots, cut in half

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 cup Frank's RedHot sauce (or 1/2 cup other hot sauce)

• 2 tablespoons paprika

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

1. Make the dip: Pulse the yogurt, blue cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, milk and lemon juice in a food processor until combined but still chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. Make the wings: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Put the chicken wings in a deep skillet; add 3 pieces of celery, 3 pieces of carrot, the bay leaves, chicken broth, hot sauce, paprika, butter, honey and 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the chicken is almost cooked through, about 18 minutes. Transfer the wings to the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer; reserve the sauce in the skillet.

3. Bake the wings, turning once, until the skin is golden and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, simmer the reserved sauce over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Discard the celery, carrot and bay leaves. Reserve 1/4 of the sauce for serving. Return the wings to the skillet and toss with the remaining sauce. Serve the wings with the blue cheese dip and reserved sauce; cut the remaining celery and carrot into sticks to serve on the side.