When watching the big game with family and friends, greasy chips, fatty dips and sugary drinks tend to be on most sports fans' starting lineup. This year, bench those empty calories for fun, festive and healthier fare.
On Sunday, bowl your family over with super foods like Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwiches, Touchdown Taco Salad and Snowdrop Cookies. For guilt-free tailgating all week long, serve Mom's Macaroni and Cheese or Bean and Cheese Tacos with Spicy Baked Sweet Potato "Fries" or Green Goddess Dip with vegetable sticks on the side. Don't forget to register for free at MealsMatter.org to add these and other healthy recipes to your own personalized meal plan and shopping list.
"Family Meals Matter" features recipes selected by registered dietitians from the thousands of user-contributed recipes available at our free online nutrition and meal-planning website, Meals Matter (www.MealsMatter.org), sponsored by Dairy Council of California.
Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwich
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed (see Tip), sliced
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
2 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 ounces thinly sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese
4 Whole-wheat buns, split and toasted
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.
Touchdown Taco Salad
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup salsa, divided
8 cups salad greens
1 cup chopped tomato
1 1/2 cup black beans
1. Brown beef in large non-stick skillet; remove from heat.
2. Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese and ¼ cup salsa; mix until blended.
3. Spoon onto serving platter.
4. In a large bowl, toss together salad greens, tomatoes, black beans and remaining cheese and salsa.
5. Spoon salad over meat mixture and serve.
Cook's notes: To reduce the total fat, substitute cheddar cheese with reduced-fat cheese and lean ground beef with lean ground turkey.
Snowdrop Cookies
4 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips, tiny size
Beat egg whites with an electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar. Add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each time, until stiff peaks forms. Add vanilla extract and beat until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto a foiled lined un-greased baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes. Outside of the cookie will be hard; inside will be slightly soft. Makes 36 cookies.
Shopping list (includes ingredients to make at least four servings of each Featured Family Meal recipe)