IT'S ALMOST GAME DAY!
The Superbowl is this Sunday, and I've got some delicious dips for you to try, and even some chips! These are my go-to game day treats, and they just happen to be super healthy! There's no boring, flavorless dips here - everything is delicious, and I've got a couple different recipes for you, so there's something for everyone!
Let's start with the pita chips. I came up with these one night after craving some chips, but I realized we didn't have any at home. So, I took out my bag of pita bread, cut it into little squares, drizzled it with olive oil and some spices and threw it in the oven. The result - crispy, delicious, flavorful chips! Not only did they satisfy my chips craving, they became an accidental staple snack in my house! Love when that happens.
The great thing about these chips is that they're totally adaptable to your preferences! You can add whatever spices you want!
Next, the dips. These are an accumulation of dips that I absolutely love, and they work perfectly with the pita chips. Creamy tzatziki, tangy guac, crunch black bean salsa, smoky baba ghanoush and delicious avo-tahini dip... the varieties are endless!
The tzatziki is a classic Greek sauce/dip, and it tastes delicious even eaten on its own! Use greek yogurt to get the authentic flavor, and make sure to buy whole milk, organic yogurt in order to avoid any hidden additives or sugars! Yogurt has lot's of beneficial nutrients, like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin and vitamin A. It's a great form of protein! Greek yogurt is simply strained regular yogurt, but it contains more fat and protein. Either way, yogurt is a fantastic source of probiotics, which are a healthy bacteria that boosts the immune system and are great for optimal gut health.
The guac and avo-tahini dip both contain the beloved avocado! As well as being an excellent source of healthy fats and potassium, they contain fiber, vitamin E & B and folic acid. All of these combined are essential nutrients for improving cardiovascular health, cell metabolism, weight management and diabetes. They are also great for generally protecting the immune system, and protects from osteoporosis.
If you've never heard of baba ghanoush, I guarantee you'll love it after you try it! It's a Middle Eastern dip that I've been eating since I was a baby - it's creamy, smoky and so delicious! We actually call it Mtabal at home - it depends on which Arab country you're from! And every country has their own way of making it, so I'm showing you how to make that today. Mtabal is a little harder to pronounce if you don't speak Arabic, but by all means, call it that instead!
Grilling eggplant on a coal barbeque gets the best smoky flavor out of the eggplant for baba ghanoush. But you can also grill them in the oven or on your stove (if you have a gas stovetop) in a pinch! Eggplants have an impressive number of different vitamins and minerals, like fiber, folate, potassium, phosphorus, vitamins A, B6 and K, as well as magnesium, zinc and calcium! They also contain lots of phenols, which are may help prevent tumour growth and some cancers. Eggplants can also help lower the risk for cardiovascular disease.
I use tahini in the baba ghanoush and the avo-tahini dip, which is a sesame seed paste that can be found in many grocery stores. It's also used in hummus, so if you're buying it, you can make your own homemade hummus! And there's an extra dip for you too! I've got the recipe for homemade hummus written in another blog post, so click here to go there.
Consuming sesame seeds in the form of tahini allows your body to fully absorb all of their nutrients, and they have a ton! Tahini can help boost brain health and heart health as it contains omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains copper, iron, selenium and zinc, all of which help support immune function by producing red and white blood cells. It can also strengthen our bones as it contains high amounts of magnesium and phosphorus, and can also regulate blood sugar levels. Tahini is a great source of antioxidants which can help fight cancer.
If you recreate these recipes, be sure to post them on Instagram and tag us @lorrainekearneynutrition; we love to see you eating delicious, nutritious foods! Happy Superbowl Sunday!
Pita Chips
Preparation: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Ingredients
1 whole grain pita bread
Olive oil
Salt
Directions
Cut the pita bread into medium squares.
Drizzle with olive oil then use a pastry brush or your hands to coat the pita chips entirely with the olive oil. You won't need too much, maybe 1 tablespoon. Make sure the chips are totally covered!
Sprinkle with salt and any seasonings of your choice.
Place in the toaster oven for 10 mins, or until they're golden brown. Flip them halfway through for even browning, but this isn't totally necessary!
Serve with any dip and enjoy!
Seasoning suggestions:
Mediterranean:
Oregano/Italian Herb, garlic powder, onion powder
South-East Asian:
Cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, curry powder
Mexican:
Smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder
You can also try sprinkling with nutritional yeast!
Tzatziki dip
Preparation: 5 mins
Ingredients
1 cucumber
1 cup greek yogurt
1 garlic clove
1-2 tablespoons dried mint
Directions
Dice or grate the cucumber into the yogurt
Grate the garlic clove into the yogurt
Add the dried mint and mix together. Serve immediately!
Guacamole
Preparation: 5 mins
Ingredients
1 avocado
1/2 garlic clove
1 shallot or 1/2 onion
1/2 baby tomato
Lemon/lime juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
Directions
Mash the avocado really well and grate in the garlic clove
Finely dice the shallot/onion and tomato.
Finely chop the cilantro and add in.
Add the lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, then add the olive oil.
Mix well and serve!
Avo-tahini dip
Preparation: 5 mins
Ingredients
1 avocado
½ garlic clove
Lots of lemon juice
2 teaspoons tahini, or more to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt
Directions
Mash the avocado really well and grate the garlic clove.
Add the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and salt, and mix together. Serve!
Baba Ghanoush
Preparation: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins - 45 mins
Ingredients
2 eggplants
2-3 tablespoons tahini, or to taste
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt
Olive oil
1 garlic clove (optional)
Directions
If using a barbeque/grill or gas stovetop, grill the eggplant, turning each time the skin blackens until the whole thing is black. If using oven, bake for 30-45 minutes at 350F and don't let burn. Once cool enough for you to touch, peel the skin off.
Slice in half and remove any large seeds you see.
On a cutting board, use a knife to cut the eggplant smaller and smaller, until you are essentially mashing it on the cutting board. It should be pretty broken down and creamy, so this will take a few minutes!
Add to a bowl and add the tahini, lemon juice and salt, and crushed garlic if using. Mix together and drizzle with olive oil. You can also sprinkle this with cumin and paprika, and even pomegranate seeds, but that's optional! Serve and enjoy!
