Posted: 09/29/2021 / 6:14 PM EDTUpdated: 9/29/2021 / 6:15 PM EDT
ALTOONA, Pennsylvania (WTAJ) – Everyone loves tailgating, and with the football season in full swing, many people look forward to tailgating every weekend. Of course, it’s fun to meet up with friends and talk about your favorite team or the big game and indulge yourself with delicious food and drinks on game day!
Holly Doan, a registered nutritionist, showed us some healthy recipes and tips to keep your tailgating spread nutritious, fun, and tasty.
For starters, Holly recommends choosing some healthy dips – things like hummus, guacamole, and fresh salsa are great options and are easily available at your local Giant or Martin’s. “You can replace some of your favorite mayo or sour cream dips with Greek yogurt,” Doan says.
And when it comes to what we put in our dip, Holly recommends snacks high in fiber and protein to help us stay full. “When you’re at the tailgate, you tend to graze all day, so it’s best to choose things that fill you up,” Doan says. Holly likes popcorn, nuts, and hippeas for fun snacks.
Tailgating isn’t just about the food, it’s usually about having a few drinks. And alcohol can be quite dehydrating, which can be dangerous if you’re not careful and leading to a headache the next day. “People often drink beer, wine, or seltzer, but it’s important to stay hydrated throughout the day. The best rule of thumb is to remember to switch between alcoholic and soft drinks, ”Doan says. Holly suggests having seltzer water, zevia, a stevia-based soda, or fun water.
September is the national fruit and vegetable month, which is why Holly recommends putting products at the center of your spread. “Vegetables are low in calories, moisturizing, and a source of fiber / antioxidants,” Doan says.
Holly shared a recipe for the perfect side dish to take with you to your next hatchback Sweet potato tailgate salad.
Ingredients:
- 2 sweet potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 cup of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 1 cup of diced red peppers
- 1 cup of frozen sweet corn, thawed
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Honey Dijon dressing
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the sweet potatoes in an even, flat layer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bake for about 30-45 minutes, or toss occasionally until the fork is soft and ready.
- In a large bowl, put the black beans, spring onions, paprika, corn, coriander; put aside.
- In a medium bowl, add honey, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and whisk; put aside.
- Put the fried potatoes in the bowl with the other ingredients, drizzle the dressing over them and mix
