Making Super Bowl Super

Today is just one of those days! SUPER BOWL SUNDAY: A day when the worst of the worst food is served by the best of the best... your friends. Why not take a moment and consider making that menu a bit more calorie friendly with a few simple substitutions.

Traditional Super Bowl Wings: Instead of serving this greasy, fried and oh-so-bad-for-you dish, why not bake up some chicken, cut it into strips and serve with a bowl of buffalo sauce for dipping.

Potato Skins: another fried treat that turns out much better in my opinion when baked. Bake potatoes till done, cut in half, scoop out the middles and place in separate bowl and mash. Add to the mashed potato some crumbled turkey bacon, some garlic and a splash of low fat milk. Combine and scoop back into potato skins. Place filled skins on cookie sheet and sprinkle with low fat cheese, salt and pepper to taste and place in 500 degree oven until the tops are brown.

Chips and Dip: Organic low fat corn chips with freshly made pico de gallo is always a hit. Chop three tomatoes, 1 onion and combine. Add 2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 diced jalapeno (minus seeds if you don't want the heat) and a small handful of cilantro finely chopped. Stir all ingredients together and serve.

Another Dip Alternative: In blender, combine Knudson Free Cottage cheese with a splash of water and your favorite dressing or soup mix packet. Blend and serve cold. Best if served with veggie platter.

Greasy Pizza: Instead of ordering out, take whole wheat tortillas, brush with garlic/olive oil (I use a 50/50 mix that I blended together in my magic bullet), add your favorite veggies, top with low fat mozzarella cheese and sliced turkey sausage and bake in oven at 375 degrees for approximately 15 or until done.

High Cal drinks: Instead of sodas and other high calorie drinks, mix 8 oz. soda water or club soda with 4 oz 100% cranberry juice and 1 tsp. agave nectar. You'll have a light, low-cal, refreshing cooler to serve. Try this one with other 100% fruit juices as well as substituting the agave nectar with 100% pineapple juice.

**And this Super Bowl Season, don't be afraid to really get into the festivities! All that screaming and all the cheering, even those tantrums, burns some serious calories. A couple of touchdown dances couldn't hurt either! :)