SUPERBOWL WEEKEND!!

It's one of the biggest sporting events of the year! It's also one of the biggest food consumption weekends of the year. Instead of gorging on the typical high-calorie, "unclean" snacks try some healthier versions. 

1. Try yogurt cheese dip instead of onion dip and other cream-cheesed based dips:

Strain 2 cups of non-flavored, non-fat yogurt overnight in a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth (found in the kitchen section of the grocery store) over a bowl. Discard the liquid. You will have 1 cup of yogurt cheese available. You can use this as the base for any dip recipe.

Add a variety of seasonings, sea salt and pepper, an onion soup mix (in a pinch because there is a lot of sodium in it), and a dash of Tobasco sauce. Yum!

2. Try toasted wraps instead of chips:

Choose a variety of whole-grain wraps. Cut them into triangles. Sprinkle with olive oil and yummy seasonings. Bake them in the oven at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 5 minutes. 

3. Try sweet potato wedges instead of stuffed potato skins:

Cut sweet potatoes into wedges. Coat lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and seasonings. Bake at 400 degrees fahrenheit for no long than 20 minutes. 

4. Have "clean" stuffed mushrooms:

Brush the dirt off of large (1 inch) mushrooms and remove the stems. Use the yogurt cheese dip recipe from above to stuff the mushroom caps. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

5. Have baked chicken skewers instead of wings or beef jerky:

Cut chicken into long strips. Marinade all morning in balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, lemon or orange juice, and a dash of beer. Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes. Place chicken on the skewers along with a variety of veggies (peppers, onions) or leave them plain. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until done (keep an eye on them). You can also grill them on the stove in a grill pan, or barbeque if the weather is warm where you are.

So when the Giants battle the Patriots this weekend worry about the game and not about what you're eating!

For a bunch of other great dip recipes and more check out the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook.