‘Tis the season for tailgating. And, thus, unhealthy eats like hot dogs, nachos and soda. However, Judy Nicassio, certified nutritionist at Rejuvena Health & Aesthetics in Scottsdale, shows that celebrating your football team’s win doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Here are some of her favorite nutritious yet delicious recipes for your upcoming tailgating parties.
Fresh Corn and Tomato Quinoa Salad
Serves: 8
▪ 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
▪ ½ teaspoon sea salt
▪ 1½ cups water
▪ ½ cup olive oil
▪ ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
▪ 3 T maple syrup
▪ 1 T Dijon mustard
▪ 1 teaspoon sea salt
▪ 1½ cups fresh (or frozen) corn kernels (from 2 ears)
▪ 1½ cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes
▪ 1 cup finely chopped red cabbage
▪ 1 cup diced cucumber
To make the salad: bring quinoa, salt, and 1½ cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes. Make the dressing. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and sea salt in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Mix corn, tomatoes, cabbage, and cucumber with quinoa in a bowl. Mix with dressing and serve.
Green Bean, Tomato, and Chickpea Salad
Serves: 4
▪ 1.5 pounds green beans, trimmed
▪ 3 wide strips lemon zest, cut into thin matchstick, plus 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
▪ 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
▪ 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
▪ 2 green onions, chopped
▪ 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can)
▪ ¼ cup kalamata olives, halved
▪ ⅓ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
In a large pot of boiling water, cook green beans until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice and oil. Stir in tomatoes, onions, chickpeas, and lemon zest. Add olives and parsley and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange green beans on a serving platter and top with tomato mixture.
Grilled Chicken Citrus Teriyaki
1/4 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce or tamari sauce
1/4 cup frozen (thawed) orange juice concentrate
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/2 lb uncooked, organic chicken breast tenders (not breaded)
1 cup sugar snap pea pods
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (3 oz)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices (2 cups)
1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (3/4 cup)
In small bowl, mix teriyaki sauce, orange juice concentrate and orange peel. Reserve 2 tablespoons mixture. Add chicken to remaining mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat gas or charcoal grill. Place grill basket (grill “wok”) on grill over medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken in grill basket. Cover grill; cook 6 to 8 minutes, shaking grill basket or stirring chicken occasionally, until chicken is brown. Add remaining ingredients to grill basket. Cover grill; cook 6 to 8 minutes, shaking basket or stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is no longer pink in center. Add 2 tablespoons reserved marinade; stir to coat vegetables and chicken. Cover grill; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until hot.
Recipes: Healthy Tailgating
