Healthy Superbowl Snacking!

• Super Bowl = Cheat Day? ... Not necessary!

  Cheat days are unnecessary because "diets" are unnecessary, but that's a different topic for a different day.

  So, there's a football game this Sunday right? Ha! Only the biggest one since February 5,2012 for us New Englanders (Pats last Super Bowl appearance)! You're worried about how you shouldn't eat or drink anything "bad" right? Might as well stay home, eat chicken and broccoli, restrict yourself, feel like you're in prison so you don't screw up your diet (ok, slight exaggeration here but you get the point)? No...wrong! Inevitably, yes, there is going to be food, lots of food, and drinks but you can still have fun, snack, have a few beverages, and not feel like you need to lock yourself in the gym for the following week.

  Super Bowl Sunday is the second biggest "food" day of the year. Thanksgiving taking the cake on that one. I heard on Conan the other night that Americans will consume 1.2 BILLION buffalo wings on Sunday night, seriously!? When you think of the spread of food what comes to mind? Nachos, pizza, wings, cheesy dips and chips, meatball subs, beer, beer, and more beer right? Question, why do we think that just because that's what we normally consume on this day that we have to limit ourselves to those greasy, fatty snacks? You could be adding 3,000 calories to your daily intake in only a few hours.

  There are a million modifications and substitutions you can make to your favorite snacks that might even make them taste better than the originals. Above that, you can shave half the calories and fat off pretty easily. Let's take those buffalo wings I was talking about earlier, you know those fried, sauce covered wings you love to smother with blue cheese dressing? How about a little substitution, some homemade Chicken Yakitori!? Sounds complex doesn't it?...it's not I promise. All you need is some lean chicken breast, veggies, and a broiler.

Ingredients-

4 lean skinless chicken breasts

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 Spanish onion

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 tsp sugar

1 garlic clove minced

Directions-

-Slice chicken, peppers, and onion in 1x1 inch cubes.

-In a shallow pan combine these with soy sauce, vegetable oil, ginger, sugar, and garlic. Let this sit in the fridge for 1 hour.

-Place the chicken, peppers, and onion onto the skewers.

-Preheat the broiler and place rack in shallow baking pan.

-Broil for 4 to 5 minutes on each side (or until chicken tender).

-Now ENJOY!

*  Serves 4, double or triple as needed.

Look at that, you're getting your protein and veggies in without all that saturated fat and messy fingers!

Stay tuned for additional ways to "healthify" your superbowl snacks!!