4 Healthy Super Bowl Snacks You’ll Love!

Intercept empty calories, sugar, and fat by making these better-for-you alternatives!

I realize some of you will be entertaining or celebrating solo on the couch during the big game, and you may be in need of some delicious inspiration.

You’ve obviously come to the right place.

From healthy nachos to buffalo pinwheels, I’ve rounded up 4 of my favorite fan foods to amp up your 2016 Super Bowl, all of which I made live on Fox Good Day Maine (watch HERE!)

Now, on to the Game Day eats!

Cashew Cheese Nachos

1 cup raw cashew pieces
2/3 cup water (more to blend to desired consistency)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (for color)

For best results, soak the cashews in lukewarm water for at least 1 hour. Drain the cashews and add them to a high-speed blender with all the other ingredients (water, nutritional yeast, salt, smoked paprika, and tumeric.) Blend well until very smooth.
Give the cheese sauce a taste and adjust anything as needed – a little more water or salt may be needed. This sauce will last for several days if refrigerated in a sealed container.

To serve, layer a plate with chips, drizzle the cheese and top with black beans, green onions, chopped cilantro, diced red pepper and jalapeno slices.

*Please note! You do need a high-speed blender in order for this to be super creamy and delicious.

Cheesy Nacho Popcorn

2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
3/4 cup organic unpopped popcorn kernels
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Few shakes hot sauce (optional)

Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels and place the lid on the pan. Shake vigorously to coat the kernels with oil. When the corn starts to pop, shake the pan constantly until the popping stops, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the popped corn into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the melted coconut oil over the corn, and sprinkle with nutritional yeast chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and sea salt. Stir thoroughly and serve with a few shakes of hot sauce, if using.

Buffalo Chickpea Pinwheels

1 can (15.5 ounce) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup organic blue cheese crumbles (completely optional:)
14 cup Frank’s red sauce (or your favorite buffalo sauce)
1/4 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced celery
1 extra large tortilla or 2 medium tortillas
1 cup finely chopped romaine lettuce

Place chickpeas, onion and celery in food processor and pulse until blended yet somewhat chunky. Add Frank’s red sauce and give it a quick blitz to combine. Lay flour tortilla on flat sauce and spread garbanzo mixture, lettuce and blue cheese, if using. Roll up tightly and either slice into pinwheels or serve burrito style.

Guacamole Stuffed Potato Skins

For the Potatoes:
5-6 small Russet potatoes, about 3″ long
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Guacamole:
3 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, and flesh scooped out
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ medium onion, diced
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced thin
1 jalapeño, sliced thin, optional, for garnish
fresh cilantro, chopped, optional, for garnish

Make the potato skins: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Wash potatoes well and pierce all over with fork. Place potatoes directly on middle oven rack and bake until skins are crisp and a knife or fork pierces the potatoes easily, about 50 minutes. Meanwhile, make guacamole.

In a large bowl combine the avocado and lime juice and toss to coat. Add smoked paprika, salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash with a potato masher, leaving some chunks for texture. Fold in the onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic. Set aside while you finish the potatoes.

Once the potatoes are ready, remove and let cool about 10 minutes on a wire rack, or until the potatoes can be handled. Set oven to broil.

Slice each potato in half, lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving about ¼” of the flesh intact.Turn the potatoes over and brush the skin sides with olive oil, and again season well with salt and pepper. Place potato halves skin-side up on a baking sheet and broil until the skins begin to brown and crisp (about 2-3 minutes).

Remove potato skins from oven and place on serving platter. Spoon dollops of guacamole on the potato skins and garnish with sliced green onions, sliced jalapenos, and chopped cilantro.