Just a Bite…

I love making meals out of appetizers. I love variety and having just a bite of each of my favorite treats. What better way to eat on Superbowl Sunday as well! Keep the calories down while still enjoying delicious treats…tapas style!

Why have you done a good thing?

Eating making meals out of appetizers, also known as tapas style, can be a great way to control portions. It can also be a fun way to serve up meals in front of the big game or at a dinner party. Plus, small foods are very appealing to kids as they fit right in their hands! So give tapas style a try. To keep portions under control, especially at the Superbowl, remember Your Secret Ingredient tips:

1) Start with a big salad, crudite, or a piece of fruit before you chow down on any Superbowl Treats to curb your appetite. If you don’t think these options will be there, either bring it with you as your contribution or eat a fiber filled snack before you go

2) Keep track of your bites. Fill your plate with all the bites you are interested in. Have one plate full and pair it or finish it off with lots of crudite (with low fat dip if you want!)

Top 10 Your Secret Ingredient Just a Bite Superbowl Recipes

1) Mexican Bites – Tostitos scoop chips filled with 1 tbsp of guacamole or your favorite chili recipe. Try Your Secret Ingredient Turkey Chili from our January 17^th edition.

2) Mozzarella Stick Bites – Using 2 packs of low-fat string cheese, cut each string cheese stick in 3 parts. In 2 bowls, set up one bowl with 2 beaten eggs and one bowl with ½ cup trans-fat free bread crumbs, a pinch of salt, ½ cup of flour, and 1 tsp of garlic powder, 1 tsp of paprika, 1 tsp of diced fresh parsley. Dip the string cheese in egg, then the flour mixture until well-coated. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with low-sodium marinara sauce on the side.

3) Pita Bites – Try whole-wheat pitas (recommend Trader Joes mini pitas) topped with hummus and diced cucumbers or roasted peppers or bruschetta. Can’t find mini pitas? Try Melba toast.

4) Grilled Cheese and Soup Shots – Use Trader Joes low-sodium/low-fat tomato soup or another low-sodium soup or homemade low-fat tomato soup. Heat and fill into shot glasses. Make 6 grilled cheese sandwiches (sans butter) on whole-wheat bread and with 2 slices of low-fat cheese. Cut the sandwiches into 4 triangles. Make a small slit in the sandwiches to attach to the edge of the shot glass and serve warm.

5) Meatball Bites – Heat 1 jar of low-sodium tomato sauce in a large pot. Mix 1 lbs of 99% lean ground turkey with ¼ cup of ketchup, 1 egg, 2 tsp of garlic powder, ½ tsp of salt, ½ cup of bread crumbs. Mix together and roll with your hands into 2 inch balls. Place gently in the tomato sauce and simmer for 1 hr. Serve on a toothpick with the sauce on the side for extra dipping!

6) Mini Pizzas Bites– Baby bello mushrooms baked with your favorite low sodium tomato sauce (recommend Two Guys Jersey Tomato Sauce) or pesto sauce with a sprinkle of low-fat mozzarella baked on top. Bake for 20 minutes and broil for 5 minutes.

7) Mini Foot Long Sandwiches - Sushi roll-ups (whole-wheat tortilla, 3 slices of turkey and/or 3 slices of roastbeef, 2 slices of low fat cheese, spicy mustard, and lettuce rolled up and sliced to look like sushi!)

8) Macaroni and Cheesy Bites – Using your mini muffin pan, bake low-fat macaroni and cheese in each muffin bite! Try Annie’s Low Sodium Mac and Cheese or Your Secret Ingredient low-fat macaroni and cheese recipe:

1 lb of whole wheat elbows

2 tbsp of butter

4 tbsp of flour

3 cups of skim milk or 1% milk

6 oz of low-fat cheddar cheese, diced or shredded

6 oz of low-fat monteray jack cheese, diced or shredded

¼ cup bread crumbs (trans fat free)

Heat a pot of water and boil pasta until slightly undercooked. In a separate pot, melt butter with flour together and whisk for 1 minute (creating a roux). Add milk and stir. Allow milk to slightly bubble and thicken. Add cheese and constantly stir. When thick and a cheese sauce has formed, mix with noodles until well combined. Spray muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and add 2 tbsp of macaroni and cheese into each muffin. Top with bread crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes.

9) Dip Shots – Using your shot glasses, fill 1 inch deep of your favorite low-fat dip. Top with sliced crudite. Try Ellie Krieger’s Spinach and Artichoke Dip.

10) Cake Pops - All the rage; just a bite of cake is enough. Bake your favorite chocolate or vanilla cake mix (pick one that is trans fat free!). Bake per the package instructions. After the cake cools, break it up until it crumbles. Mix with frosting and roll in your hands like meatballs. Put on a long toothpick. Then, over a double boil (water in a pot under a bowl with the chocolate), melt 10 oz dark or white chocolate. Dip each bake ball in warm chocolate and place on wax paper. Dip in blue and red sprinkles for the Giants! Put in the fridge over night and serve the next day!

Don’t want to bake? Cheat and use Two Bite Brownies (sold at Whole Foods) and top with frosting and blue/white sprinkles on a toothpick!

Go Big Blue!!

--Amy Santo, MS RD CDN