Healthy Football Recipes

What better way to take advantage of summer's bounty of berries than to enclose a mixture of berries in flaky pastry and bake up these delicious turnovers--the perfect handheld dessert for picnics and backyard parties. A dusting of sugar on top of the hand pies creates a crispy crust and eliminates the need for frying.

Typically, pressed sandwiches are a celebration of many meats. Here, we've opted for grilled eggplant slices, artichokes and arugula to make a satisfying vegetarian version. Giardiniera, a type of Italian relish typically made from bell peppers, celery, carrots, cauliflower, olives, vinegar and spices, perks up the flavors of any sandwich. You can use convenient prepared giardiniera or homemade. Choose a hot or mild version, depending on your preference for heat.

These delicious, low-carb "fries" are wrapped in bacon and baked in the oven until they achieve a nice crispy coating. To keep the coating crisp, serve them on a large plate or platter (not piled in a dish) alongside BBQ sauce, ranch dressing or your favorite sauce for dipping. Thinly sliced bacon works best in this recipe for easy wrapping.

Carrots replace cocktail wieners in this healthy update of pigs in a blanket. Soaking the carrot "dogs" in a smoky marinade is the key to giving them that hot dog flavor, for a vegan app meat-eaters will love too. Serve with dipping sauces like honey mustard or ranch dressing to take these to the next level.

Make a crowd favorite even better with this nachos upgrade that uses sweet potato tots instead of classic tortilla chips for nachos that are a little sweet, a little crisp and pack in tons of flavor.

The Hasselback techinique--making crosswise cuts in a vegetable, fruit or in this case, a baguette, to create space for adding in additional flavors like cheese--turns whole-grain bread into a fast and easy "pizza" in this fun recipe. We like classic pepperoni and basil, but feel free to squeeze in your favorite toppings.

Our creamy, slightly spicy sauce pairs perfectly with this crispy coconut shrimp. The unsweetened coconut flakes get crunchy in the oven for the fried taste you love without the oily mess, plus they're better for you, too.

These oven-fried pickles get their crispy exterior from a dredge in flour, egg and whole-wheat breadcrumbs. Serve with a creamy herbed sour cream to take this easy app to the next level.

Make guacamole at home that tastes just like it came from Chipotle--but don't worry, our version won't be "extra"! This deliciously fresh guac is perfect for topping burrito bowls or tacos, or serve as an appetizer or healthy snack with tortilla chips and veggies.

Indulge your nacho cravings with this healthy vegetarian nacho recipe that's loaded with vegetables (thanks in part to roasted cauliflower standing in for chips) and protein-packed beans, and has a lot more fiber than traditional nachos. These baked cauliflower nachos, piled with guacamole, melty cheese, fresh pico de gallo and avocado, are great as an appetizer or could be eaten as a light dinner.

Loaded with fresh herbs, this creamy avocado dip is a healthy snack you'll crave.

These homemade sausage balls are a healthy riff on the original--we add riced cauliflower for moisture and a veggie boost, whole-wheat flour stands in for prepared biscuit mix, and sharp Cheddar adds flavor. Serve these sausage balls for brunch, as an appetizer, or mix them with your favorite marinara for dinner.

Serve these mini sausages at your next cocktail party or tailgate.

Taco seasoning mix gives this fruit and nut popcorn snack south-of-the-border sizzle.

Throw cinnamon, cloves, apple cider, and cranberry-raspberry juice into a slow cooker to make this easy and tasty berry-apple cider.

With some foil and a cast-iron skillet, this Tex-Mex favorite cooks up easily on your next camping trip. Simply pack the seasoned chicken (Step 2) and prepped peppers and onions in sealed bags in the cooler.

Perk up any appetizer buffet or antipasto tray with these tempting mushrooms brimming with broccoli, feta cheese, garlic, and oregano.

Who knew you could make your own healthier homemade version of this craveable treat? And it tastes just as good.

Serve these baked appetizer wings for a party. The prep is quick: buying frozen chicken wing drumettes saves you having to split the wings yourself.

For a fall open house, make this beef chili in the slow cooker. As guests arrive, set out chips and cheese and let them help themselves to a bowl.