Who else loves a good March Madness watch party? I know I do! The best part of a watch party is probably the snacks, but many of the wings and dips are not the healthiest choice to make. Unhealthy food choices can exacerbate conditions, such as gout or diabetes, and lead to complications with your feet.
However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the game day snacks. There are plenty of healthy options out there that still taste great. Here are three great healthy options by Bobby Parrish on flavcity.com for your March Madness appetizers!
1) Spiced Chickpeas
Ingredients:
- 1 can of unsalted chickpeas/garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Olive oil
Instructions:
- Place the chickpeas on a paper towel and thoroughly pat dry
- Place the beans in a bowl and add the olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and mix well.
- Pre-heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the beans to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often
- Once the chickpeas are golden brown and the spices have formed a crust, they are done
- Take off heat and transfer to a bowl for serving
- You can store the chickpeas in a Tupperware container at room temperature for 3 days
2) Guacamole
Ingredients:
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 1-2 limes
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onions
- 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro or parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
- Add the chopped red onions to a small bowl and squeeze over the juice of 1 lime, allow it to sit for 10-20 minutes
- Scoop the avocados into a bowl and immediately squeeze over a little lime juice, this will prevent the avocados from turning brown
- Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl along with the red onions that have been drained from the lime juice
- Use a potato masher and mash until you get a chunky monkey consistency
- Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly
To store the guacamole, immediately place a layer of plastic wrap over the top, making sure it is flush with the top of the guacamole so no air is in-between. The guacamole will keep in the fridge for 3 days and can’t be frozen.
3) Buffalo Cauliflower
Ingredients for Cauliflower:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or rice flour
- 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder & onion powder
- 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin & smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- A couple cracks fresh black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1 head of cauliflower cut in large bite-sized florets
Ingredients for buffalo sauce:
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil or unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sriracha sauce or any hot sauce you like
- Zest of half a lime
- Juice of half a lime
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
- For the cauliflower, pre-heat the oven to 425 F degrees and spray a sheet pan with cooking spray
- Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well
- Add the water to the bowl and whisk well, adding more water until the consistency is loose and slightly runny
- Add one-third of the cauliflower to the batter and coat evenly
- Shake off all excess batter and place cauliflower on the greased sheet pan
- Repeat with remaining cauliflower and bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust has become solid
- Meanwhile, make the buffalo sauce by adding all the ingredients to a small pot set over medium heat
- Cook for five minutes and whisk a few times so everything comes together
- Check for seasoning, you will probably need to add a little more honey to balance out the spice
- Take cauliflower out of the oven and place in a large bowl
- Pour over enough buffalo sauce to coat the cauliflower and toss to combine, adding more sauce if necessary
- Place back on the sheet pan and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the coating is set
- Remove from oven and set aside. Store the cauliflower bites in the fridge for up to 3 days, you can’t freeze them