Three Simple, Fun Tailgating Ideas

The air is getting crisp and that means baseball playoffs are coming, but Saturdays and Sundays are now reserved for football!  With the plethora of outdoor sports, that only means one thing for fans: Tailgating. I recently did a segment on The Daily Buzz national morning TV show talking about three easy tailgating ideas.  Watch it here!

Snacking is the name of the game. No tailgating party is complete without chips and dip--but choose wisely. Make sure to read the nutrition label. Frito-Lay chips like these Lays potato chips are made with just simple ingredients: Potatoes, healthier oils like corn and sunflower, and salt. They’re also a great vehicle for getting in those veggies and extra protein with healthier dips. Instead of cheesy or creamy dips, opt for Avocado Hummus!

Nuts are another necessity at any tailgate! Go with Pistachios!  Pistachios offer more nuts per one-ounce serving compared to other snack nuts. With pistachios you get a whopping 49 nuts! Compare that to a measly 18 cashews for the same serving size. Pistachios are known as the “skinny nut” because they’re one of the lowest fat, lowest calorie nuts. Snacking on in-shell pistachios also slows you down, and you have a visual cue about portion size that can promote mindful eating. Wonderful pistachios are fun to open and great for sharing! 

Watch sugar calories with new Nectresse Natural No Calorie Sweetener. It’s an all-natural, zero calorie sweetener made from the goodness of real fruit--monk fruit extract--a small green melon from southeast Asia. Nectresse can be used in cooking and baking and almost anywhere sugar is used. It dissolves quickly and naturally so it can be used in your favorite sweet and savory recipes. For recipes or to request a free sample, go to www.nectresse.com

Perfect for any tailgate: Cinnamon Hot Chocolate and BBQ sauce for wings, two “touchdown” receipes for your tailgate using Nectresse.

BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (5 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

1 tablespoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup Nectresse Natural No Calorie Sweetener 

Instructions

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic with olive oil until soft. Reduce heat to low and add all other ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Barbeque sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days. For best results, let the sauce to chill overnight before use.