Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Super Bowl, Snacks and those Budweiser Puppies

Super Bowl time!

At my school this week, we're having our annual SOUP-er Bowl food drive. Each student dresses in favorite team colors or jerseys and they each bring in a can of soup to be donated to the local food pantry. I love this way of turning a national sporting event into something that will help people.

I wish I could send along some of the wonderful, hearty soups we've featured here at the cafe.

 Okay, so it's Super Bowl time for real this weekend. In our house, the mourning has finally lifted. I think my husband is secretly relieved he doesn't have to go through the nerves of his team playing. My daughter bought theater tickets for the two of them to see a play he's been really wanting to attend. She accidentally bought them for Super Bowl Sunday. That could have been a disaster DISASTER, but it all worked out in the end. He can see the matinee and then come home and watch the game..
I mentioned in comments a week or so ago, that I rarely have to make football snacks because nerves keep hubby from eating during the game. But everyone else will be eating so I thought I'd see if I could round up some healthy variations rather than the ones that leave you needing a week at the spa beginning Monday morning. I read a quote that said the average American eats a day's worth of calories during the game!!!

First up -

PopSugar.com has a recipe for Black Bean Hummus. With garlic, jalapeno, and tahini added to the black beans, there should be enough heat for even the most diehard snacker. Serve it with crackers or pita crisps.

Spicy Garbanzo Beans - I've seen these sold in bags at the store, but this is a "super" easy healthy recipe. All you have to do is rinse and drain a can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), toss them with the spice mixture, and bake for about 30 minutes.

A Spinach Dip that also uses watercress (Super healthy) and subsitutes Greek Yogurt for sour cream. If you want to really get carried away, there's a recipe for flaxseed crackers too.

Maybe you're looking for something sweet? One of my favorite recipe sites - Oh She Glows, has an amazing recipe for Almond Butter Dip (almond butter, maple syrup cinnamon - just imagine dipping apple slices into this at halftime)






How about making your own trail mix? Here are some recipes for

  • Cashews, dried cherries, and dark chocolate chips
  • Almonds, walnuts, dried apricots, dried cranberries, and milk chocolate chips
  • Roasted almonds, dried ginger, and bittersweet chocolate chips
  • Almonds, sunflower seeds, spicy wasabi peas, curry powder, and coconut flakes
  • Pecans, raisins, dried figs, and peanut butter chips


Okay, now can we talk commercials.

I am SO disappointed that Budweiser is not doing any more of the puppies. I've modeled two heroes after these ads. The Budweiser ones are my all time favorites.










What are yours?  If you want to post a youtube link I'll edit them into the main post.


And please feel free to share your healthy super bowl snacks!





Adding in Ruthy's commercials:



Mary Jane's videos:











13 comments:

  1. Yummy soup! I love all things soup-related.

    And I'd never seen any of those commercials so I clicked ont he first one and... had to laugh because the song at the end is "I'm Gonna be" by the Proclaimers. They're a Scottish band I first heard in France (someone dragged me to it because I'm Scottish, but I'd never heard of them), and then once in England, and then twice in the US. At first I thought I was hallucinating because the song was sooooo slow. But nope, someone has just done a very cool cover!

    Thanks for the flash back! And if anybody wants to hear the original (and be reminded that everything can be recycled into something new and beautiful) here's the link:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ4Ib-7fJqY

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    1. That's so cool, Mary! Thanks for sharing them. I always liked the song in that video, but I had no idea what it was.

      Now I'm going to be having it singing in my head all day. And that's a good thing!

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  3. haha! And now I see Imagine Dragons (another of my favorite bands) did a cover of their song when they toured Scotland. It's like the Scottish National anthem. LOL

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF563v8nkiw


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  4. I love these commercials so much!!! Here is one of my faves (complete with my ring tone, the theme from "Rocky"!!!!)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGx4E8w5VHg

    Love it!

    And of course the Born a Donkey one, how can you not love, love, love the persistence of this little guy????

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_td4usL5ZsA

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  5. Oh. Food. Forgot. I can't say we'll be eating healthy, but I've been eating healthy for weeks so I don't have to fret this weekend! We've got beef barbecue sandwiches (which are from Back in the Saddle)! And Skyline Chili Dip and Jello and crockpot meatballs (sweet and savory) and cheesy French fries (guaranteed heart attack on the spot, medics in attendance) and Ree Drummonds apple dumplings and trifle.... and punch! The kids love fancy punch!!!!

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    1. Oh, I'm coming to your house!

      Thanks for the commercial links. I added them in. I love those too! Anything having to do with horses and/or puppies works for me. I watched a lot of those videos for inspiration while I was writing Love by the Reins.

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  6. Oh, I love those puppy commercials. And the e-trade baby, though I don't think they do those anymore.

    Like Ruthy, I doubt we'll be eating healthy for the big game. In the past I've done build-your-own sub sandwiches, burgers, ribs, wings... Who knows what it'll be this year. We've been invited to two parties, though, so I'll need to come up with something.

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  7. Ohhhhh....I love these commercials but don't watch the super bowl so you've provided me with the best of super bowl Sunday right here. LOL I hadn't seen that second puppy one. Of course, I love all the animal commercials. And the donkey is hysterical...mind you the Dalmatian training the Clydesdale is pretty fun too. Hadn't seen those before either.

    So, no Super Bowl watching for me this weekend -- I'll be glued to Father Brown on PBS. :-) And I don't snack while watching TV but if I did it would probably be apple and cheese slices. Though that black bean hummus looks intriguing.

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  8. Here's my favorite of the ads that are left after everyone else chose my other favorites!

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsWKvtButwo

    The Budweiser commercial that always gets to me, is the 9/11 tribute.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-_qRS4Li7A

    Thanks for all the great snack ideas, Cate!

    Out here the game airs at supper time (and I end up missing half the game because of evening service at church), so overeating on that day isn't a problem! Finding time to fix supper, though - that's the problem. :)

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    1. Oh...I hadn't seen either of those. The 9/11 one has me teary eyed. And now I want to add Clydesdales to my dream farm which is already populated by miniature goats and cows and dwarf rabbits. Is that weird? I wonder if Clydesdales come in miniature?

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    2. LOL! I think those are called Shetland Ponies.

      (And I just had a vision of a Clydesdale snorting at that idea!)

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