Big Game Appetizer and Dessert Recipes that Will Make You Go Wild

The Big Game is fast approaching and no matter which side you’re cheering for, whipping up delicious fare is usually a top priority for anyone hosting a party. So, while the warriors on the field face off, make sure you’re serving up touchdown worthy food. Here are five Wild Blueberry appetizer and dessert recipes that will liven up your party table.

Turkey Meatballs with Wild Blueberry BBQ Sauce
I’ve never met a meatball that I didn’t love. They seem to be an instant crowd pleaser and a truly classic party staple. Take ordinary meatballs to extraordinary with these Turkey Meatballs with Wild Blueberry BBQ Sauce. They can be made ahead of time and warmed up right before you’re ready to serve them. And, the unexpected delicious and tangy Wild Blueberry BBQ dipping sauce will certainly turn some heads. For Patriots fans, adding wild blues to the menu honors the GOAT who only eats fruits with anti-inflammatory properties. Wild Blueberries have twice the antioxidants of traditional blueberries and are considered a top inflammatory fruit.

Wild Blueberry Brie & Pastry Bites
Who doesn’t love cheese? These Wild Blueberry Brie Bites are easy to make and the combination of crispy pastry, rich brie, and the not-too-sweet Wild Blueberry sauce really makes for the perfect appetizer. You can bake them ahead of time and reheat them right before serving without sacrificing flavor or texture. The Wild Blueberry sauce is super simple to make, too. Just simmer the frozen Wild Blueberries with a touch of maple syrup and some festive spices, and you’re good to go. After about 10 minutes, you’ve got yourself a tasty Wild Blueberry sauce that’s super healthy. Wild Blueberries are rich in antioxidants that provide heart, brain, and anti-aging benefits. That’s something not many appetizers can boast.

Simple Wild Blueberry Salsa
Chips and salsa grace most party tables so give your salsa a wild twist and make this simple Wild Blueberry Salsa. It’s refreshing and delicious and features two of our favorite freezer items: frozen Wild Blueberries and frozen corn. Wild Blueberries are frozen at the peak of harvest locking in their taste and nutrition. Add crunchy, colorful red bell peppers, green onion, fresh cilantro, lime juice and zest, and some common spices, and this sweet and savory salsa will have everyone dipping.

Mini Wild Blueberry Cakes
These Mini Wild Blueberry Cakes with Vanilla Icing are small in size but big in flavor and are sure to be a party favorite. These perfectly proportioned single serve little cakes filled with Wild Blueberries burst with vibrant color and pack in amazing blueberry flavor. And even though this little treat looks indulgent and decadent, this recipe includes Greek yogurt, which adds a delicious creaminess and reduces the amount of butter in the recipe.

Wild Blueberry & Walnut Blondies
Americans love brownies, but we’ve fallen in love with blondies, especially this Wild Blueberry & Walnut Blondie. This simple recipe may just become an All-American favorite because it has limited ingredients, is easy to whip up, and requires a single pan. The sweet and tangy taste of the Wild Blueberries and the nutty flavor of the Walnuts pairs wonderfully. And while your guests enjoy this delicious treat, they’ll also benefit from the antioxidant-rich Wild Blueberries, which provide heart, brain, and anti-aging benefits, and the walnuts, which are a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and an excellent source of those hard to find omega-3 fatty acids. Cut them into single-serve squares and let them eat cake, I mean blondies!

Enjoy the Game!

Never Go Hungry: The Real Secret to Healthy Weight Loss

Watching your weight? If “calories-in, calories-out” is your mantra, try changing up your food routine and start repeating the real secret to maintaining a healthy weight: Eat more.

Truth is, you gotta snack in order to feel full.

According to Skinny Cook Allison Fishman, “Eat more!” is the best advice you can get when it comes to weight loss. Why? Because we’re usually packing on pounds not because our breakfast is too big, but because we overeat after 5:00.

If you’re snacking on anything that fits effectively into your mouth when the clock strikes the dinner hour, it’s probably because you didn’t get an adequate amount of calories during the day.

Fishman recommends adding a do-not-miss mid-afternoon snack to your day – 200 calories or so – and if you need it, one mid-morning as well. The key is eliminating blood sugar crashes, providing yourself with consistent energy, and not inhaling food after five out of pure starvation.

Eating small portions throughout the day also helps increase metabolism, keeps the brain out of the late-day fog, and helps us avoid temptation for things we would ordinarily shun (think donuts in the snack room) if we were properly fed.

So start a brand new weight loss mantra: Never go hungry. You may see the pounds start to fall off. Plus, you won’t be distracted by that annoying rumbling sound anymore.

6 Tips for Vigorous Snacking for the Skinny-to-be:

1. Get a serving. Maybe it’s a fruit or veggie serving, maybe it’s a healthy fish serving. Either way, snacking is a ready-made way to fill the gaps in your nutrition. Fishman keeps crisp bread with smoked salmon and herbs around for a mini gourmet snack that replaces a bulky bagel – under and buck and 45 calories.

2. Eat brain food. If you’re having a snack, choose one that’s good for your brain. Berries, for example, improve blood flow and keep small blood vessels working efficiently, allowing for better brain health and performance. Studies show that rats that eat blueberries get through their mazes quicker and have a higher level of regenerating cells in their brains – just what we need to combat mid-day human slumps.

3. Pack your own. Buying those 100 calorie snacks that come in mini packages is a sure way to hike up your food bill. Forget the packages: make you own by cutting fresh veggies, bringing yogurt or packaging your own leftovers in your own moderate size bag, box or wrap. Keeping full throughout the day requires some planning ahead, so do the 3-step snack shuffle – shop, prepare, and package – every day.

4. Combine it. Combining foods that work well together can make your snack life more interesting and more satisfying. Carrots and hummus or apples and a cheese wedge or teaspoon of peanut butter can keep you from chewing bare celery all day and feeling deprived as a result. Having herbs at the ready (dill, basil, cilantro), using citrus (a squeeze of lemon or lime on salads, fruits and proteins), and sprinkling coarse salt on your homemade snacks can rev up your taste buds and turn boring into gourmet.

5. Get creative. Step away from the bird seed, and get yourself an eating well handbook to enrich your meal planning ideas and jazz up your snacking. In You Can Trust a Skinny Cook, Allison Fishman offers up yummy Parmesan Twists for 97 calories per serving, and fabulous Stuffed Mushrooms for 107. Check out her “Something to Munch” section for tons of easy recipes that turn deprivation into a thing of the past.

6. Check your portions. It’s an equation that works: eating during the day means cutting portions at the end of the day. And whether it’s a mid-day snack or dinner blow out, you may not have to eat as much as you currently are. Gimmicks like smaller plates, putting you main course on your salad plate (and your salad on your entrée plate) or immediately cutting your meal in half and saving it for tomorrow’s lunch can provide the crutch you need to understand what your stomach really needs…and what it doesn’t so much. Life, like lunch, is long…you can always eat later.

Get the last word on snacking from the Mayo Clinic’s How Snacks Fit Into Your Diet Plan.

Try these 30 Healthy Snacks from Self magazine.