The countdown is on to Superbowl LVIII! You’ll find it this Sunday, February 11th, on CBS at 4:30pm MST or streaming on Paramount+. Some of you have your pizza order ready or maybe the Instapot prepped for those tangy buffalo sliders, but if you have a vegetarian in the house, like this mom does, making delicious and hearty pre-game snacks, or any meal of the week, can be a challenge.
I’ll preface by saying, I’m not a trained cook in any manner or form, but today, this North Metro Woman will get a little personal with some tips I’ve discovered in my journey of cooking for a vegetarian. In this case, my daughter is also dairy-free, so add that into the mix, and you’ve got to put on your creative hat to get some delicious protein on the plate. That being said, here’s what’s snackin’ for Superbowl Sunday in my house…
Asian Lettuce Wraps – Obviously, there are a variety of lettuce wrap recipes you can follow on-line. I often make up my own with the veggies on hand or do a copycat version of PF Chang’s. My favorite copycat is by Damn Delicious with a little more more ginger added (because we love it), added crushed peanuts (we’re not allergic), and sauteed teriyaki baked tofu instead of chicken. Teriyaki baked tofu can be found at Broomfield’s Whole Foods, Sprouts or Boulder’s Trader Joes. You can marinate your own tofu as well, but we really like the flavor of this one and the firm texture holds up at high heat. This recipe is also great paired with a side of udon noodles or jasmine rice, instead of lettuce, for an easy weeknight dinner.
Homemade hummus with roasted red peppers and pine nuts – Clearly, we are not allergic to nuts in our house, but if you are, just omit those little guys. If you keep them in, you’ll notice that they add a really rich flavor to the hummus. I roast about a cup beforehand as that amazing aroma makes my house smell all piney and warm, and the flavor reminds me so much of childhood. After you’ve roasted the pine nuts and snacked on half;), you’ll blend them in the food processor with two tablespoons of virgin olive oil, a couple of cans of garbanzo beans, a good squeeze of lemon, roasted and chopped red peppers and a large clove of fresh minced garlic. That’s it – season with salt and paprika to taste.
I serve this on a platter with pita bread, cucumbers, carrots, and jicama sticks. It’s always a hit and full of delicious protein. This can also be boxed for lunches any day of the week.
Impossible Spicy Nuggets with honey mustard (or ketchup) – This takes zero prep. You literally put them in the toaster oven at 350 for about 10 minutes (flipping half way). We discovered Impossible nuggets at Boulder’s Trader Joes, but you can find them almost anywhere. Honestly, they taste very similar to McDonald’s nuggets and may have similar sodium content, so it’s NOT my healthiest tip for vegetarians, BUT it’s tasty and it definitely fits in the “football food” category. Even our household meat-eaters approve and dig in before the girls can eat them all up. Impossible Nuggets also make a non-spicy version if you don’t like the heat.
Homemade guacamole with sweet potato tortilla chips– Now I debated giving out this recipe as I learned this from my mom when I was probably about 10, but she is a goddess with a heart of gold, so if you like it, you have her to thank. We think it’s THE absolute bomb and it’s perfect to accompany tacos, enchiladas and pretty much any Mexican dish that comes out of the oven. To make it mash up three to four large avocados, squeeze in about a half of a lemon (yes, that much) , add about a teaspoon and a half of red chili flakes (depending on how spicy you like it), add one chopped green onion, sprinkle some garlic salt (we start with a half teaspoon), one can of diced mild Hatch green chili, add about 5-6 diced mini San Marzano tomatoes (or any kind you like), mix it ALL up and dig in with tortilla chips! We especially love the sweet potato flavor.
This may be a little spicier than what you get in restaurants or the grocery store, but it’s also a heck of a lot tastier – I promise! That’s it, I hope some of these make your vegetarian as happy as they make mine. For other suggestions, I also often refer to a cookbook entitled “Plant You” by Carleigh Bodrug. The cauliflower tacos are a staple.
And I’ve discovered many vegan and dairy free options from “Deliciously Ella”, by Ella Woodward. Try the chocolate coated stuffed dates – they are so sweet and easy and quite simply divine!
If you have some easy vegetarian favorites, we would LOVE to hear from you!
Your editor at North Metro Woman,
Gaylene Garcia Granger
