When family and friends gather together to watch the big game, I recommend loading up the table with a variety of easy-to-grab, flavorful appetizers for a winning plan. But casual food and good times doesn’t have to mean greasy food and processed snacks. Start with this healthy, but flavorful Buffalo Wing Dip and build a hearty platter from there.
Here are some more tips to keep your gathering light and delicious:
- Get Adventurous with Veggies – A tailgating scene can seem overwhelming for those who don’t want to splurge all their day’s calories, so be sure to have lots of fresh, crunchy vegetables on hand. Start with your standard dippers for this Buffalo Wing Dip – like sliced carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and cucumbers – or score big with unique vegetable dipper options – like snap peas, asparagus spears and radishes. If completely raw isn’t your thing, hearty vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower can be blanched (boiled for just 1 to 2 minutes then quickly chilled).
- Serve Delightful Dippers – Potato and tortilla chips go hand-in-hand with tailgating festivities, but there is a new generation of snacks to choose from. For a Mediterranean touch, go with flatbread, pita bread or pita chips. Instead of plain old rounds, opt for more texture with multi-grain crackers that include raw flax, chia or sesame seeds. You an even look for veggie chips or paleo almond or flax crackers.
- Offer Variety – A large spread of dippers calls for a wide assortment of scrumptious dips. As an alternative to sour cream or cheese-based dips – which are loaded with fat, preservatives and dairy – serve up the delicious hummus dip below (shared with us by Sabra Hummus) along with some salsa, dairy-free guacamole, and tapenade.
Special Diet Notes & Options: Buffalo Wing Dip
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian. But choose your hummus wisely! Some varieties do have cheese, pine nuts or other allergens added.
For soy-free buffalo wing dip, know that some brands of hummus, such as Sabra, do use soybean oil.
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup plain hummus (such as Sabra Classic Hummus)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, tomato, mustard, garlic, onion, and paprika.
- Add the hummus and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Serve with wings or some of the vegetarian dipper ideas in the post above.
