Wellness Wednesday with Lauren: Guiltless Appetizers for Super Bowl Sunday

I do not celebrate Super Bowl Sunday, but many of my friends and relatives do celebrate this event as a national holiday.  I do however, go to many a party where afterwards I suffer from "should-have-worn-spanx" syndrome, and I feel I've gained at least 5 pounds.  So, I can only imagine how much tempting food is available at your Super Bowl party of choice, and how guilty you might feel afterwards.  If you have the option of bringing your own appetizer or hosting your own Super Bowl party, below are guiltless appetizers you can feel good about serving and eating.

Hummus with Carrots and Celery:

Ingredients:
-  2 cans of chickpea/garbonzo beans
-  Water leftover from 1 of the cans of beans
-  4 cloves garlic, whole
-  Optional: 1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste) 
-  4 tablespoons of olive oil, more or less depending on how thick you like your hummus
-  Juice from 1 lemon
-  Onion Powder, to taste
-  Black Pepper, to taste
-  Salt, to taste

Directions:
1.  Blend all ingredients together (I recommend to blend, stir, blend, stir, etc.).
2.  To eat, dip carrots or celery stalk in hummus.

Buffalo Chicken Strips:
Ingredients:
-  1 lb chicken, cut into bit-size strips
-  Frank's hot sauce (or other hot sauce of choice)
-  Medium-to-lage carton of reduced-fat sour cream
-  Ranch dressing mix

Directions:
1.  Toss chicken strips in hot sauce.
2.  Bake chicken strips in oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
3.  In a separate bowl, mix carton of reduced-fat sour cream with 1 packet of ranch dress mix.   Continue adding sour cream and/or ranch dressing mix to taste.
4.  To eat, dip individual chicken strips in sour cream sauce.

Asparagus with Lemon Dill dip:
Ingredients:
-  Bundle or two of fresh asparagus
-  1 cup low-fast mayonnaise
-  1/4 cup buttermilk
-  2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill leaves
-  1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
-  1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
-  2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
-  1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:
1.  Blanch a bundle or two of fresh asparagus by quickly boiling and then placing the asparagus stalks in ice cold water. 
2.  Combine all other ingredients in a bowl and stir well.  Refrigerate until chilled. 
3.  To eat, dip stalks of asparagus into lemon dill dip.

I hope you attempt these healthy appetizers at your next party!

XOXO,

Gossip Girl.... I mean, Lauren