It is that time of year again and if you are like most American households, you are preparing for Super Bowl weekend. And what is Super Bowl about besides football and commercials? Well, of course, food is always an important part of the weekend. Therefore, it is extremely important and often difficult to maintain a healthy plan for the evening. So just like the teams playing in the Super Bowl, you need a winning strategy to help you maintain your healthy goals for the year. Our plans for the weekend include: vegetables on your platter with yogurt or a cottage cheese dip; using extra-lean meat when making chili; using reduced fat cheese; offer water, fruit juice or light alcoholic beverages; and eat chicken tenders instead of wings. Some other helpful ideas include eating a small meal before going to the party, bringing a healthy snack yourself, using a small plate and pacing yourself while snacking.
Don’t forget that the Person County Extension Office is hosting a “movie night” this Friday at the Person County Office Building. The “movie” will be a documentary titled Hog Farmer: The Trials of Joey Carter. This documentary tells the story of a Duplin County, North Carolina hog farmer that found himself in the middle of a federal lawsuit involving some of the nation’s most ruthless lawyers and one of the world’s largest food companies. The doors will open at 6:00 pm and the movie will begin at 6:30pm. Admission is FREE, however there will be snacks and drinks available to purchase with any profits also going to the NC Agromedicine Institute.
Try the following recipe courtesy of Eating Well magazine. For more information on Food for Thought programs, check us out online or email jennifer.brown@ncsu.eduBlack Bean Salsa with Corn & Bell Pepper
– serves 16
2 tsp lime zest
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup canola oil
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp honey
¾ tsp salt
2 (15 oz) cans low-sodium black beans, rinsed
1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 (16oz) bag blue or yellow corn tortilla chips
Whisk together lime zest, lime juice, oil, cumin, honey, and salt in a large bowl. Gently stir in beans, corn, bell pepper, tomato, red onion, cilantro, scallions and jalapeño. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 days. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.
Nutrition Facts: 240 calories, 5g protein, 5g fiber, 3g sugar, 11g fat
