Winter Game Day Recipes: Alternative Snacks to Enjoy this Winter

Nothing quite beats sitting down to watch your favorite team live, with your favorite snack in hand.

For most of us, we have a wide variety of choices on offer when it comes to game day, and the nutritional benefit, or lack thereof, is often the last thing that comes to our minds.

For those who have a food sensitivity, however, their choices are much more limited.

Fast food is often the first port of call for sports fans – easy, quick and usually tasty. However, with the bulk of these items containing gluten and dairy, this poses a problem for those who have a food sensitivity.

Luckily, there are homemade alternatives available to make sure you don’t miss out!

We worked with our expert nutritionist, Sal Hanvey, to provide four delicious alternative recipes for American classics for you to enjoy on gameday this winter.

1. Vegan Nachos

Total prep and cooking time: 20 minutes

Storage Info: the following to be stored in a refrigerator in air-tight containers:

• Sour cream lasts 5 days
• Salsa lasts 5 days
• Guacamole lasts 2-3 days

Guacamole ingredients and method:

• In a bowl, take 2 avocados and smash them with ¼ cup lemon juice and some salt
• Add a few chopped cherry tomatoes
• Add 1 spring onion and 1 small red onion or shallot
• Add 2-3 garlic cloves crushed
• Add ½ tsp chilli powder
• Add 1 small red or green pepper
• Add 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
• Add pepper to season
• Stir and set aside

Salsa ingredients and method:

• Put 3 large tomatoes in a jug
• Add ¼  cup olive oil
• Add ½ red onion- chopped
• Add 1 spring onion – chopped
• Add salt and pepper
• Add small bunch fresh parsley
• Add ¼ cup lemon juice
• Add 1-3 jalapeños depending on level of heat
• Blitz in hand blender, set aside

Vegan sour cream ingredients and method:

• ¾ cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 6 hours
• ½ cup non dairy yoghurt unsweetened
• ¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ tsp kosher salt – add more to taste
• Mix all of the above ingredients together and season to taste.

Nachos Method:

• Drain and rinse the cashews.
• Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender (start with the yogurt and lemon juice).
• Blend on high until creamy and smooth.
• Spoon your salsa and guacamole onto your favorite plain tortilla chips with extra jalapenos (optional)
• Add vegan cheese and grill for a few moments to melt and warm through and drizzle on some vegan sour cream and serve.

2. Free-From Potato Salad

Total prep and cooking time: 1 hour

Storage Info – To be stored in the refrigerator in air-tight containers for five days.

Potato ingredients and method:

• 3 large potatoes: to be peeled, chopped, and cut into cubes
• Boil in a large saucepan for 15-20 mins until cooked (but not turned to mush).
• Cut 3 shallots and a handful of fresh parsley and mix in a bowl and set aside.

Mayonnaise ingredients and method:

Put all of the following ingredients in a deep container or jug:

• 4 tbsp of AquaFaba, (chickpea water)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of sugar or alternative
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 cup of sunflower oil and 60ml of olive oil.

Potato Salad Method

• Blend with a hand blender, making sure to keep it blending at the bottom until the mix starts to form, and then gradually lifting up while mixing until you get the desired consistency. 
• Add a few heaped tablespoons of mayo to your potatoes and mix in your shallot and parsley mix.
• It’s that simple – enjoy!

3. Gluten-Free Corn Dog

Total prep and cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients (Serves 8 people):

• 1 cup of gluten free corn flour
• ½ cup gluten free oat flour
• ½ cup rice flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg, room temp
• 1 tbsp maple syrup honey
• 8 hot dogs, for example, Beef
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil or similar for frying

Method:

• Preheat 3 inches of cooking oil to 350°F in a large pot. You may need to use a thermometer to check this. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and line it with paper towels.
• Prepare the hot dogs by drying off excess moisture. Slide a 6-8 inch wooden skewer through one side of the hot dog until about halfway up.
• Mix together all flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Whisk the egg into the measuring cup with the buttermilk.
• Pour the buttermilk mix and the honey or maple into the dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth.
• The batter should be thick and should have a thick consistency.                         
• Pour the batter into a tall jug and dip your hot dogs into the mixture. 
• When the oil is ready, drop the skewered hot dog into the batter, cover completely and swirl it as you lift it out of the mixture.
• The entire hot dog should be covered in the batter.
• Place the corn dog into the hot oil, and fry for 3-4 minutes turning the corn dog, until golden brown all around.
• Transfer the corn dog to the paper towel to cool slightly,
• Cook 2-3 corn dogs at a time, checking the temperature of the oil
• Serve warm with ketchup or mustard or condiment of choice.

4. Vegetarian Buffalo Wings

Total prep and cooking time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:

• Vegetable/ rapeseed oil
• Half a large cauliflower cut into florets
• ¼ cup plain flour
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp milk of choice
• ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup hot sauce
• ¼ tsp oil/ butter

Method:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Spray florets with oil spray/ toss with a little vegetable oil. 
• Place in a large bowl and mix with the flour and garlic powder.
• If using the Panko breadcrumbs, for extra texture, crush finely. 
• Add the milk and then the breadcrumbs to the cauliflower and mix well.
• Place pieces on a baking tray and cook in the center of the oven for 20 minutes approximately.
• Combine the oil/melted butter with the hot sauce of choice.
• Dip cauliflower in the sauce.
• Bake for another 15 minutes.
• Serve with a ranch dressing or similar.

Commenting on the recipes, Sal added:

“Those who have a food sensitivity are often forgotten about or ignored when it comes to offering a range of snacks at venues or at game nights at home. It’s not hard to imagine why many feel like they need to go without.

“Whether you have a food sensitivity or not, these are tasty snacks you can take with you on the go and the vegetarian buffalo wings alone have the potential to be the next family favorite.

“These recipes are tasty alternatives to some of our fast food favorites and make sure those with a food sensitivity aren’t left waiting on the sidelines on game day.”