Blue Zones Game-Day Recipes
Looking for some healthy Super Bowl recipes that won’t leave you feeling “sacked”? Try out some of these fan favorites directly from the Blue Zones website. They are easy to make, delicious, and game-winning dishes that are also good for you.
Mushroom “Chorizo” Tacos
Mushrooms make a great filling for tacos and quesadillas because of their “meaty” and full flavor. The Mexican spices add a little bit of a kick to this easy and creative meal.
Yield: 6-8 tacos
Recipe by Juan Rodriguez, Blue Zones Project Fort Worth
Rodriguez is head chef and owner of Magdalena’s Catering and Events in Fort Worth, Texas.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb cremini mushrooms
½ yellow or red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1-2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
½ tablespoon cayenne
¼ cup cilantro
2 tablespoons white vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
- In a medium pan, heat on medium-high. Add ¼ cup olive oil. Saute mushrooms and cook until soft.
- Add onions and saute until onions are soft. Add garlic and mix.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir until all seasonings are well blended. You might need to add more spices depending on flavor preference.
- Finish with vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Put your mushroom “chorizo” on your favorite corn tortillas.
Note: Get creative with your toppings—from black beans and corn salsa, cabbage tossed in oil and lime juice to pickled carrots or tropical fruits like mango and pineapple.
BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
“Just grab a bun (or your favorite bread, toasted) and load it up with pulled jackfruit and your toppings of choice. We love adding shredded purple cabbage for crunch and color, plus red onion and tangy dill pickles. This also makes a tasty addition to a party platter (especially around football season). Just double or triple the batch of pulled jackfruit and get extra buns so there’s enough to share, because it’s guaranteed to be a hit.”
— Toni Okamoto & Michelle Cehn
Yield: 4 sandwiches
Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 5 minutes
Recipes from The Friendly Vegan Cookbook by Toni Okamoto from plantbasedonabudget.com and Michelle Cehn from worldofvegan.com.
INGREDIENTS
1 batch BBQ Pulled Jackfruit
1 cup finely shredded purple cabbage (or coleslaw, store-bought or from the recipe on page 162)
1 large red onion, finely sliced
Dill pickles, sliced, to taste
4 burger buns, toasted
PULLED JACKFRUIT INGREDIENTS
2 (20-oz) cans young green jackfruit, drained
1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
½ small red onion, diced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup vegan barbecue sauce
DIRECTIONS
- Assemble each sandwich with a large scoop of hot BBQ pulled jackfruit topped with cabbage or coleslaw, red onion, and pickles on a toasted bun. Devour immediately.
Notes: Some brands of buns get soggy really easily. If that’s a deal-breaker for you, try using a sturdier roll or ciabatta instead.
PULLED JACKFRUIT DIRECTIONS
- Using your fingers, pull apart the jackfruit pieces into shreds and remove all the tough pieces. Place the shreds and the oil in a medium pan
- Place the pan over medium-high heat and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 4 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent. Add the paprika and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Pour in the barbecue sauce and cook for 3 minutes. Serve hot.
Split Pea Guacamole
High in potassium and low in salt, avocados may help reduce blood pressure and the risk of stroke. Ounce for ounce, an avocado contains 30 percent more potassium than a banana, a dietary staple for many people with high blood pressure. Make a variation of the ever-popular guacamole dip by adding in split peas!
Source: Two Peas and Their Pod
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup dried split peas
- 3 cups water
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 ripe avocados cut in half, pit removed
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tbsp diced jalapeno
- 3 tbsp diced red onion
- 3/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- Tortilla chips, for serving
DIRECTIONS
- Rinse the split peas and place in a small pot. Add water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes. Drain excess water if necessary.
- Transfer the split pea mixture to a food processor or blender. Add the lime juice and puree until creamy.
- Transfer the pea mixture to a bowl and let cool.
- Scoop out the avocado flesh and place in a large bowl. Smash the avocados with a fork and stir in the split peas mixture, garlic, jalapeno, onion, and cilantro.
- Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
One Hour, Crowd-Feeding Chili
The longest-lived people in the world eat about a cup of beans per day. This easy, one hour chili is packed full of kidney beans and is a mild rendition, but can be spiced up with your favorite hot sauce or with the addition of jalapeños.
Yield: 10 servings
Note from OMD: The Simple, Plant-Based Program to Save Your Health, Save Your Waistline, and Save the Planet: Swapping out 1 pound 14 ounces of beef, you save about: 60 miles of driving, 2,324 square feet of land, and 3,202 gallons of water
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 large white onions, diced
3 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
3 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (42-ounce) container dairy free creamy tomato soup
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 (10-ounce) packages frozen vegetarian “beefy” crumbles, optional
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large (6-quart) cast-iron or enameled Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the vegetarian “beefy” crumbles, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the crumbles have thawed, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, soup, and chili powder.
- Stir well, transfer to oven, and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring every 30 minutes, until it cooks down to chili consistency.
