Game Day Foods

By Janine Faber, MEd, RD, LD, Registered Dietitian and President of Janine Faber Nutrition, LLC

The chill in the air reminds me that it’s the time of year for gathering friends and family to celebrate our favorite teams! Mix up the traditional game day fare with some fun and flavorful seafood options. With so many different seafood items to choose from, there are numerous creative ways to include them in your spread.
 
When I host family and friends at our house, I look for foods that I can easily prepare in advance or ones that have short cooking times. I don’t want to spend the whole game in the kitchen or by the grill. Seafood is a great option! It really is a ‘fast food’ in that it cooks up quickly and is so versatile. And the quick cooking aspect is perfect for tailgating. Try some of these ways to include the lean protein of seafood in your game day foods:

1. Dips – include a simple crab or shrimp dip. Dips are great for game day as they can be made a day in advance and are easy to transport if heading to a tailgate. Serve with veggies or whole grain crackers.
2. Kebabs – slide shrimp on skewers and top next to the burgers on the grill. The grill adds so much flavor and grilling is a healthy way to prepare seafood.
3. Sliders – offer a variety of sliders including crab and salmon options.
4. Jambalaya – instead of chili, serve warm jambalaya made with shrimp and other seafood.
5. Finger foods – finger foods are always a hit. The Jumbo Marinated Shrimp is a delicious go-to option that you can make the day before. Using herbs reduces the sodium while adding a punch of delicious flavor. If you don’t have time for the original version, check out the quick version.

 
Celebrate with us! Seafood Nutrition Partnership is partnering with House Party to host 250 seafood-themed events on September 30th and continue the celebration in to October. Follow #SeafoodParty to see all the fun festivities!
 
For more seafood information and to take the Healthy Heart Pledge, visit seafoodnutrition.org/ind. As a Seafood Nutrition Partnership Indianapolis coalition member, I want to remind you to mark your calendar for the Healthy Heart Summit on Thursday, October 12th in Indianapolis. 

Jumbo Marinated Shrimp
Makes 10 appetizer servings
 
1 cup dry white wine or low sodium broth
1 t. mustard seeds
2 bay leaves
1 lemon, halved
2 pounds shrimp, 12-16 count, shelled, deveined, tails left on
3 T. fresh basil, chopped
3 T. fresh dill, chopped
1 T. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 T. fresh tarragon, chopped
1 T. fresh thyme, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. Dijon mustard
¼ cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
 
Directions:

1. Combine wine/broth, mustard seeds, bay leaves and lemon in a 4-quart pan. Add water to fill pan ¾ full. Heat to boiling. Add shrimp and cook over high heat until done, about 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain and cool.
2. Combine basil, dill, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, garlic, mustard and lemon juice in a large bowl. In a very slow, steady stream, whisk in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. It should take 2-3 minutes to whisk in all the oil. The dressing should be thick and creamy.
3. Place cooked shrimp in Ziplock bag and add herbed oil. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 36 hours. Serve with toothpicks.

 
Tip: Can be refrigerated for 36 hours.
 
Adapted from: Debbie Spangler, Certified Personal Chef of Yummy~issimo! www.yummyissimo.com
 
Jumbo Marinated Shrimp – Quick Version
Short on time? Try this expedited version that will take 10 minutes or less!
Makes about 50 pieces
 
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined
1 T. dried basil
1 T. dried dill
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. dried tarragon
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 lemons, juiced
1 cup olive oil
 
Directions:

1. Place shrimp in a large Ziplock bag.
2. Combine basil, dill, rosemary, tarragon, garlic, mustard and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil and continue whisking until emulsion occurs. Pour herbed oil over shrimp and refrigerate at least 3 hours.  Serve with toothpicks.

 
Adapted from: Debbie Spangler, Certified Personal Chef of Yummy~issimo! www.yummyissimo.com

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