Healthy tailgating fare will score with fans

Black-bean veggie burgers and spicy chicken lettuce wraps may not be typical tailgating fare, but they're worth considering if you're focused on a healthier lifestyle.

That's one of the messages delivered to participants in a "Healthy Tailgating" class, presented recently by the University of Tennessee Heart Lung Vascular Institute in Knoxville, Tenn.

It was served with a dose of reality.

"Numbers are very important in a game of football. In the game of health, numbers are important, too. To have a winning team you need to lead a healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition," said Jane Kelly, a registered nurse at the institute.

To drive the message home, each guest received a packet including a host of numbers.

For instance, a body-mass-index chart shows the weight progression from normal to overweight to obese to extreme obesity. It got the guests' attention.

So did the pamphlet on blood profiles that listed ideal numbers for cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and blood pressure.

But the class wasn't all about numbers. Enticing aromas and rich flavors were also involved.

UT Medical Center chef Monty Lowans and assistant David Depukat prepared black-bean veggie burgers, steak fajitas and spicy chicken lettuce wraps for guests to sample while Kelly, and Janet Seiber, registered dietitian for the institute, discussed healthy eating habits.

Rounding out the menu were white chicken chili, Monty's pico de gallo with baked tortilla chips, pumpkin spice cupcakes and orange punch made with a 50/50 formula of diet V8 Splash Tropical Blend and Sierra Mist Free.

To highlight ways of cutting calories, Lowans shaped the veggie burgers into mini-sliders - servings of about 2 ounces instead of the traditional 4. Homemade buns were made from Rich's frozen bread dough.

"It's important to offer smaller servings when tailgating, because we just eat on and on," Kelly said.

Fresh vegetables also are welcome, Seiber said. They're "a nice alternative for those watching carbs."

Seiber and Kelly talked about alcohol consumption, stressing its extra calories. "I don't know about you, but I'd rather save my calories for something sweet," Seiber said.

Lowan shares these recipes.

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into -inch cubes

3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and chopped

3 green onions, chopped

⅓ cup dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

½ head iceberg lettuce, separated into whole leaves

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook about 3 minutes or until no longer pink inside, stirring frequently. Stir in hot pepper sauce, soy sauce and sugar; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add water chestnuts and cook 2 minutes. Add green onions and cook 2 minutes more. For each wrap, spoon mixture onto a lettuce leaf. Wrap lettuce to enclose filling.

Serves 12.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per two-wrap serving: 98 calories, 4 gs fat (1 g saturated), 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 82 mg sodium.

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

2 cups black beans, drained

1½ cups cooked brown rice (Success boil in a bag is recommended)

⅛ toasted walnuts

¼ cup roasted red peppers

1 medium onion, diced

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons basil, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 cloves garlic, roasted

½ habanero pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)

1 tablespoon cumin

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine first group of ingredients in a food processor and coarsely chop. Shape mixture into burgers no larger than 4 ounces each.

Heat olive oil in skillet over high heat. Transfer burgers to skillet and brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per 4-ounce burger: 200 calories, 3 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 34 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 250 mg sodium.

Tailgate Fajitas

1 pound flat-iron steak or boneless, skinless chicken breast (or pound of each)

1 bottle (12 ounces) Mrs. Dash Mesquite Grille 10-Minute Marinade (divided)

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 cups raw vegetable strips (onion, bell pepper, zucchini and/or mushrooms)

8 (6-inch) fat-free flour tortillas

Toppings

Fat-free sour cream

No-added-salt canned tomatoes

Salsa

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Fresh avocado, sliced

Place meat in shallow glass or other nonreactive dish. Pour in ¾ cup of the marinade, reserving the rest. Marinate 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat grill.

Transfer meat to hot grill, discarding marinade from dish. Grill steak or chicken to desired degree of doneness (juices should run clear when chicken is poked with a fork).

Cut meat diagonally across the grain into thin strips. Place vegetables on aluminum foil over grill rack or in nonstick skillet, cooking until tender. Drizzle reserved marinade over vegetables while cooking.

Arrange chicken, beef and vegetables on serving platter. Wrap tortillas in foil and warm on grill. Serve fajitas with toppings of choice. Serves four.

Recipe nutrition:Approximate values per 2 fajitas: 350 calories, 10 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 250 milligrams sodium, 35 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber.