The first quarter of game day is all about the dips. These dips are complex tasting, creamy, dreamy, and satisfying. They’re practically meals in themselves.

Registered Dietitian Michelle Dudash shares a few tasty recipes!

1. Guy-Approved Buffalo Chicken with Celery & Greek Yogurt Dip

The celery adds nutrients with very few calories, and yogurt replaces some of the cheese in the dip.
You can dip practically anything into this, like tortilla chips, red bell pepper strips, romaine hearts, or pretzels.

Each quarter cup is just 85 calories, 2 g carbs, and has 9 g protein. 

2. 7-Layer Bean Dip with Cumin and Chili

This dip is as healthy as eating a salad, but tastes like your indulging big time, with black beans, Greek yogurt, 

Each ½ cup serving delivers 3 g fiber, 7 g protein, and 16 g carbs.

3. Balance Out the Menu with Winter Fruit Platter    
This salad is a real crowd-pleaser, from babies to adults and everyone in between, and a welcome sweet and tart addition to the heavier fare that’s served on game day. Include all of the season’s bounty, including kiwi, oranges, red grapes and a sprinkling of pomegranate arils. You can get creative with red and green grapes, green or golden kiwi, and a variety of citrus like Cara Cara oranges, blood oranges and pummelos. 

To make the presentation really eye-catching, arrange the fruit on a wooden cutting board. This colorful salad provides fiber, potassium, vitamin C and other immune-boosting nutrients.

What you’ll need for an average-sized gathering: four oranges, four kiwi, one bag of grapes and one pomegranate. 

Learn more at www.dishwithdudash.com.

Guy-Approved Buffalo Chicken with Celery & Greek Yogurt Dip

From the book Clean Eating for Busy Families, Revised & Expanded, by Michelle Dudash, RDN

This recipe is one of my Buffalo-wing-loving, meat-eating husband’s favorites. The celery adds nutrients with very few calories, and yogurt replaces some of the cheese in the dip. It’s a perfect choice for game day, casual get-togethers, and cocktail parties. 

2 teaspoons (10 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium celery stalks, diced 
1/8 inch, or 3 mm (1½ cups, or 180 g)
3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts, divided 
1 tablespoon (9 g) minced garlic
2 (10-ounce, or 280 g) cans chunk chicken breast, drained (3 cups, or 420 g cooked, cubed)
1 cup (250 g) marinara sauce
3 tablespoons (45 ml) hot sauce (use 1/4 cup, or 60 ml, to make it spicier)
1 tablespoon (12 g) all-purpose seasoned salt
2 teaspoons (5 g) onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (115 g) avocado oil mayonnaise
2 cups (460 g) nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1¼ cups (145 g) shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese, divided
Whole-grain tortilla chips, carrot and celery sticks for dipping

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add celery, white parts of scallions, and garlic and cook gently for 5 minutes or until tender but not browned. Add chicken, marinara, hot sauce, seasoned salt, onion powder, paprika, and pepper; heat through. Stir in the mayonnaise. Reduce heat to low and add yogurt, 1 cup (115 g) of cheese, and half of the green parts of the scallions.

Pour the dip into a slow cooker on the low setting and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup (30 g) cheese on top. Cover and cook until hot, about 40 minutes. Garnish with remaining scallions and serve with chips, carrots, and celery.

RECIPE NOTE
You can finish heating this dip in a glass dish in the microwave instead of a slow cooker.

Total prep and cook time: 1 hour • yield: 20 servings, 1/4 cup (30 g) each 

Per serving: 84 calories; 4 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 9 g protein; 2 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber; 16 mg cholesterol.  

Cumin-Chili Spiced Seven-Layer Bean Dip
Have your seven-layer dip and eat it too, with significantly less saturated fat and calories and 

2 (14-ounce) cans seasoned black beans, drained
2 cups fat-free Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large avocado (or 2 small) 
4 cups well-drained fresh pico de gallo salsa (about 2 [8-ounce] containers)
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives
1 small fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced (or mild green chilies)
Baked whole-grain tortilla chips

Mash the beans in a 13 x 9-inch glass dish. Spread evenly with a rubber spatula. If using a clear dish, wipe down the sides with a paper towel. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, chili powder and cumin, and spread over the beans. Dice the avocados and sprinkle evenly over the yogurt. Sprinkle the pico de gallo on top of the avocados, followed by the cheese, olives and jalapeño. Cover and chill for a few hours before serving.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes

Makes 16 servings, 1/2 cup dip each  

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 110 calories, 3.5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 510 mg sodium, 5 mg cholesterol, 16 g total carbohydrate (3 g fiber), 7 g protein, 4% DV iron, 15% DV calcium, 8% DV Vitamin A, 10% DV Vitamin C.