It’s that time of the year again when men across the country become infatuated with other men in tight pants who are apparently the best butt-slapping, man-wrestling, concussion-causing, chemically amped up participants in a “game” organized by a corporation league that extracts 9 billion dollars a year from the US economy.
For the rest of us, it’s an excuse to eat 9,000 calories, drink 9,000 more, marvel at the wizardry of Madison Avenue, and wonder if someone is going to get fined during the halftime show. Since Madonna is performing at this year’s game, I think it’s a safe bet that the FCC will be at least $250K richer by the end of the week! 😀
Gluten Free Beer
First up, be sure to check out our Gluten Free Beer Showdown for some honest opinions of the best (and not so much) tasting gluten-free brews.
Beer ain’t your thang?
Shirley has some great cocktail recipes over at Gluten Free Easily:
For my fellow winos
I recommend Frey Wines. Frey states on their website that they don’t use any animal or gluten-based fining agents, their wine doesn’t contain any added sulfites and they use only non-GMO yeast. And yes, they taste great too!
Super Bowl Ads
Hands down, my favorite Super Bowl ad in 2011 was Volkswagon’s The Force:
I think they may have topped themselves this year with The Bark Side:
I’m not sure how I feel about the remake of Ferris Beuller’s Day Off for Honda’s CR-V…well, other than OLD!
Now, this commercial is sure to be my personal favorite (but shhh, don’t tell Mike, LOL!). 😉
Gridiron Grub
My guys are especially excited for Sunday’s Super Bowl because last year, we were all on the Modified Elimination Diet (before flying out to California to see Dr. Vikki Petersen at HealthNOW Medical Center).
Yeah, we ate pancakes.
So while I am all about eating a healthy diet 99% of the time, there are those times when I just want to live it up a little. Afterall, it’s all about balance and I have found that (for me anyway), a little indulgence every once in a while goes a long way in helping me stay on track the rest of the time.
To help you navigate the following recipes, I’ve divided them up. The first category is full of recipes that are free of *most* of my family’s top offenders: gluten, dairy, eggs, soy and corn. There might be a recipe or two that contains corn but I added it anyway since I’m the only corn-free person in my family.
The second category are “just” gluten free recipes (Gluten Free 101 is a feature I added to my blog after my sister was recently diagnosed with celiac disease).
Gluten Free (and Allergen Friendly) Munchies
Sweet and Spicy Baked Chicken Wings
Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Hand Rolls
Gluten Free and Vegan “Wheat Thins”
Hold the Cheese! Jalapeno Poppers
Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Jicama Slaw
Easy Sweet and Salty Chocolate Bites
“Just” Gluten Free Munchies
Gluten Free Fried Mozzarella Sticks
Concession Stand Nachos, a.k.a. “Dude Food”
For this recipe there are a few ingredients that you will need to make sure are gluten free:
Chili Beans: Bush’s website states that their Chili Beans are now gluten free
Worcestershire Sauce: Lea & Perrins is gluten free
Bacon Bits: Hormel Bacon Bits, Pieces & Crumbles are gluten free (but I bet fresh bacon crumbles would taste much better!)
Beef Bouillon: Herb-Ox Beef Bouillon is gluten free
Beer: There are many gluten free beers available
Taco seasoning: Honestly, I’d recommend that you make your own taco seasoning, we happen to like this recipe (for those who avoid corn, sub the cornstarch with either arrowroot, tapioca starch or potato starch) and this recipe is good too (if you have little ones, you may want to scale back on the chili powder and crushed red pepper flakes a bit).
Bison Sliders with Honey Caramelized Onions
Honeyed Figs with Roasted Rosemary Goat Cheese
Here’s your playbook, so get out your “chop block” and be sure you don’t line everything up in an “illegal formation” when you set it all out – a safe game is a fun game.
5th Down and 2 To Yards Go
So enjoy the game and all its pomp and circumstance, especially Tom Brady (super hunk, even if he did go to Michigan). The commercials will be fun, but don’t forget to watch for the “tight-end” running the slant after a play-action out-route caught the zone blitz off balance. And remember that arm-tackles will not slow down a 220-lb husband from taking the last chicken wing any better than they will stop a running back from shooting the 3 gap with his shoulders square!
(I have no idea what I just wrote…Mike said it would make me sound more football literate than I did last year, LOL!).
Do you plan to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday? If so, what will you be serving up?
Heidi! I love this post! And we are going to a super bowl chili chowdown… We will be having chili, chili, and yes, you guessed it, more chili! I volunteered my own pot to be safe. I guess I should be happy that this will minimize our risk for being glutenized! 🙂 Enjoy your weekend, the game and the commercials! Oh and p.s. your secret is safe with me 😉 great choice!
Fantabulous, my dear!! Thanks so much for all the link love. I am beaming from it. 🙂 We were just talking about the Darth Vader commercial and I just watched the Ferris Bueller one. Pretty good … amusing for sure, but yeah, on the Ferrari. And if they could have gotten Ben Stein in there somehow that would have made it so much better!
Happy Super Bowl and weekend! xoxo,
Shirley
My recent post Chipotle Salmon Corn Cakes (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
That's a crazy awesome list! Now I wish I were doing something "special" for the superbowl so I'd have an excuse to make a bunch of those recipes 😛 Guess I'll just have to choose one!
My recent post Inspiration Friday: Kid Parties
Thanks for the inspiration! We are invited to a party and I am bringing my own Chili and some veggies and dip…although my host did tell me he had gluten free bread for me to make garlic toast with!
Just thought I would let your Canadian (like me) readers know that still here in Canada – the Lea and Perrins still contains malt vinegar. Hopefully we will make the jump to gf soon though. We are near to the border and so many things I pick up "state side" that we cannot get here yet! Have fun!
And the spring rolls with the chilli dipping sauce was fantastic. Your Grandpa would be proud you are pushing Hormel bacon bits.