2022 Big Game Menu

Buffalo chicken dip
Spinach and artichoke spread with low-carb tortilla crisps and veggies
Sausage balls
Pull apart pizza

Above, watch our Bariatric and Metabolic Institute (BMI) dietitians cook our bariatric-friendly, low-carb Big Game 2022 menu from the kitchen, and find a shopping list, ingredients, instructions and nutrition information below.

Shopping list:

Produce:
Celery
Green bell pepper (optional)
White onion (optional)
Baby carrots
English cucumber
Mini sweet bell peppers
1 bunch green onions

Proteins:
1 rotisserie chicken
1 pound Jimmy Dean or William’s breakfast sausage
Pepperoni/mini pepperoni (optional)
1 pound Italian sausage (optional)

Baking/spices:
Garlic powder
Nonstick cooking spray
Kosher salt
Black peppers
Almond flour
Baking powder

Dairy:
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz shredded mozzarella
8 oz shredded Monterey jack
3 8 oz packages Neufchatel
Blue cheese crumbles
8 oz small curd cottage cheese

Condiments:
Frank’s Hot Sauce
Duke’s Mayo
Cara Mia Artichoke Bruschetta
Rao’s Pizza Sauce

Miscellaneous:
2 packages La Banderita Carb Counter Street Taco Tortillas
Flatout Light Italian Herb Flatbread

Frozen:
1 12 oz packages chopped spinach

Buffalo chicken dip*

Ingredients:

8 oz Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
¾ cup Louisiana-style hot sauce (Frank’s used in our recipe)
½ cup Duke’s mayonnaise
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 bunch green onions, both green and white parts, chopped
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese with the hot sauce and mayonnaise until combined.
4. Stir in chicken, 1 ½ cups of the cheese and ¼ cup green onion.
5. Pour mixture into a standard 9-inch pie pan and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top.
   Bake the dip for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and dip is bubbling around the edges.
6. Remove from oven and garnish with blue cheese crumbles.
7. Let cool for 10 minutes, then garnish with remaining green onions.

Estimated Nutrition Info per serving (1/3 cup): 225 calories; 17 grams fat; 2 grams carbohydrate; 13 grams protein
*Recipe adapted from dukesmayo.com

Spinach and artichoke spread with seasoned low-carb tortilla crisps and assorted veggies

Ingredients:

2-12 oz packages frozen chopped spinach, cooked according and well drained
1 jar Cara Mia Artichoke Bruschetta
½ cup small curd cottage cheese
½ cup Duke’s mayo
8 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ cups shredded low moisture part skim Mozzarella cheese
2 packages La Banderita Carb Counter Street Taco Size Tortillas, cut into eighths
Nonstick cooking spray
Basic seasoning blend (equal parts kosher salt, garlic powder and freshly ground black pepper)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 355 degrees.
2. Spray 9×13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a blender, combine cottage cheese, mayo, and Neufchatel. Pulse until smooth.
4. Add garlic powder and pulse again until blended.
5. In a large bowl mix the cooked spinach, the jar of Artichoke Bruschetta and the mayo/cheese mixture. Toss to combine. Stir in shredded mozzarella cheese.
6. Pour into prepared baking dish, bake 30 minutes or until bubbling.

Estimated Nutrition Info (¼ cup serving): 134 calories; 11 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrate; 2 grams fiber (2 net carbs); 4 grams protein

Tortilla crisps:

Directions:

1. Preheat convection oven or air fryer to 350 degrees
2. Line a large baking sheet with foil/parchment paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Evenly distribute tortilla sections on tray and spray with nonstick spray.
4. Season with basic blend, flip again, spray with nonstick spray and season other side.
5. Bake 15 minutes, remove from oven and cool on parchment paper.

Estimated Nutrition Info (8 crisps): 20 calories; 0.g grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrate; 5 grams fiber (0 net carbs); 2 grams protein

Sausage balls*

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean & William’s used for recipe)
1 cup almond flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
4 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray generously with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Mix all ingredients by hand in a bowl until well combined.
4. Using a 1 ½ ounce scoop make about 24 equal portions. Even out by hand, space evenly on baking sheet.
5. Bake 25 minutes.
6. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.

Estimated Nutrition Information per sausage ball: 107 calories; 8 grams fat; 1.5 grams carbohydrate; 0.5 grams fiber (1 net carb); 6 grams protein

*Makes about 24.

Pull apart pizza

Ingredients:

1 package Flat Out Light Italian Flat Bread
1 jar Rao’s pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Assorted toppings (pepperoni, mini pepperoni, cooked Italian sausage, diced green bell pepper, diced onion, etc.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray 9×9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Sprinkle wide end of wrap with 2 Tablespoons mozzarella, additional toppings, 2 tablespoons of sauce and 2 more tablespoons of cheese.
4. Roll tightly and place seam side down on cutting board. Continue with 6 more flatbreads.
5. Cut each flatbread into four equal size rolls. Place cut side down in baking dish. Sprinkle with more cheese and sauce.
6. Bake 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.
7. Serve with additional pizza sauce if desired.

Estimated Nutrition Into for 2 pieces (varies depending on toppings* used): 90 calories; 5 grams fat; 12 grams carb; 6.5 grams fiber (5.5 net carbs); 7 grams protein

*Flatbread, cheese, pizza sauce used in calculation.

Visit our From the Heart Blog for more bariatric-friendly, low-carb recipes, weight loss success stories and our BMI services.