Hello!

It’s one of my favorite times of the year! Temperatures are cooling, the leaves are starting to turn and of course, Football Season is here!!

I’ve been a lifelong Oakland Raider fan since 1979, and my passion for the Silver and Black have inspired Abbi, Hope and Hunter to become part of the Raider Nation too!

Here are a few pics from Hunter and Hope’s first Raider game a couple years ago, as you can tell we go all out at the games…

Now the only challenge with football season is it typically means rocking some Pizza, Chips, Chili and lots of other Carb heavy foods, which may taste good, but definitely isn’t great for your waistline and health goals.

So in the spirit of Kicking off Football Season, and celebrating the Raiders path to winning the Super Bowl :-), I wanted to share 3 delicious and PFC Balanced recipes with you.

Our amazing Venice Nutrition Chef, Valerie Cogswell, created each of these masterpieces to keep your blood sugar balanced, metabolism ignited and taste buds happy!

So YES, you can eat your Pizza, Chips and Chili Guilt-Free this Season!

Let’s start with my favorite food, Pizza!

Barbecue Chicken Flatbread Pizza

Grab ‘n’ Go

Sometimes nothing but pizza will do! This easy, flavorful pizza has a delicious balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat to help you burn fat, build muscle, and feel your best. Cook chicken breast in bulk for the week for quick grab ’n’ go meals like this one. Kids will love this recipe too.

Makes: 1 small pizza
Serving size: 1 small pizza

Calories per serving: 280
Protein per serving: 23 grams
Fat per serving: 11 grams
Carbohydrates per serving: 15.5 grams

Ingredients:

• 1 low-carbohydrate, 8” whole wheat or gluten-free tortilla
• Fat-free cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons all-natural tomato sauce
• ⅓ cup reduced fat (not low-fat) sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 2½ ounces cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks or shredded
• 1 tablespoon organic all-natural barbecue sauce
• Onion, thinly sliced (optional)
• Bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

Method of Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450˚F.
2. Place tortilla on a cookie sheet and spray the tortilla lightly with fat-free cooking spray.
3. Spread tomato sauce on top.
4. Sprinkle half of the cheese on top of sauce.
5. In a small bowl, combine the chicken and barbecue sauce, and then layer on top of cheese.
6. Sprinkle onions, peppers, and remaining cheese on top of pizza.
7. Cook for 8–10 minutes, or until crust is crisp and cheese is melted.
8. Allow to cool slightly, and cut into quarters.

What is the nutritional balance?

This recipe has a great balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

Next up it’s my son Hunter’s favorite recipe – Chicken Nachos!

Chicken Nachos Over Homemade Sweet Potato Chips

Grab ‘n’ Go

This lean take on nachos takes only minutes to make if you have sweet potato chips prepared ahead of time for the week. Simply cut sweet potatoes in thin, even slices, coat lightly with fat- free cooking spray, season with Mrs. Dash seasoning of your choice, and bake at 450˚F until crispy, about 20–30 minutes. Just keep an eye on the potatoes while they cook, as they tend to burn.

Makes: 1 Serving
Serving size: 1 Plate

Calories per serving: 216
Protein per serving: 19.5 grams
Fat per serving: 6 grams
Carbohydrates per serving: 18.5 grams

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces cooked chicken breast, shredded
• Favorite Mrs. Dash seasoning
• Large handful homemade sweet potato chips (recipe above)
• 1 ounce chopped tomatoes
• ½ ounce sugar-free salsa
• 1 ounce avocado, chopped

Method of Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, toss chicken with desired amount of Mrs. Dash seasoning. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds.
2. Arrange sweet potato chips on a plate.
3. Place seasoned, shredded chicken on top. Add tomatoes, salsa, and chopped avocado. Add a sprinkle of Mrs. Dash seasoning on top if desired.
4. Heat entire plate in the microwave for about 45 seconds to warm it up.

What is the nutritional balance?

This recipe has a great balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

And our last recipe, in the spirit of football season – Game Day Turkey Chili!

Spicy Turkey and Black Bean Chili

Grab n’ Go (if turkey chili is made already) / Gourmet Style

This rich and spicy chili recipe is easy to make and great for family lunches or dinners and grab ’n’ go meals all week long. Fresh toppings like sour cream, cilantro, and diced red onion add texture and flavor. Try doubling the ingredients for plenty of extra meals throughout the week. To increase the heat, add more cayenne pepper or jalapeño.

Makes 7 servings

Serving size: 1 heaping cup
Calories per serving: 258
Protein per serving: 20 grams
Carbohydrates per serving: 25 grams
Fat per serving: 7 grams

Ingredients:

• Fat-free cooking spray
• 1 (20-ounce) package 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, plus extra if necessary
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1½ teaspoons paprika
• 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• ½ jalapeño, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (Cento brand petite diced are good)
• 1 (20-ounce) can black beans
• ½ cup light sour cream
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 small red onion or bunch of scallions, finely chopped

Preparation:

1. Spray a pot with fat- free cooking spray and place over medium- high heat.
2. Once hot, add ground turkey and break up meat with spatula.
3. Add cumin, thyme, salt, cayenne, and paprika and cook until turkey is no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Once turkey is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove it to a bowl (keeping as much fat as possible in the pot) and set aside.
4. Add onions, celery, and bell peppers to the pot and sauté for approximately 3 minutes.
5. Season gently with a pinch of salt.
6. Add jalapeño and garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
7. Add turkey to the vegetables in the pot and stir well.
8. Add tomatoes and beans and simmer, covered, over low heat for about 15 minutes (or more if you have the time) until thickened.
9. Top with 1 tablespoon of sour cream per serving and some red onions and cilantro.

What Is the Balance?

This recipe has a great balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

There you have it, 3 Game Day and Tailgating recipes that will have you loving every bite and staying on your health plan!

Now if you’re a current Venice Nutrition Member make sure to log into your account and dive into all the tasty and balanced recipes at your fingertips.

If you’re not a Venice Nutrition member, but you’re ready to take your food and fitness to the next level, check out our 3 programs and choose the one that’s best for you:

Here are the Two Programs for Adults

1) Maximize Your Results and Make Your Nutrition a Way of Life

Whether your health goal is to lose weight, burn fat, build muscle or greatly increase your energy, this plan is for you. It’s a fully interactive customized meal planning system that will take your food education and results to the Next Level and provide you with the knowledge to make your nutrition a way of life. Check it out

2) Lose 20 pounds or More by Making Your 8 Week Run

Your 8-Week Plan to Lose Your Bloat, Melt Your Belly and Live Your Life! Designed for the busy person ready to take action, permanently lose weight and fed up with the frustration of dieting. Check it out

Here’s our NEW Program for Kid & Teenage Athletes (it also works great for ALL kids!)

Here’s a cool video showing how I feed Hunter and the thousands of other top athletes I’ve coached through the years. Check it out