football

Ditch the Parking Lot: How to Bring Tailgating Into Your Home!

December 22, 2012 at 10:38 am
By FITNESS Intern

Written by Jennifer Fiorentino, editorial intern

Homegating [verb]: Bringing the spirit of football games into the comfort of your own home.

That’s exactly how we would describe what happened  when actress and singer Holly Robinson Peete invited us to the NFL homegating kickoff here in New York City. Along with celebrity chef Laurent Tourondel, who whipped up some of his favorite game day bites, we experienced the art of homegating first hand. It just may become a new tradition for some of our staffers!

How exactly does homegating work? It’s simple: if you love the spirit that surrounds tailgating, but want to ditch the unpredictable weather or can’t always afford to hit up a game, homegating is a fun alternative. Invite some pals over, decorate the house in team décor and serve the foods you’d see cooked up at your typical tailgate.

“Our fans have an incredible passion and we are pleased to bring them more ways to connect with the game and each other,” says Tracey Bleczinski, NFL’s vice president of consumer products.

To find out more about how to bring a little health to the fan-friendly fun, we sat down with Peete and learned about her own family’s homegating routine. Check out the secrets this NFL wife (she’s married to former Panthers quarterback Rodney Peete) practices below!

Read more

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Star Chef Aaron Sanchez Amps Up Your Football Snacks!

October 29, 2012 at 12:26 pm
By FITNESS Intern

Written by Jennifer Fiorentino, editorial intern

If you’re looking to tackle your Monday night football snack lineup, we have just what you need (minus the shoulder pads). PopChips, along with Iron Chef America and Chopped star Aaron Sanchez, have teamed up to give you a new fall recipe perfect to pair with a crisp, fall beer. What could scream “football season” more?

“These cemita sandwiches are my version of the classic sub, full of flavor and healthy goodness,” Sanchez says. “By grilling the chicken and using nutrient-rich avocado instead of mayonnaise, we take out some of the unnecessary fats. Salsa Tortilla PopChips are the perfect complement – their sweet and salty flavors enhance the smoky heat of the sandwich.” We guarantee these won’t make it to half time.

Grilled Chicken Cemitas and Garlic-Chipotle Love Sauce with Salsa Tortilla PopChips

Serves 4

210 calories per sandwich

For the Cemitas:

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 ripe avocado
• Juice of 1 lime
• 4 Cemita rolls (or hamburger rolls with sesame seeds)
• Olive oil
• 1 cup refried beans, warmed
• 8 oz. oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 tomato, sliced
• Thinly sliced lettuce
• Fresh cilantro leaves

For the Garlic-Chipotle Love Sauce:

• 1 cup canola oil
• 12 garlic cloves
• 3 Tbsp. canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lime
• 2 tsp. kosher salt

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The Colts’ Lucky Star: Rookie Andrew Luck Prepped and Ready for the Season

September 7, 2012 at 3:54 pm
By Lauren Cardarelli

Are you ready for some football? If so, you’re in luck because the season kicks off this week! Speaking of “luck,” regardless of whether you have a killer lineup set for your Fantasy league or are forced to tune in because of your significant other (hey, those tight pants aren’t that bad on the eyes!), one name that should certainly sound familiar is Andrew Luck.

The 22-year-old Heisman runner-up was taken first overall in April’s 2012 NFL draft and has quickly but efficiently shifted from Stanford student to a pro as the Indianapolis Colt’s starting quarterback. We caught up with Andrew to get the dirt on preparing for the season, what it has been like making the leap from college to the NFL and more! Here’s what we learned:

Playbook vs. “real” book smart. It’s important for any player on the field to have football intelligence, but playing smart is imperative for the quarterback while calling plays to gain yardage. Andrew has the brains—he was the valedictorian of his high school’s 2008 class and recently earned his undergraduate degree architectural design—to match his athleticism. “Learning a new playbook has been a learning process but it’s going in the right direction,” he said. For his first in-season game against the Chicago Bears, Andrew has been fully immersing himself in the opponent’s defense, analyzing and developing strategies that will put his team in the best possible position come game day. Read more

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Fashion Diaries: Be a Super Bowl Stunner

February 3, 2012 at 11:14 am
By Marla Horenbein

Whether you are a football fanatic or an “I watch it because my hubby hogs the TV on Sundays” kinda girl, there’s no doubt that we will all be tuning in on Sunday night to watch the Super Bowl; if not for the game, then at least for Madonna’s halftime show and the funny commercials!

If you are a die-hard Patriots or Giants fan though, you have to make sure you rep your team in style for the big game. Luckily for us girls, the NFL revamped their women’s collection this year, branching from the standard over-sized team jerseys and sweatshirts, to stylish boots, jewelry, handbags and super cute clothes all bearing our favorite team’s logos. The NFL has even teamed up with Victoria’s Secret PINK, TOUCH by Alyssa Milano, Junk Food Clothing and Cuce Shoes to tie in some of our favorite brands to their new collection. I wore these almost every Sunday during the season to root my team on—yes, I’m an Eagles fan and proud of it!

So before the game, make sure to grab your gear (check out our picks below), some healthy snacks (like this and this), and cozy up on the couch for a night full of football!

Victoria’s Secret PINK sweatpants, Littleearth earmuffs, TOUCH by Alyssa Milano necklace, KE Specialties nail polish, Victoria’s Secret PINK jersey, Reebok hat, Littleearth tote, Reebok set of 3 thongs, Cuce boots, Junk Food tee 

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What We’re Snacking On Now: Food Should Taste Good Sweet Potato Chips

December 27, 2011 at 11:27 am
By FITNESS Intern

Written by Theresa K. Brady, editorial intern

Football season is in full swing and the playoffs are just around the corner! Tailgating and mid-game snacks are a must at viewing parties, but it’s all too easy to grab handful after handful of greasy potato and tortilla chips (not too mention the high-calorie dips they often come with—onion, nacho cheese, etc.).

Luckily, we stumbled upon a new, more vitamin-packed option that will still cure your chip cravings. Food Should Taste Good’s kettle cooked sweet potato chips are 100 percent all natural and are gluten-free, so you can bust them out at a party and still accommodate people’s dietary restrictions. Bonus: One serving—15 original flavored chips at 150 calories—provides 175 percent of your daily value of vitamin A and three grams of fiber!

Besides original, three other varieties are available:

• Salt & Pepper Sweet Potato
• Barbeque Sweet Potato
• Salt & Vinegar Sweet Potato

Since there’s no better combination than chips and (guilt-free) dip, so we asked Food Should Taste Good’s Chef Ryan for an easy, light and flavorful dip recipe. Here’s his recommended pairing for the original flavored chip:

Fig & Goat Cheese Puree

Yield: 6 cups
Serves 12 to 15

• 10 ounces, dried Calimyrna figs
• 22 ounces goat cheese
• 16 ounces sour cream
• ½ cup honey

1. Cut stems off figs and place in food processor, process until well chopped.
2. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Serve chilled.

Now tell us: What’s your favorite game day snack?

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Tailgate Like a Pro This Season

September 28, 2011 at 1:19 pm
By Karla Walsh

Domenica Catelli grew up with a taste for the culinary world. “My grandparents opened a restaurant in California in 1935, which was passed down to my dad. I was sure I’d never work there but I started working at a different restaurant in college. I was a hard worker and spent most of my life around the business, and took over as head chef at 19,” Catelli says.

Today the mom, cookbook author and event chef (she cooked for Oprah’s Legend’s Ball in 2006!) focuses on teaching families how to enjoy well-balanced meals without sneaking in ingredients through her “Mom-a-licious” brand. “I believe there’s no long-term payoff for hiding vegetables in your kids’ meals. You can build a lifelong healthy relationship with food by starting young,” Catelli says. “Adults at the table need to have a good attitude and be a role model for eating a nutritious diet, and kids will do the same.”

One of her top tips for busy parents? “Stock three or four go-to snacks in your car or purse, so you have something for you and more to share with your children, their carpool friends and even neighbors on a plane,” Catelli says. “That way you’ll be able to bypass the potato chips at the convenience store. I like raw almonds or Kashi’s TLC Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered Bars.”

Since Catelli is such a pro at entertaining and pleasing the whole family with delicious dishes, we thought she would be the perfect person to give us some new inspiration for all of our fall tailgating parties. For your next game day meal, Catelli suggests serving her turkey chili, which her friends who are Olympic athletes love. Simply set out the bowls, spoons, chili and an array of toppings and make it a build-your-own bar.

Turkey Chili

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1-3 teaspoons red chili flakes
• 3 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey breast
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 14.5-ounce can of fire roasted organic crushed tomatoes
• 2 15-ounce cans of black beans
• 2 15-ounce cans of kidney beans
• 1 cup of water or chicken broth
• Optional: Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, fresh onion, sour cream, Kashi TLC Pita Crisps

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