I’m bitter about the Super Bowl.

You see, it was supposed to be our year. As a Colts fan and Indiana resident, this was supposed to be our Super Bowl. When Indianapolis was announced as the Super Bowl city for 2012, us Colts fans had all these fantastically ideal pictures of a home game Super Bowl. Lucas Oil Stadium packed to the gills with fan decked out head-to-toe in blue and screaming at the top of their lungs. Our beloved Peyton throwing touchdown pass after touchdown pass. Streets filled with celebratory Hoosiers. As soon as it was announced, I turned to Babyface and said, “We are going to that game. No ifs, ands, or buts.”

And then this happened. And we ended the season 2-14. Didn’t even come close to making the playoffs (for uh, the first time in 10 years). I guess it is the Football Gods’ way of balancing out the game. Because a Peyton Manning-led Colts in the Super Bowl in Indianapolis just wouldn’t have been fair. Sigh.

So, I’m bitter and obviously, not nearly as excited. But at least now, instead of being stressed about the game, I can focus on the second most important part of the Super Bowl—the food. Here are a few of the healthier foods from around the internet I’m thinking about make for our Super Bowl wake party (I also threw in a few of my game-friendly dishes).

Oh, and because a Manning is better than no Manning….GOOOOOOOO GIANTS!


Oven-Fried Ravioli


Buffalo Chicken Bites


Jalepeno Cheddar Hummus


Sour Cream, Chive & Bacon Kale Chips


Honey Bourbon Pulled Chicken


Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip


Lighter Mexican Layer Dip


Twice-Baked Bar Nuts


Spicy Vegetable and Gouda Stromboli


Butternut Squash Ooo-ee Goo-ee Brownies


Salsamole


Caprese Sticks


Beer-Boiled Peel and Eat Shrimp


Baked Coconut Chicken Strips

P.S. Want to make game day truly healthy? Skip the halftime show (really, Madonna? Blech.) and go out for a nighttime stroll. Most folks will be indoors watching the game so it should be a nice, calm and relaxing walk around the neighborhood. If you aren’t keen on walking in the dark, avoid watching the 6 hours of pre-game coverage and set up your own touch football game before kick-off. You’ll work up an appetite for all the yumminess to come!

Alright, what’s the verdict? Pats, Giants, just in it for the commercials, or really don’t give two hoots?

I’ll never EVER cheer for the Pats. Us Colts fans have a special package of rage just for the Patriots. Don’t expect Indy to be a friendly place for you on game day, New Englanders. Colts fan for life. Giants fan for two weeks.

Cassie is a holistic nutritionist, cookbook author, and all-around food lover. She grew up cooking dinner with her parents every evening, and her passion for home cooking has been strong ever since. Cassie is the author of two published cookbooks (Cooking with Greek Yogurt and Chia, Quinoa, Kale, Oh My!) and dozens of recipes published in major magazines and newspapers. Cassie has been sharing her award-winning recipes on Wholefully since 2010. She loves dark chocolate, homegrown tomatoes, motorsports, and anything that sparkles. She lives in Indiana with her family on a small homestead.

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26 Comments

  1. Go Giants!! I’m a die hard Ravens fan so you better believe I will never cheer for the Patriots (& will forever be bitter about the field goal fiasco from last week!) Or the Colts…sorry, you guys took our team and now our defensive coordinator lol!! : ) But best of luck next year, maybe we’ll meet in the playoffs. Oh and next year’s Super Bowl is in New Orleans, that would be a fun trip!

    Reply

    1. Yeahhhhhh, I guess I understand the Baltimore/Indy thing. But that all went down before I was born, so I can’t be that upset about it. 😛 And the NO Super Bowl would be AWESOME.

      Reply

  2. Unfortunately Im still recovering from my horrible, depressing loss to the Giants. Green Bay just couldn’t hold it together against baby Manning… again. But I also can’t stand the Patriots. I think I’m going throw popcorn at the tv all evening hoping they’ll both lose. And comforting my woes with food and beer.

    Reply

    1. My sister-in-law is a huge HUGE Packers fan, so I like to bug her about how much the Pack sucks (although, obviously, they don’t). But the secret truth? I don’t mind the Packers, at all. Heck, behind the Colts + Giants (love my Mannings) they may be one of my favorite teams.

      Sorry for your loss. 😛

      Reply

  3. If the Giants could beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl for the 2nd time in 4 years, well, let’s just say I could die a happy woman (given, of course, that I’d recently consumed all–and I do mean all–of those delicious treats).

    Reply

    1. Hahaha! It would be really, really fun to see a repeat of the last time this match up happened. That was a sweet, sweet victory. 🙂

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  4. I’m a HUGE Patriots fan, so I’m really excited for this year’s game. But I’m also a HUGE Colts fan, too. They are definitely my second favorite team. In a perfect world, the Colts would get to play the Patriots in the Super Bowl and it would be the best Super Bowl ever, but unfortunately that can’t happen. Thanks for the awesome snack ideas 🙂

    Reply

  5. We don’t watch football in our house, it’s all about the hockey, eh 🙂 But we do eat food and some of those eats you posted look seriously yummy!

    Reply

    1. Hockey love, too! 🙂 There aren’t very many sports I don’t like. But yes, these foods work for the SC Finals as well. 🙂

      Reply

  6. So. As someone from New England who lived in Indiana for 8 years, I, uhh, am partial to both teams. I don’t really like football much, though. We’re going to a SuperBowl party this year! The person throwing it is making vegan items for Ted, so we figure we might as well show up 🙂 I’ll have to tell Ted how football works…

    Reply

    1. If you were a big football fan, that would totally suck, because the Pats/Colts rivalry is bitter as bitter can be! It’d be hard not to hate one of them. 😛

      I have another good friend from IU who grew up in Indiana but now lives in Boston, literally down the street from where the Patriots play. She posted on her FB “GO PATS!” and I’m thinking of disowning her. At least you grew up in NE, she’s a born and raised Hoosier (YES, MEAGAN, I’M TALKING ABOUT YOU). *shakes head*

      Reply

  7. I have been a DIE HARD Giants fan since I was a wee little girl! So, obviously I’m extremely excited for this years Superbowl! And I wholeheartedly dislike the Pats! (Anyone else smell a repeat of Superbowl 42?)

    Thanks for the great munchie ideas! Enjoy the game 🙂

    Go Giants!!

    Reply

    1. Well I hope you get your repeat! Few things make me happier than seeing Tom Brady look like he’s going to cry. Manning(s) for life!

      Reply

  8. Hey! I just discovered your blog today and I wanted to let you know that your honesty and real-ness is very refreshing. Sometimes we get lost in the idea that wellness means craving a 5k over a donut, but for some of us (ahem…this lady…) it just isn’t so all the time 🙂

    Thanks for writing, I will keep reading!

    Caroline

    Reply

    1. Aww, thanks so much for stopping in Caroline! 🙂 It means so much to me. And I TOTALLY agree that wellness isn’t as cut and dry as a lot of folks make it seem.

      Reply

  9. Gooo Giants!!

    I’m just glad the 49ers are knocked out. If it was the 49ers and the Patriots I’d be like “Uhhh is there any way they can BOTH lose? Maybe all the players can just injure the hell out of each other until the game can’t go on.” THAT would be my ideal outcome. And that’s just wrong.

    Reply

    1. Hahah, whenever a game like that happens in any sport we watch (as in, when the Red Wings play the Canucks in hockey) we just say that we hope the stadium implodes. 😛 Nice? No. But man, it’s fun to think about.

      Reply

  10. I’m a Hoosier too and just the thought of ever cheering for the Patriots makes me wretch a little. Never. Not in a million years. If they said all I had to do to cure cancer was say “Rah rah Tom Brady” I’d say no. I’d be the reason cancer keeps killing people. That’s tough stuff right there.

    Anyway, go Giants! 🙂

    Reply

    1. HAHAHA. Okay, so maybe I wouldn’t take it THAT far (curing cancer would be AWESOME) but I really, really, really, really hate that guy.

      Reply