R3-Inspired Recipes for Your Game Day Playbook
The biggest sporting event in the US is once again upon us. Whether you’re there for the game, the halftime show, or the hilarious commercials, one thing is for sure—you’re going to eat food.
If you or your host is a traditionalist, game day might be full of soda, nachos, chicken wings, hot dogs, hamburgers, and enough snack foods to satisfy a starving lineman. While that may sound delicious, it might not be a first down for your insides.
On average, Americans consume 2,400 calories during the 4 to 5 hours of the game, and calorie estimates for the entire Sunday range from 6,000 to 11,000! (Daily recommended calorie intake is 2,500 for men and 2,000 for women.) Sounds about as crazy as a 98-yard punt, but it happens (and so did that punt). Consuming that much isn’t too difficult when calorie-dense food meets high emotions.
And it isn’t just about calories. It’s about the kind of nutrition you’re putting into your body and how it responds to different macronutrients.
Melaleuca is here to ensure you get over that goal line in one piece, and that’s why we’re sharing two great recipes inspired by the recipes you can find in our brand-new R3 cookbook!
Nutrition expert and Director of R3 Susan Torborg has had troubles with these game day scenarios in the past: “I found myself eating things at parties that I would never eat now just because they were there,” she says. “But I have learned that I can have just as much fun bringing healthy snacks to parties. And other people enjoy them and often ask me for the recipes!”
Let’s get right to the kickoff—here are two healthy, R3 Reset phase–friendly recipes, in addition to the great recipes in the R3 cookbook, that are sure to be crowd-pleasers.
Pizza-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
4 large zucchinis
16 oz. ground beef (Riverbend Ranch Black Label!)
1 cup marinara sauce (for less sugar, simply make your own with tomato sauce, tomato paste, and herbs)
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
24 slices pepperoni
fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cook ground beef in a pan on the stove on medium heat until browned (add 1 Tbsp of your favorite cooking oil if the pan is not a nonstick pan)
- Pour the marinara sauce on top of the cooked beef and stir together. Remove from heat.
- Slice the zucchini in half. Use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch of flesh around the outside of the zucchini.
- Place the zucchini on a baking sheet.
- Place several spoonfuls of the browned ground beef and sauce into each zucchini half until they’re full. Top with mozzarella cheese and several slices of pepperoni.
- Bake the stuffed zucchini for 20–25 minutes until it’s tender-crisp. If you’d like softer zucchini, bake a few minutes longer.
- Serve the stuffed zucchini boats while warm and enjoy!
Bell Pepper Nachos
4 bell peppers, cut into small wedges.
16 oz. diced steak (choose Riverbend Ranch Black Label for the most flavor!)
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup guacamole
1 cup pico de gallo salsa
1/2 cup pickled jalapeño slices
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp milk (or water)
Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with foil.
- Cook the diced steak in a pan on the stove on medium heat until browned (add 1 Tbsp of your favorite cooking oil if the pan is not a nonstick)
- Divide bell peppers between baking sheets. Toss with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Season generously with salt and pepper. Lay wedges on the baking sheets in a single layer cut side up. Bake until peppers are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
- Top bell peppers with browned diced steak, Monterey Jack, and cheddar. Bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes.
- Top with guacamole, salsa, and pickled jalapenos. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and milk together and drizzle over bell peppers. Squeeze lime wedge on top and serve with more lime wedges.
You now have these two delicious recipes in your arsenal, but the new R3 cookbook is chock full of healthy, delicious recipes for any occasion, whether it’s gameday or any day.
“The big game is a time for me to get creative and introduce my friends and family to new, fun, and healthy recipes!” Susan says. “They may make jokes about what healthy foods Mom will be serving this year, but they’re always asking for more when the game is over!”
If certain foods are difficult for you to digest, you can always take Good Zymes before chowing down, and if you know that post-game heartburn is likely, keep some Calmicid or Calmicid AC on hand.
Sure, you could break out the snacks and do what you always do. Or you could try a trick play and do something different—give everyone some healthy food that’s absolutely delicious!