Super vegan snacks for your Super Bowl party

Cindy Gewecke
·4 min read
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Football isn't all meat and potatoes. Here's a selection of vegan snacks for you Super Bowl party.
Football isn't all meat and potatoes. Here's a selection of vegan snacks for you Super Bowl party.

My desk drawer at work is full of vegan snacks! So is the corner cupboard in my kitchen. Why? Because they are easy to make, are healthy, and store for just the right number of days before you want something else. These three snacks can be made ahead of time with the dip and spread keeping in the fridge for a few days. You’ll be ready for your guests and the Super Bowl game.

About five years ago, I was tired of both recipe books and downloaded recipes, so I ventured into a bookstore. Back in the corner of the store was the rack for cookbooks. Then I saw it ‒ a very thick cookbook containing 1,000 vegan recipes. That’s right, 1,000! I still haven’t gone through all of them. I honestly bought it for two reasons. It had a snack section, and the index had the FAST recipes marked.

My mom used to make Chex Party Mix every winter so we could snack at night in front of the TV. It’s a strong memory. When I saw this recipe, I knew I could make it like the original, yet vegan. One of the recipes in that thick cookbook had a version of it. I modified the Asian Fusion Party Mix recipe for my tastes, but I included all the ingredients for you to make the Asian-flavored version of it. Just leave the wasabi peas out and it amazingly tastes like the original. Feel free to adjust the ratio of popcorn to cereal squares to your preference.

ASIAN FUSION PARTY MIX

(Makes about 11 cups)

  • 6 cups popped popcorn

  • 2 cups bite-size crisp rice breakfast cereal squares

  • 1 cup unsalted roasted cashew or peanuts

  • 1 cup small pretzels

  • 1 cup wasabi peas (optional)

  • ¼ cup vegan margarine

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (balsamic vinaigrette works too, by the way)

  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt or Mrs. Dash

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a 9x13 baking pan, combine the popcorn, cereal, nuts, pretzels and peas.

In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the ingredients. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until margarine is melted, about two minutes. Pour over the popcorn mixture and stir to mix well. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.

BABA GHANOUSH

Baba Ghanoush is one of my favorite spreads of all time! I put it on all kinds of bread or crackers or pita chips. It doesn’t take long to consume it all. Cut the recipe in half if you are making it for just one or two people. The spread keeps well and is filling.

(Makes about 2 cups)

  • 1 large eggplant, halved lengthwise

  • 3 garlic cloves, slivered

  • ¼ cup tahini, plus more if needed to taste

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne

  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano (optional)

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x13 baking pan and set aside. Make small slits in the cut sides of the eggplant and press the garlic into the slits. Transfer the eggplant halves, cut-side down, to the prepared pan and bake until soft, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Scoop the cooked eggplant flesh into a food processor. Add about ¼ cup of the tahini, salt, cayenne, and oregano if using and process until smooth. Taste, adjusting seasonings if necessary, adding more tahini if needed.

Transfer to a medium bowl and sprinkle with parsley and pomegranate seeds, if using. Serve at room temperature.  If not using right away, cover and refrigerate until needed. Properly stored, it will keep for up to five days.

BLACK BEAN AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO DIP

So that’s Asian and Middle Eastern-flavored recipes, how about something American? This dip is quick and easy to make, and it pairs well with toasted bread. Adding the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar takes it beyond a plain bean dip.

If you are headed to someone else’s home for the big game, take these with you. You will be the hit of the party, and no one will know they are vegan!

(Makes about 1.5 cups)

  • ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

  • 1.5 cups cooked or 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried

  • ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram or basil

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, process the tomatoes until finely chopped. Add the beans and pulse until combined. Add the vinegar, parsley, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste. Process until just blended, leaving some texture.

Transfer to a medium bowl and serve. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate. Properly stored, it will keep for up to three days.

Source: 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson

Cindy Gewecke lives in a quiet small town, works at a CPA firm in Cedar Rapids, and loves to dance, volunteer, and play golf.  Travel and enjoying the arts are some of her favorite things to do, and she cooks plant-based food every weekend. Send questions or comments to veganeasterniowa@gmail.com. Visit the Vegan Community of Eastern Iowa website at https://www.veganeasterniowa.org/ or join the group on Facebook or Meet Up.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Super vegan snacks for your Super Bowl party