December 3, 2011 | 3 minute read

What time is it? GAME FOOD TIME! Football season is getting intense, and it’s the perfect time to host a party with friends (or rivals) and serve up some crowd-pleasing, cancer-fighting snacks and sides.

Turn up the heat this weekend with spicy homemade sweet potato fries. Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and foods containing beta-carotene are linked to lower risk of esophageal cancer. Beta-carotene is better absorbed with a little fat which you’ll get from the olive oil in our recipe (below).

Love snacking on potato chips during the game, but want something less greasy? Try these lightly salted, crispy kale chips for a delicious game time bite. Kale is one of many cruciferous vegetables widely studied for their potential role in cancer prevention. (Read more in  AICR’s Foods that Fight Cancer section.) You’ll hardly know you’re eating kale – these chips are the perfect way to get even picky-eaters snacking on healthy greens!

…What about a winning entrée? Combine two football favorites, beef chili and mac & cheese, with this wholesome recipe for Superbowl Chili Mac.

Now enough cooking, let’s get cheering!

Keep reading to get the recipes.

Recipes

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

2 large sweet potatoes (or yams)

2 tsp. olive or canola oil

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. brown sugar

½ tsp. cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of salt

Cut sweet potatoes into thin strips (1/4 – 1/2” wide by 4” long), and toss in large bowl with oil until evenly coated. Add spices and mix until evenly distributed. Spread fries on baking sheets making sure they don’t overlap much. Roast in oven at 425°F for about 30 minutes (or until crisp on the outside and cooked through), turning once.

Looking for a sauce? Try serving them with plain, low-fat yogurt for dipping.

Nutrition Information: Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 170 calories, 37 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 1.5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 3g protein, 210 mg sodium

Kickin’ Kale Chips

1 head fresh kale, washed and fully dried

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove ribs from kale and cut leaves into large chip-sized pieces. Add the olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Lay the pieces out in single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Bake at 250°F for about 30 minutes, or until crispy.

Nutrition Information: Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 60 calories, 7 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 4 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 2g protein, 170 mg sodium

Do you have favorite healthy “game time” snacks?