AND MEAN SUPER BOWL SPREAD

You get extra points for serving healthful dishes

When Super Bowl LVIII kicks off next Sunday afternoon, I’ll be eating. I haven’t the slightest idea which team has a better chance of victory, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be having fun. My brain will be fine-tuned to keeping my glass and tummy full.

This year my contributions to the football potluck will be on the healthier side. Seems like many of my pals are turning over a new leaf, trying to trim down and follow their doctors’ advice. Yes, someone will bring a decadent dessert; another geared up to serve hot dogs with all the fixings. And yes, there will be dips and chips.

But as for me, I’m making a delicious chili made with great northern beans; it’s whitish, spiked with boneless, skinless chicken breast and served with tortilla chips. I’ll include a mixed green salad with a vinaigrette dotted with diced avocado.

As for the munchies, there will be a tasty Sriracha-lime popcorn as well as a jumble made with crumbled feta and roasted red bell peppers. Touchdown? What touchdown? Here’s the chow.

Roasted pepper and feta jumble Yield: 20 to 30 servings INGREDIENTS

4roasted medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded, diced, or one 7-ounce jar drained, diced, see cook’s notes

1 large clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup minced green onion 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese 3-4 heads Belgian endive, separated into individual leaves Optional: Toasted slices of baguette

Cook’s notes: To roast bell peppers, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place peppers in a single layer on foil. Place 6 to 8 inches below broiler element. Broil until lightly charred. Rotate peppers with tongs and char on all sides. Remove from oven and enclose in foil for 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel peppers, remove seeds and chop.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, combine peppers, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, green onions and feta. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

2. Place a spoonful of mixture on the large portion of each endive leaf. If you prefer, include some toasted baguette slices topped with the red bell pepper mixture.

Super Bowl white chili

I treasure this recipe. It was given to me more than two decades

ago by my wine- and food-loving pal, the late Sylvia Hansink. This chili can be prepared one day in advance and refrigerated. For best results if making in advance, prepare it through Step 3, then cool and refrigerate. When reheating the chili, add the chicken and simmer 15to 20minutes, stirring frequently.

If guests are serving themselves throughout the game, I transfer the chili to a slow cooker on low setting, covered.

Yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1pound dry great northern beans 6 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken broth

2 large cloves of garlic, minced 2 medium yellow (brown) onions,

chopped

2 (4-ounce) cans diced mild green chiles

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 5-6 cups diced, cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast

For garnish: Tortilla chips Optional garnish: Grated Jack cheese

Optional: Bottle of hot sauce DIRECTIONS

1. Place beans in a large bowl or pot. Add cold water to cover beans by 2 inches. Allow to soak overnight or 8 hours. Drain.

2. Combine drained beans, broth, garlic and onions in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer,

uncovered, 1 hour, adding more broth if necessary.

3. Add remaining ingredients except chicken, chips and cheese. Simmer 30 more minutes.

4. Add chicken; simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

5. Ladle into bowls and top with crumbled tortilla chips and grated cheese. Garnish with tortilla chips. Source: Sylvia Hansink

Sriracha-lime popcorn

I was taught at a very young age to make popcorn on the stovetop. The procedure included a lot of shaking, the skillet tugged back and forth over the heat as the corn popped. The cooks at Cook’s Country magazine don’t require any pan shaking in their popcorn popping process. This version is amped with a little butter, plus Sriracha hot sauce and lime zest. Yield: 12to 14servings, about 14 cups

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup popcorn kernels, divided 2tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

11/2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce 1teaspoon grated lime zest 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil and 3 kernels in large saucepan over medium-high heat until kernels pop. Remove pan from heat, add remaining kernels, cover and let sit off heat for 30 seconds.

2. Return pan to medium-high heat. Continue to cook with lid slightly ajar until popping slows to about 2seconds between pops. Transfer popcorn to large bowl. Combine melted butter and Sriracha in small bowl and drizzle it over popcorn. Toss to coat. In a small bowl, combine lime zest and salt. Sprinkle over popcorn and toss to combine. Serve.

Source: Cook’s Country magazine

Vinaigrette with avocado

When exposed to the air, avocados can become discolored. Here’s a trick for dicing them in advance and using them in a salad dressing. Peel, pit and dice the avocado and toss it into vinaigrette to cover and it will stay bright green. It will keep for 2 to 3 hours covered in the fridge; remove from refrigerator 30minutes before serving. For the green salad, add about 6 cups of lettuce(s) of choice torn into bite-size pieces to a large bowl. Add halved cherry tomatoes and a tablespoon of chopped parsley or fresh basil leaves torn in halves. If you like, add some small slivers of red onion. Stir vinaigrette and add enough of the dressing to nicely coat the lettuce, using all the avocado.

About 1 1/2 cups

Yield: INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Optional: 1 teaspoon diced shallot 1 ripe (but not squishy) avocado

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small glass measuring cup with a handle, add vinegar and salt; stir with a fork to dissolve salt. Add olive oil, mustard, honey and pepper. Stir to combine. If desired, add shallot and stir. Peel, pit and dice avocado; add avocado to dressing; gently toss to coat avocado.

2. Stir before using.

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at Cathythomascooks.com.

PHOTOS BY YGNACIO NANETTI — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Roast pepper and feta jumble is served atop leaves of Belgian endive or toasted French bread.

A hearty dish to serve at a Super Bowl gathering is white chili made with great northern beans, chicken breast and chiles. Garnish with tortilla chips and Jack cheese and keep a bottle of hot sauce nearby.