Happy Super Bowl!

Once a year I get together with friends and sometimes family, if we’re in the same area, and we watch, yell, stuff our faces with amazing food and yell some more at the sight of some of the nations top athletes run around and tackle each other all in the name of football. This is my holiday: Super Bowl Sunday.

I base a lot of my favorite holidays around the delicious food we bring to the table and yes the messages that the holidays bring. But a day of football like this brings a different sense of togetherness- where it’s okay to slap the person sitting next to you when your team brings their team to their knees or to curse along with the rest of the company that the ref was blind and what a stupid call that was. And more importantly, for the people who don’t normally cook or rarely get asked to bring something to share, this is your moment to shine.

Unless otherwise stated, Super Bowl is usually a form of potluck and BYOB. Well here you go- go ahead and bring that Velveeta cheese dip with the canned chili to share (I’ve made this and it was a hit- no not paleo approved), the frito pie that grandma wouldn’t let you serve at Christmas Eve dinner or easier still bring beer to share from each city that is represented. We are doing this, this year- New Belgium Folly pack, Fort Collins, CO, Red Hook Folly pack, Seattle, WA and Angry Orchard Cider folly pack for the gluten free drinkers. Yeah the last one isn’t from either but we must accommodate! Essentially Super Bowl calls for glorified bar food and no matter what you bring people will love it because it brought everyone together.

This holiday is not on your paleo or Whole30 approved list! Well neither is most of what I used to eat on this awesome day but we accommodate! Don’t let your desire to eat healthy even on a typically unhealthy holiday stop you from eating what you want or bringing something to share. Seriously, I made a gluten free, dairy free Thanksgiving last year and it was awesome according to the gluten and dairy consuming portion of the family.

This year’s menu for us consists of a taco bar, so you can add or omit anything you want! Pulled pork or shredded chicken does not have to always be in a shell- make it into a taco sala! We have romaine lettuce to use as “shells” for the gluten free folk and I have attempted to make fried plantain ‘shells’ from a recipe I found on Pinterest. Needless to say, before I bring those to a party they need to be practiced a little more. We make our own taco seasoning so we know exactly what is going into our meal and makes it even more homemade. Sweet potato chips taste just as good with guacamole and pico on them. You have so many options- bunless burgers and brats, make an awesome salad for a side or who doesn’t like homemade nut mixes. We're kicking off the day with a brunch of a hearty bacon and egg breakfast and mimosas to share. Yes, no alcohol on Whole30 my Cheats post soon to follow.

So go out there and root for your team, eat something you haven’t tried before and try not to throw anything at the TV when the Broncos kick the Seahawks butt. HAPPY SUPER BOWL everyone!