It’s almost game day—and if you’re into all things Tom Brady, football and food, this weekend could be a big test for your newly anointed New Year's diet. From sugary snacks to chips and dips galore, it’s not always easy ignoring the savory temptations that are being served up, especially if you’re on the wildly popular Ketogenic Diet (hey, we predicted it would be bigger than ever in 2019!). 

If you feel yourself eyeing that 20 layer dip after the coin toss, here are our four of our favorite low-carb, Keto-friendly recipes that will please any crowd, guaranteed. 

Brittany’s Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip

An office favorite, this dish has all the goodness of wings, without the added mess. In a rush? Use a store-bought roasted chicken. We suggest doubling this recipe because it’s always a hit! 

Makes: 4 cups 

Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken, cooked
- 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened 
- ½ cup buffalo wing sauce 
- ½ cup blue cheese or ranch dressing
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix all ingredients into a large bowl and spoon into shallow 8x8 baking pan (larger if doubling).
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and top is bubbling.
- Serve warm with crisp cool celery or veggies of your choice. 

Bacon Jalapeño Poppers

Turn up the heat without loading up on carbs! Make game day easier by prepping these a day or two ahead, and baking them right before kickoff. 

Makes: 12

Ingredients
- 6 medium Jalapeño peppers, sliced lengthwise and seeded
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened 
- ¼ cup green onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced 
- ¼ cup bacon, cooked and crumbled  

Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. 
- In small bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions and garlic.  
- Fill jalapeños halves with cream cheese mixture. Place on baking sheet.
- Sprinkle jalapeños with bacon, lightly pressing into cream cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until peppers are soft.  

Grandma’s Deviled Eggs

No party is complete without a tray of these timeless snacks. Don’t wanna deal with dill? Try using sweet relish instead. 

Makes: 2 dozen 

Ingredients
- 12 hard-boiled eggs, cooled 
- ⅔ cups mayonnaise 
- 4 teaspoons dill pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika 

Directions
- Cut eggs lengthwise in half. Scoop out cooked yolks, placing whites to the side.
- In a medium size bowl, mash yolks and stir in all ingredients (except paprika) until well blended.
- Spoon yolk mixture back into egg whites.  

Chicharrones Chicken Fingers

If you’re on Keto, you may miss comfort food. Thanks to my husband, these chicken “fingers” are the perfect low-carb option to feed that craving or serve at your Super Bowl party this season. 

Ingredients
- 1 package raw chicken tenders 
- 1 package chicharrones pork rinds 
- 2 eggs 
- Grated parmesan cheese (optional)
- Coconut oil (or preferred cooking oil)

Directions
- Preheat saucepan on medium heat, adding oil to fully cover the pan for frying. 
- Place chicharrones in a sealed bag and pound down under they have a breadcrumb consistency. Pour chicharrones onto a plate or bowl where you can easily cover the chicken.
- Break eggs in a medium-size bowl and stir until the yoke is thoroughly mixed. Dip chicken into eggs. Then immediately dip chicken into the chicharrones, fully covering each chicken tender.
- Add chicken tender to heated pan, cooking fully on each side until chicken is cooked through and crispy on the outside.
- Serve warm with hot sauce or low-carb dips.   

Smokey and Spicy Cauliflower Wings

No meat, no problem. Packed full of flavor, these “wings” (made by our resident nutritionist Erica Fowler) are the perfect substitute for the real deal—and we’ve got no bones about that! 

Ingredients
- Head of cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons of gluten-free flour
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of tahini
- 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon of chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Dash of pink salt and pepper
- Dash of hot sauce
- 3 tablespoons of warm water
- Homemade vegan parmesan

 
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash cauliflower and cut away the green leaves. Dice the cauliflower into floret chunks for the ‘wings”.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, olive oil, tahini, maple syrup, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper, dash of hot sauce and warm water. 
- Stir into a thick paste.
- Take the cauliflower florets and roll them into the mixture until they are fully coated and line them on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender.
- Once tender, take out of the oven and serve on a dish garnished with kale or parsley and a dust of homemade parmesan and enjoy!