I am definitely one of those traditional Edmonton hockey nerds. It’s an understatement to say I’m pumped we are back in this year. In 2006, my playoff routine involved pub food, beer and then a trip to whyte. Being 11 years older, a bit more responsible and having 2 kids, my playoff routine now involves jersey’s at home, the family crowding the T.V. and healthy munchies. Here are a few things that we make at our place to snack on during big games!

Beet Dip & Veggies (or Crackers)
This one takes a bit of prep work but it’s well worth it. Start by cooking up 3-4 small peeled beets. Cool them and toss them in a blender with 1/3- 1/2 cup organic sour cream, 1/2 tsp pink himalayan salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp dill (optional). Blend it until smooth and then place it in a dish and serve with fresh cut up veggies, veggie straws or crackers.

Lemon Dill Popcorn
Pop a big bowl of popcorn. Salt with pink himalayan salt to taste. Melt either 3-5 Tbsp coconut oil or organic butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add in the juice of 1 lemon and about 2 tsp of fresh chopped dill. Mix well then toss onto popcorn. This is my absolute favorite way to flavor popcorn… maybe it’s just the Ukrainian in me.

Kale Chips
Use 1-2 bunches of organic Kale. Non-organic kale is heavily sprayed with pesticides. This is one veggies that you should always try to opt for organic on. Preheat the oven to 375. Rip off the leaves of the kale into bite sized piece and place in a large bowl. Drizzle the kale with olive oil and massage it onto each leaf. The leaves will change color when coated with oil. Once everything is coated in oil, place onto cookie sheets and sprinkle on some salt. Place in oven and bake for about 12 minutes. If they aren’t crispy after 12m, continue to check at 1 min intervals.

Avocado Deviled Eggs
Did you know that you can use mashed avocados in replace of mayo? I didn’t until a little while ago and my mind was blown at how easy and tasty the switch is! Place about 6 eggs in boiling water and set the timer for 8 min. After 8 min, remove the eggs and place in a bowl of cool water. Once eggshells feel cool to the touch, peel the eggs and give them a rinse. Cut the eggs in half, scoop out the yolk and place in a bowl. Cut and avocado in half and scoop out half of the avocado into the bowl with the yolks. Mash them together. If it isn’t creamy enough, add another 1/4 of the avocado and mash again. Season with about 1/4 tsp of himalayan salt, 1/8 tsp onion powder, 1/8 tsp of garlic powder, a dash of pepper and a dash of cayenne. Scoop the egg yolk mixture back into the whites and garnish with a bit of green onion (optional).

Peanut Butter Apples
Super simple and we all love them. Cut a few apples into slices. In a small dish combine 1/3 peanut butter with 1-1.5 Tbsp of raw honey. Mix well. Serve apple slices with peanut butter mixture for dipping. The best part of this quick snack is that if you run out, you can usually whip up another batch during a commercial break!

Go Oilers Go! Get your game face on and your healthy snacks ready… here we go!