March Madness!

I grew up in a family where sports were an integral part of the family dynamics. Between driving kids to practices, coaching said teams, and practicing with us at home, my parents (mom was the selfless driver, dad was the coach-with-the-mostest) raised a bunch of sports fanatics. Our family favorite was/is basketball, and with lil' sister having done her stint in the NCAA (see her player profile here), I think basketball is in our blood. I have proved to be a avid watcher of the sport, and not so much a player, regardless, I am indoctrinating my sons from a young age - and March Madness is a big part of that!

So, even though its just me and the boys tonight, we're having a party and cheering on BYU as they face Florida (7:15pm et for those who want to join in the fun!) And no party is complete without party food! Because I am me, the party food is going to be healthy. I have been trying to teach my boys from the very beginning (which includes my amazing husband), that food doesn't need to be processed/sugary/fatty/fried garbage to be delicious. Yes, we still have treats on occasion (hello! My first recipe I posted was for cookies! If you missed my awesome-sauce cookie recipe, you can get it here), but for the most part, whole foods are consumed in this family.
Now for the spread:

hummus and veggies (I love making my own, or buying it from Costco), roasted red pepper and eggplant dip/spread (see recipe below) with nut thins, salsa and organic tortilla chips, cut up fruit, yogurt dip (for the fruit of course), and popcorn esspecially for Darius!




Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip
one eggplant, peeled, cubed
one red pepper, diced into 1” square pieces
one small red onion, diced into 1” pieces
olive oil
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 425F. Put prepared vegetables in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil (not too much or they’ll be soggy) and sprinkle with sea salt. Spread out in a thin layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast for 25 minutes. Once your timer has gone off, remove the pan from the oven, sit it on a cooling rack, and let cool completely. When cooled, place all together in a food processer, and blend until a smooth consistency.
Enjoy this on crackers, crusty bread, or as a spread on a sandwich. So yummy!

I am also making these cookies I read about on a blog I love to follow! Ashley over at Make it and Love it posted a recipe for Gluten Free cookies, and while my mom is a GF lady, I thought I'd make these for her to enjoy when she gets back from vacation tomorrow. I'll let you know my opinion on them later, but Ashley hasn't steered me wrong yet! 
If you'd like some more ideas on healthy party foods, or any type of meal or snack, check out one of my all time favorite cookbooks,Best of Clean Eatting Magazine cookbook  for more ideas.  

Are you planning on watching the 'Madness' tonight? If so, which team are you cheering on?