Five March Madness Recipes That Won’t Make You Feel Terrible

Ahh, March Madness. It’s my favorite time of year. The first weekend, in particular, consists of 48 games of basically nonstop basketball. We’ve got upsets. We’ve got Cinderellas. And we’ve got brackets being ripped into shreds. It’s a fabulous time, but there’s one problem: food. All too often, I’ll order a pizza or a box of wings, gorge them, and then feel miserable for the rest of the year. I’m sure some of that is due to my terrible selections, but eating poorly doesn’t help, either. Luckily, you don’t have to feel my pain: here are five March Madness recipes that’ll fill you up without bringing you down.

Stuffed Peppers with Basil Pesto Chicken

The fun thing with these stuffed peppers is that you can choose your colors based on your favorite college. Are you a Maryland alum? Gimme some red peppers! How about Tennessee? Orange you glad you have some orange peppers? Or maybe you really like Seton Hall? Well…maybe don’t eat that pepper if it’s blue. See the recipe.

Watermelon Cucumber Salad

Watermelon is typically more of a summer treat, but this is madness we’re talking about. Let’s indulge. The best part is that this doesn’t require any kind of baking. You just chop, toss, and gorge. If you really want to be thorough, watch one game of the tournament as a “prep game.” Start with your watermelon base. Put in a blueberry for each made three-pointer, a slice of cucumber for each free throw, and sprinkle goat cheese every time someone dunks the ball. Talk about an interactive meal! See the recipe.

Quinoa Chicken Parmesan

Quinoa chicken parm is a great alternative to classic chicken parmesan because it won’t leave you heavy afterward. And that means when you chow down on three or four of these after your champion loses on the first day, it’ll keep your spirits as high as they can be. See the recipe.

Angel Food Cake Cupcakes

Once you’re good and fill from the main course(s), let’s not skimp on dessert. These angel food cake cupcakes are around 60 calories each, and much like you can fill out your bracket however you choose, you can create these any way you’d like. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries…they’re all fair game with this delightful treat. See the recipe.

Superfood Smoothie with Avocado and Bok Choy

Of course, we’ll need a drink to pair with all this fantastic food. This superfood smoothie has a dark horse of its own: bok choy. I KNOW! This isn’t a stir fry by any means, but it’s packed with so many good nutrients. Take it outside with you when you go running around celebrating a magical buzzer beater. Enjoy this year’s March Madness! See the recipe.

View other recipes here.