Chews Life Now! Super Bowl 2025, repeat after me…  

Not long to find out now: will the Kansas City Chiefs be the first team in NFL history to score a 3-peat Super Bowl victory on February 9 when they face the Philadelphia Eagles? As of today’s publication, the odds are in their favor.

It was an odd season in a good way.

Between the magic Mahomes and his receivers conjured weekly; the Cinderella debut of Commanders rookie QB, Jayden Daniels; the shoulda/woulda/coulda SB contenders Lions, Buffalo, Baltimore; or, ultimately, the cucumber cool of Eagles’ QB, Jalen Hurts, with a 14 & 3 regular season and the NFC championship – it never hurts to use a food metaphor when you’re a food writer –  football is a lot like life.

Coaches believe good defense is key to winning the game.

Health advocates believe good defense through research-based nutrition is key to winning the game of life.

In case you didn’t read last year’s Chews Life Now! Super Bowl 2024 edition featuring a vegan menu with offerings from Kansas City and San Francisco, here’s a couple of article highlights:

• Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most caloric days of the year. Some fans consume up to 11,000 calories in 24 hrs.  (Let’sGetChecked, 2024)
• ER’s are on alert for Super Bowl Spike in the host city (New Orleans in 2025).  According to Nicholas Ruthman of the Cleveland Clinic, “Those who have high blood pressure, those with high cholesterol, diabetes, if you smoke, if you drink too much, you’re overweight, [all] of that can come together and form a perfect storm and increase your risk on the big day of the big game.”

Last year, I offered readers a personal recommendation for nonalcoholic beer for the occasion. Unlike the Sober Curious Movement, making significant inroads in the health and well-being arena, to consciously examine and question one’s relationship and experience with alcohol, I have long reminded readers of the groundbreaking UK study of 25,378 individuals with the average mean age of 54 that, there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for brain health, (NeuroImage, 2022).

But another, far more diabolical, adversary is jockeying for attention from both health and environmental advocates: PFAS. Per – and polyfluoroalkyl substances or forever chemicals – and they are pervasive.  They are manmade chemicals found in waterproof clothing and makeup, nonstick cookware, stain resistant chemicals found on furniture and rugs, and used in fire retardants.

Southern New Hampshire is no stranger to their peril. (French textile manufacturer, Saint-Gobain, long suspected to be contaminating Merrimack-area wells with high levels of PFAS – as early as 2004 – announced closure of the plant in 2024 after a long and litigious battle.)

Well – or city water, chances are, without adequate commercial filtration, you’re drinking PFAS daily. In our tap water, in the liquids we purchase – including still water, sparkling water, and mineral water.  In soda. In milk. In juice. And, yes, beer.

(Check out my upcoming Chews Life Now!: You are What you Drink)

Effects of PFAS:

• immune system change/disease
• cancers of the blood, urinary system, brain

• thyroid and liver disease; including cancer
• fertility issues
• fetal development issues
• increased risk of asthma

So, let’s start with this year’s drink of champions.

Chocolate/Banana/Soy Shake! (Serves 2)

Blend the following until smooth:

• 2 cup plain, organic, unsweetened Edensoy soy milk (Whole Foods)
• 3 frozen bananas (Hannaford)
• 4 TBS cocoa powder (Whole Foods)
• 2 TBS organic maple syrup (Costco)
• 2 tsp vanilla

Top with oat milk whipped cream (Whole Foods)

I drink protein shakes during the week as my go-to breakfast, but the Super Bowl?  Yo! This once-a-year sports spectacular calls for something special.  Here’s why it is.

Edensoy soymilk is double filtered for PFAS through reverse osmosis.

This became a game-changer for me when I called company headquarters in Clinton, Michigan, last month, and it ought to be one for you, too.  The peace of mind that comes when you know you are consuming food that is not contaminated is priceless.

Filtered water, tea, soy drinks.  That’s it for me.  I take my stainless, 16 oz. water bottle EVERYWHERE I go. (Including restaurants.)

Thank you, Edensoy!

In honor of respective Super Bowl teams – the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles – I present not only a healthy menu of native favorites, but a truly delish menu of dang good eats.

Start with dessert as it takes a considerable time to prepare:

Kansas City Mini-Lemon Tarts (Vegan) & Score a Touch Down in Your Mouth Every Time

Lemon pie tops the list as Kansas City’s favorite dessert.  This one is pucker-up fab and will add no flab or cholesterol.

Note: You can prepare this with or without a crust. If without, simply pour into ramekins and refrigerate for an hour.  Top with berries or mint; be creative.

• 10 miniature tart pans – do not use non-stick types due to PFAS/forever chemicals
• Dufour’s Dairy Free Pie & Pastry Shell (Whole Foods)
• ½ block organic silken tofu (Whole Foods)
• 1 cup lemon juice (I juiced 10 organic lemons)
• 1 TBS zest
• 2/3 cup maple syrup (Costco)
• 3 TBS cornstarch
• ¼ tsp turmeric (Costco)
• ¼ tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Thaw one sheet of pastry dough on slightly floured surface and roll out until thin.
3. One by one, place dough over greased tartlet pans and using a fork, pierce the sides and bottom.
4. When the desired number of pans are complete, bake for 15-20 minutes.  (Should be golden brown.)
5. Let cool completely.

Filling:

1. Blend tofu, lemon juice, zest, syrup, cornstarch, turmeric, and salt in the blender until smooth.
2. Pour into heavy sauce pan and let thicken over medium heat for 5 minutes, constantly whisking.
3. Ladle into tart shells or ramekins and chill in the fridge.
4. Top with mint leaf and quarter lemon slice or whatever you have on hand.

I grew up just an hour away from the City of Brotherly Love. My first job in high school was as a sub chef in a pizza/sub shop and, yeah, you guessed it. Making cheesesteak subs was my specialty. Friday and Saturday nights at Dominic’s were some kind of crazy. That grill was bigger than my car. I’d have 5 – 10 CSs going at once. Flipping those onions just right until they caramelize like honey. Sometimes green peppers.  Sometimes mushrooms.  Hots. Loaded with mayo, maters, and shredded lettuce.  Roll that baby like a football in aluminum foil sheets and waxed, white butcher paper.

GOT TWO WHOLE CHEESESTEAKS ALL THE WAY AND ONE WITH EXTRA HOTS FOR JIMMY WITH A BUCKET OF FRIES! COME AND GET YOUR HOT C-H-E-E-S-E S-T-E-A-K!

51 years later, it’s rather remarkable to contemplate my food/health evolution. Hope you enjoy this evolution of the Philadelphia Cheesesteak Sub(statute) as much as I do but let’s make a healthier version of fries first.

BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES WITH OLD BAY (SERVES 2)

• Olive Oil
• Cornstarch
• Old Bay Seasoning (Hannaford)
• 2 large organic potatoes

Instead of white/yellow potatoes fried in oil, sweet potatoes are the way to go.  Very anti-inflammatory and without the calories of deep frying.

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into ½ inch x 3” fries.
3. Lightly dust with cornstarch
4. Without letting them touch, lay them down uniformly on a cookie sheet no more than 6” from oven’s heat source
5. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
6. Place in oven for 20 minutes.
7. Flip and heat for 15 minutes or until tender.
8. Sprinkle lightly with salt and an herb of choice such as garlic powder, smoked paprika, or, if you are a Raven’s fan and are sore that they didn’t make it to the Super Bowl, use Old Bay.

Philadelphia Cheesesteak-like Subs

• 3 TBS olive oil – divided
• 1 package sub rolls
• 1 package Jack & Annie’s Plant-Based Shaved Steak (Whole Foods)
• 1 large organic yellow onion sliced into rings
• 1 medium organic green pepper sliced julienne
• 1 jar vegan mayo (Whole Foods)
• 1 jar hots (hot peppers) – optional (Hannaford)

1. Add 2 TBS olive oil and sauté sliced onion over medium low heat for 15 minutes in a heavy, non-stick frying pan. (Seasoned cast iron is great for this.)
2. Add green peppers. Keep peppers and onion warm.
3. If you have a griddle or large non-stick frying pan, heat oil to medium high and add 3-6 slices of plant-based steak until brown and well heated. Using metal flipper and flip over and mound. Place slice of plant-based cheese on top.
4. Spread vegan mayo on sliced roll.  Add grated lettuce, tomato slice, optional. Add generous portion onion and green peppers with tongs then, using flipper, place steak with melted cheese on top.
5. Hots optional.

I know a lot of us New Englanders are sensitive that Kansas City Chief QB, Patrick Mahomes, might be on his way to usurping the GOAT’s legacy but as is said in football, you never know which way the ball will bounce.

In the meantime . . . .

Kansas City Barbeque Sandwiches (Serves 4)

• 1 package rolls of choice (I prefer organic whole wheat)
• 2 TSP olive oil
• 1 block organic firm tofu
• 1 medium organic yellow onion
• 1 medium green pepper (optional)
• 1 jar Stubbs – Sweet Heat Barbeque Sauce (Hannaford)

1. Remove tofu block from container, wrap in terry cloth tea towel, and place heavy object on top ie cast iron frying pan/or Dutch Oven for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, chop onion and green pepper fine.
3. Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion and green pepper until tender on medium heat.  About 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove tofu block from tea towel and grate with large box grater.
5. Add to the pan with onion and green pepper.  Add more oil if needed to prevent sticking.
6. When well blended and heated through, add a generous amount of Stubbs Sauce.  Simmer on low for 5 minutes then ladle on rolls. Yum!
7. Serve with Bush’s Best Organic Baked Beans (from Hannaford).

Here’s to a great game and a great opportunity to change yours!