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It's football season Rio Grande Valley!

For some people the best part of the season is the game itself, but for others, it's the tailgating.

Chef James Cantor brought a lot of creative alternatives to those normal tailgating favorites, that not only taste good, they're healthy as well.

Leave those chicken wings and burgers behind and whip up some chicken lettuce wraps instead to cut back on those calories.

For dips, put together a delicious guacamole or hummus dip that will have the whole party asking you for your recipe.

Thankfully, we have a starting point for you. Below are the recipes from Chef Cantor for you to create at home.

Hummus & Baked Pita Chips

2 cups of soaked garbanzo beans

2 cloves minced garlic

2 cloves roasted garlic

2 Tbsp. tahini paste (sesame paste)

1 lemon juice & zest

to taste cumin, salt, pepper

2 jalapeno’s roasted, deseeded, and minced

3 baked pita chips, 5 calories

Guacamole

2 avocados fork smashed

2 limes zest and juice

1 diced roma tomato

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

2 Serrano chile’s diced

To taste salt & pepper

Thai Chicken Lettuce Tacos

4 leafs of butter lettuce or any other desired lettuce (instead of tortilla)

1 grilled or steamed boneless, skinless chicken breast minced

1tsp fresh minced ginger

1tsp fresh minced garlic

1 cup chopped green onion

1/2 tsp of fish sauce (1anchovy filet dissolved in equal parts soy and rice vinegar)

Fresh mint, basil, and cilantro to taste

Sriachi hot sauce

Fresh limes

Crispy onions (optional)

2 cups julienne red pepper, carrots, cucumber, tossed in a dash of rice vinegar & honey