Chicken Sausage and Pepper Dogs – Healthy Game Day Eats

Garlic herb chicken sausage topped with sautéed red bell pepper, green bell pepper, white onion, ketchup, and mustard in a bun. These Chicken Sausage and Pepper Dogs are not only a much healthier option than a regular hot dog, but are perfect for any game day gathering.

Confession: I LOVE hot dogs. I used to eat them regularly as kid, so much so that they were a main food group for me. And if you live in Southern California and you don’t get a street dog every now and then, are you even living?! Nope. However, let’s be real here, it’s not the healthiest option. The ingredients aren’t great and it’s mainly a fat source NOT a protein source, as most assume. With that said, I had a major hot dog craving a few months back and I decided to get creative with these garlic herb chicken sausages from Trader Joe’s to satisfy my craving. All I have to say is: game changer. The same savory taste we all love is there, the texture is there and it’s an actual protein source! These Chicken Sausage and Pepper Dogs are not only a healthy hot dog alternative but they can be made for ANY game day barbecue or gathering leaving every attendee satisfied.

Ever since Tom Brady broke my heart and left the Patriots, it’s safe to say my main focus on Sundays has changed. I’ve transitioned from planning my whole day around the Patriots game to “what are we eating today?”, hence this new recipe. Game days are notorious for fried foods with all of the toppings and every condiment under the sun. It’s hard to stick to any type of nutrition goal when going to any restaurant or gathering to watch the game because the options are always limited. The best strategy is to bring a dish that meets your goals (this recipe ::cough::) and that you can safely consume or simply eat before. At the end of the day, remember what’s important – the company you keep not what you ate and always remember to have fun!

Chicken Sausage and Pepper Dogs Ingredients

• Garlic herb chicken sausages
• Red bell pepper (now in season for Fall – Fall Fruit and Vegetable Guide)
• Green bell pepper (now in season for Fall – Fall Fruit and Vegetable Guide)
• White onion
• Avocado oil
• Lemon pepper
• Seasoned salt
• Garlic powder
• Ketchup
• Mustard

Regular Hot Dog Nutrition vs. Chicken Sausage Nutrition

• Ball Park Beef Franks (serving size 1 link) – 4g carbs, 15g fat, 6g saturated fat, 1g trans fat, and 6g protein
• Garlic Herb Chicken Sausages (serving size 1 link) – 0g carbs, 7g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, and 17g protein
• Let’s talk about trans fats for a second. Essentially we want 0g of trans fat in your diet. This type of fat raises your LDL cholesterol – the “bad” cholesterol that can harden into plaque increasing your risk of a stroke or heart attack. This type of fat also lowers your HDL cholesterol – the “good” cholesterol that excretes LDL cholesterol from the blood. My point is: 1g of trans fat won’t kill you. But it will add up over time if consistently consumed, be careful.
• Saturated fats have a similar reputation and effect on cholesterol in the body as trans fats do, it’s just not as bad. Regardless, the chicken sausage is clearly the MUCH healthier option as shown by these two data points.

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