As Sunday’s Super Bowl approaches, so does the Super Bowl party, that ubiquitous annual gathering welcoming everyone on the football enthusiasm spectrum from the oblivious and disinterested (it’s ok, Beyonce is performing!) to diehard fans of the two teams in play, this year the Ravens and 49ers (we were rooting for the Texans and mostly vegan running back Arian Foster, but here’s hoping for next year).

The classic Super Bowl party, usually the domain of chicken wings, nachos, and burgers, can be fraught with complication for vegans and vegetarians, potentially leading to all sorts of off-the-gridiron smackdowns with the omnivores (which the veg*ns would surely win, by the way). To help us all coexist in harmony and watch multi-million-dollar ad spots together this Sunday, The Experiment offers up vegan twists on the classic gameday spread from authors Alicia C. Simpson and Colette Martin.

Baltimore

You can pay homage to a Ravens hometown favorite with a vegan take on the chicken box, about five chicken wings served with fries, with these two appetizing recipes:

Spicy Buffalo Bites | From Alicia C. Simpson’s Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food
Makes 4 Servings

Spicy Buffalo Bites are the vegan answer to buffalo wings. The key is to fry them until they are golden and crispy and toss them in the buffalo sauce just before serving, to preserve their crisp outer layers. You can eat them on their own or with a side of carrots, celery, and Blue Cheeze Dressing.

Canola or peanut oil
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plain soy milk
1 recipe Chik’n Seitan, cut into 1-inch bites or nuggets

Sauce:
½ cup hot sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or deep fryer to 375ºF.
2. In a shallow dish, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper.
3. Pour the soy milk into a separate shallow dish.
4. Dredge the seitan in the flour mixture, then soy milk, and then back in the flour. Fry until a deep brown on both sides. Remove from the oil and place on a plate covered with paper towels to catch any extra oil while the bites cool.

To make the sauce:
Mix together hot sauce, maple syrup, and Worcestershire sauce

French Fries | From Alicia C. Simpson’s Quick and Easy Vegan Celebrations

2 large yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into thin strips
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon canola oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover a baking sheet with nonstick foil and lightly oil it.
2. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat the potatoes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until crispy.

San Francisco

The ice cream sandwich It’s-It, a popular San Francisco treat since 1928, can be replicated with these two tasty recipes for oatmeal raisin cookies and vanilla bean ice cream:

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | From Colette Martin’s Learning to Bake Allergen-Free
Makes approximately 24 cookies

¾ cup gluten-free flour blend
1½ cups gluten-free quick-cooking oats
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) Earth Balance Natural Shortening, softened
½ cup raw sugar
½ cup flaxseed gel (equal to 2 eggs)
2 tablespoons water

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine the flour, oats, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
3. Cream together the shortening and raw sugar in a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until a textured paste forms. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
4. Add the flaxseed gel and water. Blend with a mixer on medium-low speed, about 1 minute.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture and blend on medium speed, about 2 minutes. The batter will be thick.
6. Use a large spoon and damp hands to form cookies. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space in between.
7. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream | From Alicia C. Simpson’s Quick and Easy Vegan Celebrations
Makes 1 Quart

Vanilla extract is a great all-purpose baking and cooking ingredient, but when it comes to ice cream nothing beats the taste of using the seeds of a vanilla bean.

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1½ cups plain soy milk
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1½ cups plain soy yogurt

1. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean with a spoon.
2. Whisk the milk with the sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Whisk in the soy yogurt, then whisk in the vanilla seeds, leaving no lumps.
3. Pour the mixture into an electric ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. This usually takes 25 to 30 minutes to freeze.

To assemble the It’s It
Once the cookies are completely cooled, sandwich a scoop of ice cream between two cookies, then place in the freezer. Wait until they’re firm, and enjoy!