Have you ever been to a party where dips weren’t served? Me, neither. They’re mainstays at gatherings, and they’ve come a long way from the days of sour cream mixed with packaged soup or salad dressing mixes.
We’re sticking with creamy dips with a few twists. Dips often taste rich because they’re based on ingredients such as mayonnaise, cream cheese and sour cream—all of which add fat and calories. Simply substituting reduced-fat versions can lighten the fat and calorie load considerably.
You can reduce it further by substituting nonfat Greek-style yogurt in place of sour cream. Greek-style yogurt’s custardlike texture makes it a great stand-in.
The recipe for Spinach Avocado Dip calls for nonfat plain Greekstyle yogurt. It’s puréed with ripe avocados and mixed with a sautéed spinach mixture, making a creamy and slightly tangy dip.
For an appetizers spread, it’s nice to have a selection of warm, cold, savory and spicy dips, plus plenty of options for dipping, including vegetables, baked pita chips and wholegrain crackers. Mini red, orange and yellow bell peppers sold in 1-pound bags also make great dippers. They are small, can be cut in half (there are few seeds) and are not terribly expensive. A 1-pound bag can often be found afor about $5.
Jim Bologna, executive chef at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Mich., offers this idea for an easy Chickpea Aioli Dip, which is a cross between hummus and aioli:
Mash cooked chickpeas in a blender until smooth with some olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, Dijon mustard, roasted garlic and mint. If the mixture is too thick, add more olive oil.
“This works great as a veggie dip served with pita bread, pita chips or grilled veggies,” Bologna said.
Crudites With Green Goddess Dressing
Adapted from “On a Stick,” by Matt
Armendariz (Quirk Books). Preparation
time: 10 minutes. Total time:
10 minutes. Makes 3 cups.
Ingredients
¾ cup low-fat mayonnaise
¾ cup low-fat sour cream or crema
Mexicana
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
Zest of ½ lime
2 green onions, roughly chopped
(green and white parts)
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 pickled jalapeño pepper, seeded,
optional
Salt and pepper to taste
Assorted small sliced vegetables on
skewers, for serving
Directions
To make the dressing, put all the
ingredients in a blender and purée
on high for about 1 minute; pour
into a serving bowl and refrigerate
for 2 hours or up to 3 days. This is
best served cold or at room temperature.
Serve with small vegetables
threaded on skewers, such as grape
tomatoes, raw green beans, little
carrots, celery cut on the diagonal,
radishes cut in half, cauliflower,
cucumbers, raw or slightly blanched
asparagus, yellow or red bell peppers.
Per 2 tablespoon serving: 30 calories (63 percent from fat ), 2 grams fat (1 gramsat. fat ), 2 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams protein, 80 mg sodium, 6mg cholesterol, 0 grams fiber
Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip
Adapted from Daisy Sour Cream
recipes. Preparation time: 10
minutes. Total time: 40 minutes.
Makes 4 cups.
Ingredients
8 ounces low-fat cream cheese,
softened
2 cups low-fat sour cream
6 slices cooked and crumbled
bacon
1½ cups shredded reduced-fat
Mexican-style cheese blend
1 cup chopped green onion
Toasted bread slices, for serving
Vegetables on skewers, for serving
Whole-grain crackers, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a bowl, combine all
ingredients. Place the mixture in
a 1-quart baking dish. Cover. Bake
for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling
and hot.
Instead of a baking dish, you can
slice about a ¼-inch piece off the
top of a round sourdough loaf; set
the piece aside. Hollow out the
loaf; cut up the bread to serve with
the dip. Spoon the dip into the
hollowed-out crust. Replace the
top slice. Wrap the bread bowl in
foil and bake in the preheated
400-degree oven for 30 minutes.
Per 2 tablespoons of dip: 57 calories (66 percent from fat ), 4 grams fat (2 grams sat. fat ), 2 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 100 mg sodium, 13 mg cholesterol, 0 grams fiber
Spinach Avocado Dip
From Martha Stewart Living magazine,
December 2011 issue. Preparation
time: 15 minutes. Total time: 40
minutes. Makes 2½ cups dip.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
10 ounces spinach, rinsed well,
tough stems removed
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 medium-ripe Hass avocados
1 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons fresh
lemon juice
12 ounces sugar snap peas, for serving
9 small slices pumpernickel bread,
cut into triangles, for serving
Directions
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the
oil. Add shallots and garlic, stirring
often; cook until tender, about 4
minutes. Add spinach and about }
teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, until
spinach is wilted, about 4 minutes.
Uncover. Cook until liquid evaporates,
about 7 minutes. Refrigerate
until cooled, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, purée avocadoes,
yogurt, lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon
salt in a food processor until smooth.
Season with pepper. Finely chop
the cooled spinach mixture. Stir into
the avocado purée. Serve with snap
peas and bread for dipping.
Per 2 tablespoons of dip: 46 calories (57 percent from fat), 3 grams fat (0 grams sat. fat), 3 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 46 mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 2 grams fiber
