Chips and a bowl of dip has to be one of the most popular snacks in history. Who can resist a crunchy snack loaded with their favorite dip? Naturally the best dips are made with melted cheese or start out a as a big tub of sour cream, what could be better? If you are like most of us, your answer is something along the lines of “not much.” However, these dips all share one very important factor in common no matter what flavor you choose, they are all overly full of calories and fat, not something that is good for your diet or your health.
Veggies Make the Difference
If you want to serve your family and friends snack dips that are not only delicious but also healthy, start by rounding up a few veggies such as frozen spinach and canned artichokes. Not only will they add their own unique flavors to your dips, but also you will use them to add bulk to your dip. Although you can use fresh spinach, you will need a significant amount of it to equal one small bag of frozen spinach. This will all have to be cooked down before you can use it to make a dip.
Canned artichokes are filled with many great nutrients and the canned variety are stored in citric acid which adds its own punch to the final product. To your one cup of frozen spinach and two cups of canned artichokes, you need to add some form of cheese for its creamy texture. Choose a decent cream cheese such as Neufchatel as it has less fat than those with full fat, and far more flavor than those sold as low-fat.
Finishing Your Dip
Now is a good time to add a small amount of low fat sour cream just to give your new dip a little tanginess. You can add olive oil or a little low fat mayonnaise to help improve the creamy texture of your dip. As a final touch add about an ounce of Parmigiano-Reggiano as this particular type of aged cheese adds an amazing amount of flavor to your dip.
For those who want a little heat in your dip, try adding a few red pepper flakes or better yet pickled cherry peppers. Not only will these peppers add a little heat to your dish, they will also lend their bright red color to the final product. Alternately you can add caramelized onions and garlic for a sweeter dip. Try experimenting with ingredients to create a range of dips your family is sure to enjoy and that will be much better for their health and waistlines.
