Recipes for Salsa, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Black Bean Hummus & Quinoa Tabbouleh
Get any party started with just the right DIP. We gathered together some of our favorite dipping recipes, guaranteed to please at any gathering. All of these recipes are full flavored, some less full of the fattening stuff….SKINNY DIPPING!
Salsa Rojo
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 medium chile peppers, such as poblano, New Mexico or Anaheim, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, diced (about 4 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder, or chili powder (see Shopping Tip)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
Preparation:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, chile peppers and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium. Add tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes have broken down and thickened slightly 6 to 8 minutes.
Carefully transfer the tomato mixture to a food processor or blender. Pulse to make a chunky sauce, or until desired consistency. (Use caution when pureeing hot ingredients.)
Let cool to room temperature, about 11/2 hours. Stir in cilantro and lime juice just before serving.
Spicy Southwest Spinach Dip
Ingredients:
1 pkg Spinach, chopped
1 16-oz jar salsa
1/4 cup jalapeño peppers, chopped
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, diced & softened
4 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup evaporated milk
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Empty greens into a large bowl.
3. Microwave 2 minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients.
5. Bake 15 minutes or until bubbly.
6. Serve with tortilla chips.
Spicy Black Bean Hummus
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
Dash of crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Dash of ground red pepper
1 (6-ounce) bag pita chips (such as Stacy’s Simply Naked)
Preparation:
Place garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, tahini, cumin, salt, black beans, jalapeño pepper, and crushed red pepper; process until smooth. Spoon bean mixture into a medium bowl, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with ground red pepper. Serve with pita chips.
Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients:
2 (14 oz) cans artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1 (8 oz) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened and cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 (8 oz) block fat-free cream cheese, softened and cut into 1/2″ cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (optional garnish)
Preparation:
SLOW COOKER METHOD: Coat the slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients except the red bell pepper. Stir to combine, cover and cook until heated through. 1-1/2 to 2 hours on high, 3 to 4 hours on low. Recipe may be doubled.
OVEN METHOD: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside half of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. In a large bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients but the red bell pepper. Spoon mixture into greased or sprayed 1-1/2 to a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining cheeses. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden.
Sprinkle cooked dip with diced red pepper, if desired. Serve warm with crackers, tortilla chips, pita chips, crostini, or raw veggies.
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large English hothouse cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1-pint cherry tomatoes halved
2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Preparation:
Bring quinoa, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining dressing over.
Mango Salsa
Ingredients:
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1 ½ cups)
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chile, minced (include ribs and seeds for a hotter taste if desired)
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the salsa ends up being a little too hot or acidic for your taste, you can temper it by adding some diced avocado.
Salsa Verde
Ingredients:
8 ounces tomatillos (about 5-6 medium), husked
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (wear plastic gloves when handling)
½ cup chopped onions
6 sprigs fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
¼ cup water water
½ teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a no-stick jelly-roll pan with no-stick spray. Place the tomatillos in the pan. Roast, turning every 5 minutes until the tomatillos are browned and almost cooked through.
Place the tomatillos in a food processor or blender. Add the peppers, onions, and cilantro. Process until coarsely pureed.
Pour the puree into a small bowl. Stir in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce achieves the desired consistency. Stir in the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.
Very Low-Fat Black Bean And Corn Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups crisp canned corn, drained
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Preparation:
Mix all ingredients and chill overnight.
Spoon out 1/2 servings as needed.
Photo by Aric Attas
Originally Published on Vero Home Life & Design
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