Light Spinach Artichoke Dip

Time to throw away that tired old spinach artichoke dip recipe, and spruce it up with this revamped dip. By making a few swap outs, this recipe is much healthier without losing any of the FLAVOR. My husband was so surprised when I told him that I changed it up after he tried it (I’m so sneaky). I actually surprised myself when I created this recipe (trust me you will be amazed after the first bite). Such a delicious dip without any of the guilt…count me in!

2  14 oz. Cans of Artichokes

1  10 oz Bag of Fresh Spinach

1  15 oz. Container of Ricotta Cheese

1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt

1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella

2 Tbs Canola Oil

1/2 Tbs Nutmeg

2 Tbs Garlic Powder

1/2 Tbs Cayenne (optional)

1/2 Tbs Salt

Preheat the oven to 365°. I love using fresh greens so I use fresh spinach, but you can use frozen if you’d prefer. Add the canola oil to a large skillet and add the fresh spinach. If your skillet is not big enough, just add a little at a time. It will look like a lot, but it will all wilt down (it’s so crazy how you start with a big bag of spinach and it cooks down to about a cup, I guess that is the magic of it). Add the nutmeg and half of the garlic powder. The nutmeg is a perfect seasoning to add to greens. It really enhances their FLAVOR! Add more oil as needed. Once they have finished cooking put aside.

Drain the artichokes into a strainer and rinse them with water (this will rinse off the salty brine that they are packed with). Squeeze out the water of each artichoke and place on your cutting board. Cut the artichokes into a rough chop (watch those fingers!)

Time to put it all together (here is where we add the secret ingredients 😉 ). In a large bowl combine the artichokes, ricotta cheese, and Greek yogurt. Mix together, then add in the rest of the seasoning along with the spinach mixture and half of the mozzarella.  Spread into a greased casserole dish and top with the remaining  mozzarella cheese. Cook for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned. Serve once it has cooled for 5-10 minutes. This dip goes great with tortilla chips, crackers, or pita chips.

Try out his recipe for your family or at your next dinner party, then you can tell them how healthy it really is, or you can keep it our little secret (don’t worry, I won’t tell 😉 ).

Happy Flavoring!

Black Bean Dip

Remember guys, it’s all about the FLAVOR. The spices are key, which will enhance the taste of each ingredient. This is definitely a go to dip for me, so simple and so delicious!

1/2 Cup of Salsa

1/2 Cup of Shredded Mozzarella (optional)

1 Small Onion (diced)

4-8 slices of Pickled Jalapeños

1 Tbs. Cumin

1 Tbs. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional)

1/2 Tbs. Salt

1/2 Tbs. Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. Pour one of the cans of beans into a pot (beans and liquid). Use a potato masher to mash the beans. Drain and rinse the 2nd can and add to the pot. Chop onion and jalapeños and add to mixture. You can adjust the heat level with how much jalapeños you add, I use a lot because Suzie likes it spicy! Add salsa and spices and stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Transfer to casserole dish and sprinkle the top with cheese. (Look how pretty, nice snow covered beans….oh this dip would be perfect on a snowy day….ok sorry my mind got away from me, I’m back). Of course if you are vegan, you can totally leave this step out. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Let cool and serve with tortilla chips, pita chips or your favorite crackers. Yummy!

Happy Flavoring!