Quick and Easy, Healthy Dips for Snacking

A healthier lifestyle is something almost everyone aspires to achieve. As science and the medical fields continue to study the effects of poor eating on a person's body, we are receiving more and more information regarding what is good and useful for us to ingest. As important as it is to make changes in our diet, it isn't always easy. Fast food and a busy lifestyle sometimes make it seem impossible to find healthy snack alternatives. Fortunately, society as a whole has started to work hard to provide and promote a more nutritional way of eating, eliminating fats and unhealthy carbs and incorporating more fresh vegetables and complex carbs and proteins. With some planning and some good recipes, there are lots of healthy snack options that will leave you feeling satisfied without having to compromise your health and well-being. These are some healthy dips that incorporate fresh and canned ingredients that are relatively low in calories, but high in nutritional value. They will work for a simple snack or a party appetizer! No need to feel guilty about indulging in these tasty treats!

Southwestern Black Bean Salsa

This is a quick and easy salsa that gets better after a day or two in the fridge, which allows the flavors to really incorporate with each other. It contains:

2 (15 oz) cans black eyed peas, drained 1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz. bottle zesty Italian salad dressing

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, with the exception of the cilantro. Cover and refrigerate before serving, at least 4 hours, but can be stored for up to 10 days. Just prior to serving, add chopped fresh cilantro and mix well. Can be served with tortilla chips or toasted baguette slices.

Santa Fe Sunset Dip

This is a nice, creamy southwestern dip from the American Institute for Cancer Research. It is both nutritional and healthy and offers a nice alternative to salsa.

Ingredients:
2 jars (7-oz. each) roasted red peppers, drained
1 package (about 30) sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin (adjust to taste)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallion
4 oz. reduced-fat Neufchâtel cream cheese, softened
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tabasco or hot chili pepper sauce, if desired, to taste

Place dried tomatoes in enough hot water to cover them and soak for 5 minutes. When softened, drain them, but reserve 3 tablespoons of the hot water/tomato liquid. Purée red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, cilantro and scallions in a food processor until very smooth and blended. Add cream cheese and tomato purée, drizzling in the reserved tomato-soaking liquid to thin the dip to the desired consistency. Blend until smooth, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste. Cover and refrigerate for overnight before using. Let dip reach room temperature to serve.

Serve with cut-up vegetables or baked tortilla chips.

Greek Feta Spread

I saw this on one of the morning shows; it is a great, really fresh flavored recipe from the William Sonoma Kitchen. The mint really heightens the other flavors in the recipe and this dip is fantastic on seasoned bagel chips if you don't want to use pita wedges. You will need:

1/2 lb. Greek or French feta cheese
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. minced fresh mint or 1 tsp. crumbled dried mint
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, plus more as needed
6 Italian pepperoncini (add more if needed)

Mix the cheese, olive oil, garlic, mint, the 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and the 6 chopped pepperoncini in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season to taste by adding more red pepper flake or pepperoncini if needed. Serve with radishes, cucumbers and pita wedges.

Green Goddess Dip

This recipe was on the same morning show, made by a chef at the William Sonoma Kitchens.
It's full of fresh herbs, which I don't always use, but they make all the difference in this dip. According to the chef on the morning show, this dip was inspired by the salad dressing with the same name that was popular the 1920s. The ingredients are:

2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
2 or 3 anchovy fillets
1 shallot, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream

Combine the chives, parsley, tarragon, basil, mint, anchovies, shallot, lemon juice and mayonnaise in a food processor and blend or process until smooth, about 1 minute or 15 pulses.

After transferring mixture to a bowl, stir in the sour cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Serve with baked potato chips and crudités (carrots, green peppers, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, jicama) for dipping.

Heart-Healthy Shrimp Dip served with Veggie Dippers
I ran across this while I was blogging one day and decided to try it. It was created by Kalyn @ http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/03/heart-healthy-shrimp-dip-served-with.html. She creates a lot of recipes that will work with the South Beach Diet. I like this one because it contains shrimp, which my entire family loves! Here's the ingredient list:

8 oz. low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese or low-fat sour cream (sour cream has more fat)
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. dill weed (dried)
2 tsp. Bon Appetit Seasoning or celery salt
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
(one large pepper, cut in pieces about 3/8 inch)
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen shrimp, cut in pieces about 3/8 inch
If the shrimp are frozen, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then drain well. If they seem wet, wrap them in a paper towel and squeeze out as much moisture as I can. If using low-fat cottage cheese, put into food processor and blend until it is creamy like sour cream. (If using sour cream, just add with other ingredients.) Mix in cream cheese, lemon juice, dill weed, and Bon Appetit or celery salt, and blend. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in green onion and chopped bell pepper, then gently fold in shrimp. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Can be served with raw vegetables, bagel chips or whole grain crackers. With these 5 dip recipes, anyone can create some great tasting, healthy snacks that will not only stave off the hunger, they will help your body by providing necessary fuel and nutrients to give you the health and energy you need to sustain your busy lifestyle. Not only are they healthy, they are quick and easy! Try them at your next party and impress your friends and family with your new, healthy recipes!