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Chef Marilyn Harris has created a luscious assortment of recipes for lighter snack attacks. |
Dips:
- Southwest Shrimp Dip
- Green Onion-Cheese Dip
- Crunchy Vegetable Dip
- Santa Fe Bean Dip
- Salsa Fresca
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip
- Suggestions
- Notes and Tips
- 1 pound boiled shrimp, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 cups reduced fat sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (regular or reduced fat)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chile powder (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red Spanish onion (or other sweet salad onion)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- Extra cilantro leaves for garnish
Stir together all ingredients except garnish.
Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
Garnish and serve with fat-free chips for dipping.
Makes about 4 cups.
- 2 cups lowfat cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (regular or low fat)
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped green onions (crisp green tops included)
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Put all ingredients into the food processor.
Pulse on and off until onions and parsley are finely chopped and cheese is smooth.
Cover and chill for at least one hour.
Serve with fat-free chips or crisp dipping vegetables.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
- 2 cups reduced fat sour cream (or fat-free plain yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (regular or reduced fat)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet salad onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped radishes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber (seeded)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Stir together all of the ingredients.
Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
Serve with fat-free chips or crisp dipping vegetables.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon good chile powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 1-pound cans pinto beans, drained
- 1 large roasted onion*, chopped
- 3 cloves roasted garlic*, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- Salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 cup Jack cheese
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan.
Add the chile powder and cumin.
Stir the spices in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. (Do not burn.)
Puree the beans in a food processor and add to the saucepan.
Stir in the chopped roasted onion and garlic.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, over low heat.
Stir in the Tabasco and 1/2 cup of the cheese.
Season to taste with salt.
Place in a small casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top.
At serving time, place in the microwave or a hot oven until hot through and the cheese is melted.
Serve hot with fat-free chips for dipping.
Serves 10 to 12.
*Roasted Onion:
Rub a large, unpeeled yellow onion with oil. Wrap in heavy-duty foil, crimping top to close tightly. Place in a preheated 400°F oven for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, depending on size of onion. The onion will be soft when done. Cool and peel.*Roasted Garlic:
Cut the top off a large, firm head of garlic. The tops of the cloves should be exposed. Place on a square of heavy-duty foil. Drizzle some olive oil over the garlic head and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Tightly close the foil, crimping the top. Place in a preheated 400°F oven for about 30 minutes or until soft. Cool. Gentle pressure on bottom of a roasted clove of garlic should easily push it out of its skin.
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup chopped red Spanish onion or sweet salad onion
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 medium fresh jalapeños, seeded and minced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Wash the tomatoes.
Chop in the food processor, pulsing on and off.
Remove and add the salt.
Fold in the remaining ingredients.
Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes for flavors to blend.
Serve with fat-free chips or reduced fat tortilla chips.
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup reduced fat sour cream
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Preheat oven to 400°F
Wash the peppers.
Place on oven rack in the preheated oven.
Roast, turning occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes or until skin is charred.
Remove to a plastic bag and seal.
Set aside until peppers are cool.
Remove and peel.
Cut open and remove stem, seeds and veins.
Place the roasted and prepared peppers in the food processor.
Add the paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, lemon juice and basil.
Process until mixture is pureed.
Remove to a bowl.
Fold in the sour cream and mayonnaise.
Serve with fat-free chips or crisp dipping vegetables.
Makes about 2 cups.
Suggestions for Fresh Vegetables for Dipping:
The following fresh vegetables look and taste best when blanched in a pot of rapidly boiling, salted water and then refreshed in very cold water. Drain well, pat dry and chill until ready to serve:
- Broccoli--florets and peeled and sliced stems--blanch 1 minute
- Cauliflower-florets--blanch 1 minute
- Asparagus--tender ends--blanch 2 minutes
- Green beans--small to medium sized, ends trimmed--blanch 2 to 4 minutes (depending on size)
- Snow Peas--whole, with strings removed--blanch 30 seconds
- Fennel--the bulb, sliced--blanch 1 minute
The following vegetables are best raw, washed, cut into small, easy-to-eat strips and chilled:
- Carrots
- Turnips
- Zucchini
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Celery
- Jicama
Other interesting additions to the "Crudités Platter":
- Belgian Endive Leaves
- Radicchio Leaves
- Medium sized white mushrooms, firm and crisp and acidulated with lemon juice
- Artichoke Leaves, cooked until tender and chilled
- Radishes--Big ones sliced or medium ones whole
- Cucumbers--Preferably the European type which don't require peeling and seeding, cut into strips
The following vegetables are poor choices for serving with dips:
- Cherry tomatoes--too difficult to eat
- Eggplant--not good raw and wrong texture cooked
- Wild mushrooms--should never be eaten raw
- Onions--tend to be too strong in flavor, even the sweet salad varieties and the green ones
- Fat-free plain yogurt may be substituted anytime for sour cream.
- When making dips, don't put sour cream or yogurt in the food processor or blender. They will liquefy and the consistency will be too thin. Mayonnaise is fine to process in a food processor or blender.
- When is doubt about seasonings in party dips and spreads, add a minimum amount. When the recipe is finished, taste and correct the seasonings.
- For healthier snacking use fat free potato chips. They have half the fat and half the calories and still offer a crisp texture and great taste that makes them great for dipping.
