Dips & Spreads

                                                                                    Taco Dip

8 oz softened low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
salt & pepper, to taste
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 jalapeño, diced finely
1 lime squeezed

In a large bowl, microwave softened cream cheese for 15-20 seconds or until very easy to stir. Mix in sour cream and taco seasoning and lime. Stir thoroughly, then add in remaining ingredients. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste and serve with crackers, tortilla chips or anything else you'd like.




Carrot & Olive Spread

Recipe Here

2 large carrots, peeled and grated
2 pimento-stuffed green olives, fine chopped
4 - 5 leaves of spinach
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, fine chopped
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
Salt, as per taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

To make Savory Carrot Sandwich Spread Recipe, first wash, peel carrots and grate it in a bowl. 
Wash spinach in water to get rid of any dirt particles. Finely chop spinach leaves and transfer to the same bowl as carrot. Similarly fine chop olives, pecans and garlic clove and add to the bowl of chopped vegetables.
Now add cream cheese, salt, pepper, basil, chia seeds to the vegetables. Stir with the spoon, add olive oil to get the smooth spreading consistency. Adjust seasoning as per your taste. Savory Carrot Spinach Spread is ready.
The Savory Carrot Spinach Spread is ready to be served as a spread on sandwiches, wraps or even as a dip for parties. The sandwiches made from Savory Carrot Spinach Spread also make great school lunch box additions for kids.



Cumin Dip recipe from weekend herb blogger
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil plus a little more to serve
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
4 medium or 2 large zucchini, sliced and quartered
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
dried chili flakes to taste (around 1/2 – 1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 – 4 tablespoons lemon juice
handful of mint leaves, chopped 

Toast cumin in a warm pan until aromatic. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, zucchini, garlic and chili flakes and a small amount of water to help steam the zucchini. Add a lid and cook until tender. Once the mixture is soft, add it to a Cuisinart with your can of garbanzo beans and add salt, lemon and pulse until it reaches the texture desired. Chill in a container, drizzle with olive oil and chopped mint.  




This is a great update to that sticky weird velveeta dip.

Cheesy Pepper Jack Dip
16 oz. block of pepper jack cheese
1/2 an onion
1 small tomato
1 bunch of cilantro
1/2 lime juice
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
4 oz. evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter
10 oz. creamed spinach

Cube cheese and place in oven safe baking dish. Add diced onion, tomato and spinach to dish. Chop cilantro and add remaining ingredients to the dish. Bake at 350o until melted and creamy.