Um, we know this is good stuff, but NO double dipping please!!
Who doesn’t love to dip? Unfortunately a lot of dips are full of fat and extra calories that make you sluggish and that don’t give you the nutrients that you need to stay energized throughout the day.
Luckily, we have a list of ingredients you can substitute to make your dips healthier and more nutritious, so you can get back to dipping without the guilt and you can have the energy to dip some more!
Does your recipe call for heavy cream? If so, it’s calorie-laden and full of fat and will weigh you down, so try to substitute skim milk, or pureed white beans (cannellini or chickpeas) to keep your dips creamy, but healthy—and energizing!
Full fat cheese is the easiest thing to replace. Swap full fat cheese for low-fat or non-fat cheeses, or try using cheeses that pack more flavor, like parmesan over cheddar or American cheese, so you can use less to keep the fat in check so that it doesn’t slow you down.
Swap oils for pumpkin, or a more neutrally flavored, applesauce. Half a cup of canola oil or vegetable oil has over 950 calories and over 100 grams of fat, while the same amount of unsweetened pumpkin puree or applesauce has about 50 calories per half cup. Be mindful of the extra sweetness though!
Greek yogurt is full of protein, half the carbs of regular yogurt, and is tangy in flavor, a perfect substitute for sour cream in your dips. It contains half the fat and three times the protein of sour cream and is a great revving food.
Here’s a recipe from lowcalorieideas.com that’s sure to turbo boost your energy since it’s packed with blood sugar stabilizing nutrients and it’s low calorie, low-fat, vegan, and gluten free!
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Yields: Approximately 2 cups of dip
Ingredients:
- 6 oz steamed spinach
- 1-2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 can of cannellini beans
- 1/2 cup of chopped scallions
- 2 tbsp. of lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. of fresh basil
- 1 can of artichoke hearts (NOT the kind marinated in oil)
Optional: salt and additional spices to taste
Directions:
- Steam and make sure to thoroughly drain the spinach (it holds so much water!).
- In a blender or food processor, puree all of the ingredients EXCEPT for the artichoke hearts.
- In a medium mixing bowl, gently fold in the minced artichoke hearts with the mixture. Add your optional ingredients (salt & other spices)