When
aren't we going on and on about how you need to eat more vegetables?
They're full of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and low in calories and
fat. And one of the best ways to eat them? Raw. So you're trying to be a
good camper, with your bowl of broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby
carrots, and celery sticks, crunching your way to a leaner (and probably
gassier) you. You know what would really make these veggies sing? Some
dip! French onion dip. . . or guacamole . . . or hummus . . . or nacho
cheese. Ha! Guess again! Nothing can make your healthy vegetable snack
descend the rungs of Michi's Ladder faster than a few dunks in a bowl of
fatty, salty, delicious dip. But we're not completely heartless. Here
are some variations on some old favorites that are actually pretty good
for you!
Hummus. It's
a perfect dip. Made primarily of creamed chickpeas, it's like dipping
your vegetable in another vegetable! But not all hummuses (or is it hummi?)
are created equal. Many are loaded up with tahini (the sesame paste
that gives hummus it's nutty flavor) and olive oil, which are almost
pure fat. Granted, they're both healthy fats, so a little is OK, but too
much will pack on the pounds. Try making your own from scratch. Just
puree a can of chickpeas in a food processor or blender with lemon
juice, garlic, and cayenne pepper to taste. You can add as much tahini
or olive oil as you think your diet can handle, or none at all. If the
hummus is too thick, you could thin it with a little vegetable broth or
water instead of oil.
Guacamole. Avocados?
They're in the Pious Tier of Michi's Ladder. And guacamole is just
mashed avocados, right? Right, but as with olive oil and tahini,
avocados are full of calories. One avocado has 227 calories, and 21
grams of fat. Instead, how about an easy-to-make avocado dip? In a food
processor, combine one avocado, one cup of nonfat yogurt, and one cup of
nonfat cottage cheese (all top-tier ingredients from Michi's Ladder).
Blend until creamy and no lumps from the cottage cheese remain. Add
cayenne pepper and ground cumin to taste. For extra flavor and texture,
mix in some chopped fresh cilantro and onion before serving.
French onion dip. OK,
nothing made of instant soup (essentially flavored salt) and full-fat
sour cream is going to pass Michi muster. But onions are in the top
tier, so that's a start. Instead of sour cream, how about tofu? It's not
just that white brick that sits in the back of your fridge after a
well-intentioned impulse buy. Puree 2 cups of extra-soft tofu in a food
processor with a couple of tablespoons of white wine vinegar and
Worcestershire sauce, and garlic cloves to taste. Meanwhile sauté some
chopped onions in a little bit of olive oil until caramelized. Mix the
onions into the tofu mixture and deglaze the pan with a little white
wine and add that to the dip as well.
Spinach dip. Nothing's
a bigger hit at a party than that hollowed-out sourdough boule full of
mayonnaise-y goodness. Instead of mayo though, try pureeing some nonfat
yogurt and cottage cheese. Thaw out some frozen chopped spinach and mix
that in and add some chopped water chestnuts and scallions for crunch
and flavor. For extra zip and color, try mixing in some curry powder.
With all that going on, you'll forget the mayo's gone! And don't forget
to use whole grain bread.
- Joe Wilkes, Team Beachbody Newsletter
