Party Dip Alert: Try This Healthy Take on Artichoke Dip
St. Paddy’s Day means it’s time to celebrate all things green. Thus, kale. We’ve had a long lasting affair with this nutrient-dense, leafy green, and we’re not afraid to admit it. Filled with as much iron as a steak and loads of vitamin K, just a small amount packs a healthy punch. In fact, even McDonald‘s might be succumbing to its charm and adding it to their menu (seriously). Put this healthier kale artichoke dip on the menu for your St. Patrick’s Day party for a creamy, cheesy snack that is sure to please.
Ingredients:
– 8 oz cream cheese (we used a cream cheese/Greek yogurt blend)
– 16 oz plain Greek yogurt
– 2 tbsp butter
– 1 1/2 light Parmesan cheese
– 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped into smaller pieces
– 2 oz drained canned jalapenos
– 5 oz kale
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– olive oil
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat your frying pan. When the olive oil heats up, add the garlic, and lightly sauté it until fragrant. Add the kale and sauté. Add a splash of water, cover and let it steam for a few minutes. Cook until the kale shrinks in size and is slightly wilted. Set aside.
3. In a large pot, melt together the cream cheese, yogurt, butter and cheese over medium heat. Stir frequently until everything is melted and bubbling slightly. Turn off the heat and stir in the artichoke hearts, jalapeños and kale. Transfer into an oven-safe baking dish.
4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until it’s bubbly and brown. If it doesn’t start to bubble, broil it at high heat for a few minutes to get a nice golden crust.
Adding kale to the usually cheese-and-cream-only dish is a good way to sneak some extra veggies into your diet.
If you want to lighten things up even more, reach for the low-fat cream cheese.
Transfer the mixture from your stove-top large pot into a 9 x 13 casserole. If you have a Dutch oven, go ahead and work on both the stovetop and the oven with just one dish and save the extra washing for another day.
As soon as your dip is bubbling and golden brown on top, you know it’s time to take it out of the oven and let it cool.
Grab your favorite potato chips, pita chips or a baguette, and get dipping.
Then raise a pint of Guinness to yourself for working kale into your St. Paddy’s Day boozefest.
What other decadent dish would you like to see us make healthier? Let us know in the comments below!
