Meatless Monday

As we inch closer to Christmas,  it's likely you'll be attending a holiday party or two this week.  With so many tasty hors d'oeuvres and tempting treats, how can yourself from overindulging?

A few weeks ago I blogged about Holiday Party Survival Tips. Another great way to keep your festive affairs on the healthy side is to bring your own appetizer to share.  Below are recipes for a few meatless dips that pair perfectly with fresh cut veggies or whole wheat pita chips.  Feel free to try them all & spread some Holiday cheer by sharing them with friends & family this week!

Garlic Sun-Dried Tomato & White Bean Dip

Ingredients

• 1 whole garlic head
• 1 cup water
• 1 (3.5-ounce) pack sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15.8-ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap head in foil. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes; cool for 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.
3. Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add tomatoes; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain tomatoes in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.
4. Place garlic pulp, tomatoes, 1/4 cup reserved liquid, oil, and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.

Nutritional Information

Serving size: 2 tablespoons

Calories: 43       Fat: 1.7g       Protein: 1.2g        Carbohydrate: 6.1g        Fiber: 1.6g       

Edamame Dip

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed and cooked
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
• 1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, drained

Preparation

Place all ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth. Serve immediately, or cover and chill.

Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 3 tablespoons

Calories: 61        Fat: 2.5g        Protein: 4g        Carbohydrate: 6.1g               Fiber: 1.2g       

Feta-Baked Hummus

• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
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• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  

Preparation

1.  Place beans and garlic in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until chopped. Add 1/2 cup water and remaining ingredients; pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
2. Transfer mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Yield: 4 cups (serving size: about 2 tablespoons).

CALORIES 44 (51% from fat); FAT 2.5g (sat 0.6g, mono 1g, poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 2g; CARB 3.8g; FIBER 0.8g; CHOL 1mg; IRON 0.3mg; SODIUM 109mg; CALC 21mg.