Healthy Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe

This delicious and nutritious dip tastes amazing! It's so good that we recommend serving it in 4-ounce ramekins so that everyone gets the right serving size. It's loaded with protein to keep our muscles strong and calcium for our bones and teeth. Dip away with all natural pita chips or a colorful assortment of crunchy veggies. Enjoy.

Ingredients

4 cups water
1 6-ounce bag of fresh spinach
¼ cup fresh basil
1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans, unsalted
1 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts, unsalted (or frozen)
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 ounces low-fat cream cheese
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup + 4 tablespoons low-fat, low-sodium mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands.

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium saucepan, boil 4 cups water. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. When water comes to a boil, add spinach and basil in small batches and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking process and retain a vibrant green color. Squeeze as much water out of the spinach and basil as possible (squeeze excess liquid over a mug and drink if you like…it's full of nutrients!).
3. In a food processor, combine cooked greens, cannellini beans, artichoke hearts, garlic, cream cheese, sea salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and fold in a ½ cup of mozzarella cheese.
4. Fill 4-ounce ramekins with dip mixture and top each with a sprinkle of remaining cheese.
5. Bake for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese on top is brown and bubbly.
6. Serve with pita chips or fresh veggies.

For a cold dip, simply combine beans, artichoke hearts, garlic, sea salt, pepper, spinach and basil.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 100; Total Fat: 3 Total Saturated Fat: 2; Cholesterol: 0mg; Carbohydrate: 10g; Protein: 6g; Sodium: 180mg; Vitamin A: 15%; Vitamin C: Vitamin C: 8%; Calcium: 10%: Iron: 10%.

Stacey Antine, MS, RD, is founder of HealthBarn USA.