I have a deep love for spinach dip. Not the hot, cheesy mess you get as an appetizer at most (chain) restaurants. No, I am talking about the creamy cool crunchy refreshing goodness that you can find in your local deli. Best served with wheat crackers, toasted multi-grain bread, veggies, or maybe the odd sun-dried tomato.

This has been a major pregnancy craving.

It’s not constant, but hits at the most inopportune times, like when I am pulling into the driveway AFTER spending an hour at the grocery store.

I am not going to lie, this past craving, I almost pulled right out of my driveway and went back to the store. I have my weak moments and most of them include food. Then I realized that I probably had all the ingredients to make a much healthier and better tasting dip at home.

For me, this is the platonic spinach dip. Crunchy water chestnuts, sweet carrots, chewy sun-dried tomatoes, tangy artichoke hearts, and enough heat to warm up your mouth between bites.

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You don’t even have to go through the messy process of steaming spinach or trying to squeeze all the moisture out of frozen spinach. Toss the fresh spinach with some warm veggies, and it wilts just enough to make it perfect for this creamy dip.

 

Spicy Creamy Fresh Spinach Dip
This recipe uses fat-free Greek yogurt as a base with just a smidge of reduced-fat cream cheese for some added richness. With all the veggies, it’s a dip without the guilt.

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Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 jalapeno pepper, shredded or grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 6-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
[1/3] cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into slivers
[1/3] cup canned artichoke hearts, chopped
1 6-ounce bag fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 [1/4] cup Greek Yogurt
[1/3] cup cream cheese
[1/2] cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
juice from 1 medium lemon
[1/2] teaspoon ground black pepper
[1/4] teaspoon salt

Instructions
Heat oil in a medium-sized saute pan over medium heat. Add carrot, pepper, garlic, water chestnuts, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook until softened, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl, combine warm vegetable mixture with fresh spinach. Toss to combine and continue tossing until spinach is wilted and vegetables are room temperature. Use a paper towel to press out excess moisture.
Add Greek Yogurt, cream cheese, and mayonnaise. Stir to combine.
Add lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Chill for 1-2 hours so flavors meld.

Notes
By grating the jalapeno pepper, you don’t have to worry about biting into a big chunk. It has more of a warming effect throughout the dip. If you are concerned about the heat, just omit the pepper.

Badger Girl Learns to Cook by Kimberly Aime https://learntocookbadgergirl.com/

Recipe Review:

Let’s just take a look at this dip in all of its glory.

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The base of this dip is fat-free Greek Yogurt and with all the veggies involved, this is a great healthy alternative to what you can find at your local deli.

 

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Uh-oh. I think another craving has hit….

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What have you been craving lately?

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