Healthy summer dip recipes

Where are all my chip and dip lovers!?

If the chips, dips, and cheese boards are your demise at parties, we have something special for you today! A healthy spin on some of your favorite summer dips!

In college my friends gave me the nickname chippers. My sole responsibility for family holidays in my 20s was cheese platters. Today I think the best parties consist of yummy finger foods, dips, and appetizers.

Let’s just say I have an obsession… which is why it’s necessary to put a healthy spin on as many unhealthy dips as possible 😉

Here are some for you to try, enjoy!

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

INGREDIENTS

• healthy fruit salsa
• 2 peaches peeled and diced
• 1 mango peeled, cored and diced
• 4 kiwis peeled and diced
• 1 16 oz pkg. strawberries, hulled and diced
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
• cinnamon sugar baked pita chips
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar Coupons
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 large whole wheat pita chips
• coconut oil cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the fruit salsa, peel and chop all of the fruit in small pieces. Combine fruit in a large bowl and stir to combine.
2. In a small bowl, add the lemon juice and honey and mix well. Pour over fruit and mix to combine. Place in the refrigerator while you make the pita chips. (You’ll add the basil right before serving)
3. To make the pita chips, preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
4. Cut the pita into 8th to form small triangles. Spray each side of the pita with the coconut oil cooking spray and dip both sides into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Lay on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all of the pita is done. Bake 8-10 minutes, turning the pita chips over halfway through for even baking. Allow to cool slightly.
5. Before serving, add the chopped basil and stir well.

Skinny Poolside Dip

INGREDIENTS

• 1 red pepper
• 2 jalapenos (unseeded)
• 1 can of corn
• 1/2 can diced olives
• 16 oz cream cheese (softened) 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dip seasoning mix( you can also use fat free plain greek yogurt instead of cream cheese)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix ingredients together. Serve with crackers or raw veggies.

Veggie Loaded 7-Layer Dip

INGREDIENTS

BEAN LAYER

• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained + rinsed
• 1 (dry) chipotle pepper (found in produce section next to peppers)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. cumin

AVOCADO LAYER

• 3 avocados, pitted + mashed with fork
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

EVERYTHING ELSE

• 1/2 cup sour cream (I used full fat)
• 2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
• 3 romana tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup chopped hothouse cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• salt and pepper
• chopped fresh cilantro, to garnish (optional)
• tortilla chips, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

BEAN LAYER

1. In a bowl of a food processor, combine all the ingredients and pulse until well blended and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

AVOCADO LAYER

1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Spread the beans in an even layer on the bottom of a 8X11 (or similar) casserole dish. Spread the avocado in an even layer on top of the beans, followed by a layer of sour cream, then the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
2. Season the top lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
3. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Skinny Spinach Dip

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz Greek Yogurt

• 1/4 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 oz baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese if serving warm (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the greek yogurt, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, garlic clove, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste in the bowl of a food processor and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute, scraping inside of the bowl as needed.
2. Add the baby spinach to the food processor and pulse until it’s broken and slightly blended.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve at room temperature with toast or crackers.
4. If making a hot spinach dip, transfer to an oven-safe dish, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, or until the dip is hot and cheese and melted. Serve immediately with toast or crackers.

Layered Avocado Dip

INGREDIENTS

• 1 x 200g tub of store bought hummus (7oz) I used low fat
• 2 ripe avocados
• 250g mini roma tomatoes (9oz) finely diced then drained on paper towel
• 150g mini cucumbers (5oz) finely diced – approximately 5 – then drained on paper towel
• 100g danish feta (3.5oz) crumbled
• 250g light sour cream (9oz)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 small red onion/spanish onion very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves – firmly packed finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a glass dish (see notes for measurements) spread the hummus in an even layer over the bottom of the dish – I use a mini silicone spatula for this.
2. Remove the skin and seeds from the avocados then add to a small bowl, along with the lemon juice and mix/mash until roughly smooth. Spoon the avocado mixture on top of the hummus, and spread evenly.
3. Scatter over half of the diced tomatoes, half of the diced cucumber, half of the finely diced red onion, half of the feta and half of pine nuts.
4. Place the sour cream in dollops evenly over the tomato/cucumber layer, and carefully spread out to an even layer.
5. Scatter over the remaining tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta and pine nuts.
6. Serve as a dip with crackers or as a side dish.

Let us know when you try them! Tag us on insta @higher.level.living or comment below 🙂