Healthy 5 Layer Dip

This post is probably a little late in the game since outdoor bbq season is largely over, but this dip is really appropriate for any kind of gathering and I've never brought leftovers home with me. It has all of the texture and richness of a traditional 7 layer dip, but with a very light bean dip and greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

Black Bean Dip

1 medium red pepper, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tsps Chalula sauce

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsps salt

1 can black beans

2 tsp olive oil

Add 1 tsp olive oil to the pan and sautee onions and red peppers with a pinch of salt. When the onions are translucent and soft, add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, then add the can of beans with Chalula and cayenne pepper. Cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly before adding it to blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Pico de Gallo

4 ripe tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup onions, diced

1/4 cup cilantro, diced

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp jalapeno, diced (more if you like more heat)

Combine all ingredients.

Guacamole

2 ripe avocadoes, diced

1/4 cup onions, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1.5 tbsps salt

Combine all ingredients and continue to stir until consistency is as smooth as desired. 

Five Layer Dip

2 cups black bean dip

2 cups pico de gallo

1.5 cups guacamole

1 cup greek yogurt

1 cup cheddar cheese

Set aside 1/4 cup of pico de gallo to save for the very top. Begin layering the bottom of the bowl with the black bean dip and don't be shy! Top that with a layer of greek yogurt, followed by cheddar cheese, guacamole, and lastly pico de gallo. Repeat until you run out (this will vary based on the size of the dish). Whatever winds up on top, finish with the reserve pico de gallo for an attractive top layer. Serve with tortilla chips or celery sticks, enjoy!

Try this at Home - The Kitchn's Sweet Corn and Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Needless to say, I spend a lot of time reading food blogs. I have varying success with recipes on some, but the Kitchn's are pretty consistently wonderful and this Sweet Corn and Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppers was no exception. I used an oven instead of a grill, so I modified by pre-roasting the peppers for about 7 minutes prior to stuffing and then roasting another 5 minutes. It was so delicious and the presentation is gorgeous! Sprinkle whole kernals of corn on top if you want the sweetness from the corn to come through even more!

Mama L's Shrimp Avocado Dip

My boyfriend's mother is one of my favorite people in the world. She is my hero of home entertaining and manages to feed huge gatherings of people delicious food with little prep time and rarely, if ever, lets a sign of stress show through. Most importantly, she genuinely enjoys every minute of it. One of her signature

appetizers is this fail-safe crowd pleasing shrimp avocado dip. The ingredients are strikingly simple, but the creamy avocado blends with the cocktail sauce to make a truly interesting flavor that always surprises. I had a few people over to watch the World Cup final and no one could believe it cocktail sauce was such a prominent ingredient. Best of all it's super easy to prepare. I know the brownish shade is not the most of appetizing images, but it is so tasty, trust me!

Mama L's Shrimp Avocado Dip 

(serves about 8 as an appetizer)

4 medium to large size avocados, diced

1/2 pound of medium shrimp, cooked and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 small onion, diced

5 oz (1/2 a bottle) cocktail sauce

Mix all ingredients in a bowl mindful not to over stir and completely crush all of the avocado. Ideally a chip will pick up nice size bites of shrimp and avocado together. Chill for an hour before serving to help the flavors mix together. Serve with tortilla chips.

Clearly I'm really into shrimp and avocado combinations this summer. 

Lunch on the Go - Cilantro Lime Sardine Salad and Avocado

This is one of my favorite quick lunches that I throw together especially if I have a lot of cilantro that is getting close to turning. I obviously didn't put it together as beautifully as Anjali does, but smearing some avocado on an Ak Mak cracker and topping it with the salad makes for an excellent bite and an easy meal with great crunch that can be eaten anywhere. I found it several months ago on the Kitchn blog and it's become a solid go-to. The author's blog Eat Your Greens is also a great place for healthy veg heavy lunch and dinner dishes.