Spinach & Artichoke Dip

I love spinach and artichoke dip.

I love condiments of all kinds, though.   Dips, spreads, dressing, ketchup, mustard, sauces, you name it, I am that person that not only asks for extra, I need extra of the extra.

And when it comes to things like nut butter, butter, frosting, glazes, or really anything that is supposed to be an accompaniment to the actual main dish, I am usually more interested in the add-on than the main dish itself.  Best fifty cents ever spent is on extra frosting.

Spinach and artichoke dip one of those items that I relish.  Every dippy happy second of it.

Most people like using a little dip on their bread or crackers, pretzels, veggie wedges, or whatever crudite they’re using.

For me, the dip is the star.  I like to pile it on thick and high.  I want each bite to be coated with maximum dippage.

Ahhh, memories of Caramel Pumpkin Whip Dip come back to me.

Finger lickin’ good Ladle lickin’ good.

This dip is another 15 second special.  I won’t even call it a recipe.  It’s just..a quickie.

One thing about most dips, spreads, and dressings is that they can be a bit deadly for the waistline.   Have you read serving sizes and nutritional labels?  The ole two tablespoons of dip for 100 calories  <– That’s one cracker’s worth of dip for me.

It’s possible to make this as a low-cal or low-fat dip by using lighter versions of the ingredients or by using fat free ingredients.  To each her own on this, I’m just providing options.

Not a consideration for everyone but for some people it can be helpful to have options especially around the holidays when there are so many great things to try at all the holiday parties.  A nibble here, a bite there, four holiday parties in one weekend later.  Yeah, you know what I’m talking about.

The only party I had recently was going to town on this dip.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip (vegan, gluten free, with reduced fat & fat free options)

3/4 c spinach (I used frozen and this is after draining it and squeezing it tight)

3/4 c artichokes (I used Trader Joe’s frozen artichoke hearts that I thawed, squeezed tight, and diced.  If you have a TJ’s, look for these.  They are just frozen artichoke hearts in a bag – no salt, water, oil, garlic, spices.  Very handy in other recipes, too)

1/3 c mayonnaise or sour cream (Vegenaise, Miracle Whip, Hellman’s, etc. or sour cream)

1/4 c cream cheese (Tofutti, Philly, etc.)

1/3 c shredded cheese (Pepperjack, ricotta, mozzerella, Daiya, Parmesan, no/lowfat cheese, etc.)

Black Pepper to taste

Optional Seasonings to taste: Salt, Garlic, Onion Powder, Cayenne, Chili Powder, Curry, Red Pepper Flakes, seasoning blends such as  Mrs. Dash blends, etc.

Directions:  Combine thawed (or fresh) spinach and artichokes (diced) in a bowl.

In another bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and stir.  Pour white mixture over the spinach and artichokes, stir, and serve.  Refrigerate leftovers for a few days; use common sense.

Optional tweaks:

Make this as a hot dip by baking in ramekins or a small baking dish for about 20 minutes at 350F or until bubbling/browned.   Top with cheese on the top in the last 5 minutes or so of baking or broil for a cheesy gooey top layer.

Yields approximately 1 1/2 cups dip.  Double or triple the recipe if making for a party or crowd.

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Store bought dips are nice and Trader Joe’s does have some awesome pre-made dips, but I like that I was able to control the ingredients in this dip.  I also made it vegan and without any added salt, garlic, or onions.  Not a fan of those and omitted them.

I challenge anyone who says they don’t like spinach not to like it when it’s in dip form.  Take that, Popeye.

And the artichokes give a great texture and chew to the dip.  I like my veggie dips and salsas chunky and because I only very roughly diced the artichokes, I really enjoyed those big artichoke hearts.  They were like buried treasures, but dice your artichokes finer if you don’t like as much chunky texture.

In less than 60 seconds you can get dippy which is the best part.

If you’re looking for other quick dips and spreads, you can try 4 ingredient hummus (vegan, gluten free)

Or Cheater’s Guacaomole

The winner of the $25 Gift Card Giveaway is:

Katie November 3, 2011 at 8:37 am

Almost missed out on this one!

I would LOVE the milk frother. Instant lattes, please!

Congrats, Katie!

Questions:

1. Do you like spinach and artichoke dip?  Hot or cold?  Favorite recipe?

I love hot spinach and artichoke dip with cheese that’s been melted under the broiler, too.  Mmmm, good.

As I said in the recipe section, you could bake this dip, and then top it with a handful of cheese before finishing it off under the broiler for a few minutes.

2. Do you like to pile your dips on thick?  Are you a double-dipper?

I am a piler, yes.  Love maximum dippage per bite.

But I not a double dipper.   I’ve actually seen people do this at parties and always do a double take.  And try to pretend I didn’t see it.

TGIF and enjoy the weekend!