Wellness Weekly

By Sandy Considine

Dips are so great and now that football is back, what a great way to enjoy the game with some “dips” to snack on with a crowd or just yourself. Enjoy these dips year-round and add to or omit ingredients to your liking.

Mexican Bean Dip
This dip is pretty darn tasty, simple to make, and a total crowd pleaser! Mexican Bean Dip is a QUICK recipe, that REALLY delivers on flavor, thanks to the mixture of dark and light beans, combined with just the right amount of seasonings and spices!

Ingredients
1 (15.5-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-oz.) can cannellini or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 or 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Ground cumin
Juice of 1/2 fresh lime
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
Tiny pinch of sea salt

Toppings:
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeño, sliced
1 small avocado, diced
1/2 red onion diced
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
Freshly chopped cilantro AND chopped green onions
Tortilla corn chips, for serving

Instructions
•Preheat your oven to 350 degrees f.
•Add all the “dip” ingredients into your food processor.
•Pulse until smooth and creamy.
•Transfer the bean mixture into an oven-safe dish or skillet. I sprayed my dish with a bit of avocado oil to prevent sticking.
•Bake in your preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until hot.
•Remove it from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes.
•Sprinkle with toppings as shown.
Serve warm with tortilla chips and enjoy

Loaded Bacon Guacamole
Guacamole is an absolute, must-have PARTY TIME staple…whether it’s the Super Bowl, Cinco de Mayo, or you’re just celebrating LIFE with a bunch of friends and family…Guac is a Crowd-pleaser!
Try to use nitrate free bacon or plant-based. Bacon is something you eat in moderation.
Do you like tomatoes + onions in your guac…or just avocado + lime? Chunky or smooth?
AND for the BIGGEST controversy of all – Cilantro or NO Cilantro? (I love cilantro!)

Ingredients:
4-5 ripe avocados
6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1-2 fresh garlic clove, minced or pressed
8 oz cherry tomatoes, chopped or diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 fresh juicy limes, juiced
a handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Optional: 1 or 2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

Instructions:
•Place the avocado flesh into a medium mixing bowl, and mash well with a fork.
•Stir in all your additional ingredients.
•Stir well to combine.

Notes:
If you’re planning to serve it later, leave the pit of one avocado inside your bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly onto the guacamole (push out the air!) to prevent browning. Best when eaten within a few hours. Sometimes I add a few teaspoons of lime zest from one of the limes for more flavor and dimension. (Photo is before stirring together)

Loaded Roasted Garlic Hummus
(Greek Style)
Serve alongside your favorite healthy cracker assortment, and you’ll have the very best appetizer at your next get-together!

Ingredients
Roasted garlic:
1 medium head fresh garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil, or avocado oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Hummus:
4 Tbsp. tahini
1 can or pouch (15 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1/2 small fresh lemon, seeded and juiced
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tsp sea salt
1 Tsp pepper

Greek toppings ideas:
1/4 cup feta cheese
¼ cup olives, I used Kalamata olives
¼ cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup cucumbers, chopped
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of sea salt and pepper
1 tsp olive oil, for garnish
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Optional, for crispy chickpeas:
a big handful of chickpeas from a can, rinsed and air dried
1 tsp olive oil, or avocado oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: a sprinkle of paprika

Instructions
•Start by roasting your garlic: preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
•Peel the outer skin of the garlic head, leaving the cloves intact in their casings.
•Carefully cut the garlic head in half crosswise, to expose the cloves, as shown.
•Season with some sea salt and pepper. Drizzle garlic with oil and wrap it in a parchment paper or foil.
•Place your wrapped garlic onto a baking sheet and roast in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
•Meanwhile, chop your olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and onion.
•Preheat 1 tsp of oil in a skillet, and cook those chickpeas until crispy, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. •Season with a pinch of sea salt, pepper, and paprika if desired.
•Once your garlic is finished roasting, remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes at room temperature.
•Remove the cloves from the head and then gently squeeze each clove casing to remove the perfectly roasted garlic.
•Now place all of your hummus ingredients and the roasted garlic into a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.
•Scrape hummus into a serving bowl.
•In a mixing bowl combine chopped olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, dried oregano, sea salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. Stir to combine, then top your hummus with this Greek style salad topping.
•Sprinkle with crumbled cheese and crispy chickpeas, if desired.
•Garnish with fresh oregano leaves.
•Drizzle just a bit of extra virgin olive oil and serve!

You can store any leftover hummus in an air-tight container, refrigerated for up to 2 days.
ENJOY!!!

Please feel free to email on what you what to know about for a future article at
sandra.considine@yahoo.com