5 healthy dips for your Super Bowl party

Opt for dips with beans or nuts as the base and you'll instantly up the nutrition of your Super Bowl spread.

Mon, Jan 31 2011 at 10:34 AM EST

Photo: Keith McDuffee/Flickr

What is it about the Super Bowl that makes us want to dip stuff? We dip hot wings in blue cheese dressing, chips in onion dip, pumpernickel bread in spinach dip, tortilla chips in queso, and vegetables in ranch dip.

What do all those dips have in common? They are heavy on mayonnaise, cream cheese, sour cream and cheese. But who says those foods need to be the base for your party dips? Pureed beans, nuts or tomato paste can also make dips of creamy consistency, and add a lot of nutrition to the dips, too.

Here are five dips that you might want to add as an option at your Super Bowl spread or take as your contribution if you’re watching the game at a friend’s house.

Zesty Bean Dip - Fat-free refried beans form the base for this dip that is perfect for tortilla chips. Add salsa, cilantro and scallion, and you’ve got a protein and vitamin-packed dip instead of a fat-packed dip. This recipe looks as if it’s for a single serving, but it can be multiplied easily to serve a crowd.
Spicy Red Pepper and Walnut Dip – Roasted red peppers and tomato paste are combined with toasted almonds and walnuts for this dip. The nuts do add some fat, but it’s unsaturated fat. Dip vegetables or toasted slices of whole-wheat baguette into this flavorful dip.
Black Bean Dip – A definite Mexican-inspired dip, this recipe uses canned black beans, tomato paste, chilies, garlic, lime and more. It can be thrown together quickly in a food processor or blender and served with pita wedges, tortilla chips or vegetables.
Fava Bean Dip with Goat Cheese and Garlic – Here’s something a little different that you might want to try. Fava beans are packed with protein, vitamins and minerals. This recipe calls for fresh fava beans, but they are probably not available right now so use them in whatever form you can get. Dip cucumber slices or jicama slices in this bright green dip.
Creamy White Bean Dip – Cannellini beans are pureed with several fresh herbs, a little heart healthy olive oil and garlic. One reviewer of the recipe suggests adding marinated artichoke hearts for extra flavor. A great dip for a variety of raw vegetables.

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