New bean dip recipe

In my social circle, bean dip is a food group. Rebilou has perfected her bean dip recipe and the Ya Yas have been inhaling it by the pie plate-full since high school. Her secret concoction involves Frito Lay beans in a can, sour cream, cream cheese and gobs of cheese. Sometimes she makes this with fat-free dairy to make us feel better about eating it as fast as we can, occasionally with tortilla chips but more than likely off of our fingers. Of course we drink Diet Coke during this silly snack to only further the nutritional contradictions. Just typing this, my stomach is grumbling and I’m wishing we were sitting in her kitchen with my finger tips burning from poking at the cheese. Yum.

Beans beans the magical fruit

We love us some beans. However, if you also love your skinny jeans, it’s best to eat beans without all the lard and fatty dairy. This weekend I used left-over black beans from the community dinner to whip up my own bean dip recipe. It is by no means a replacement for the Rebilou Pie Plate of Bean Fabulousness, but it is a good low-fat substitute.

Spicy bean dip without the fat? Si!

Ingredients:
4 cups black beans, canned or cooked
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup of fat free cottage cheese
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup diced onion
4 seeded jalape√±os — I like it hot!
Dash of garlic salt

Directions:
Throw in the food processor and pulse until it is your desired consistency. I like it creamy, like hummus. Serve with cut up veggies for a high-fiber, spicy snack that gives a kick of protein too. (It may or may not also be pretty darn good with chips and cheese in a half-healthy version of nachos. Ahem.)

~K