Creamy Spinach Dip- the Healthy Way!

spinach cauliflower dipWhat I love about spring and fall is the contrast- the warm sunshiny days and the cool nights. I love all the variety. We got a taste of that contrast here in Hanoi this week- the temperature plunged from the high 90’s down to the mid-60’s- a welcome relief from the heat!

That’s what I love about this recipe- it fits in so well with the spring weather. It uses lots of fresh spinach which is always at its absolute best and so sweet and tender in the spring. This lightened up version is perfect for spring as we shed all of our winter layers and look forward to beaches and swim suit season again. But it’s also hearty and warming and great for the chilly nights or those days where it doesn’t get quite warm enough. Of course, growing up in Colorado, April could still bring snow storms and this dip would be perfect for cold, snowy days.

Spinach-dip-with-toast-and-zucchini

Spinach, being a green, leafy vegetable, is one of those amazing power foods. It is an excellent source of vitamin K, which is an essential vitamin for bone health and not often found in quantities as high as it is in spinach. Spinach is also a good source of vitamin A, an important vitamin for vision. Spinach does double duty for you vision as it is high in the vision boosting antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin which help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. In this recipe the spinach is cooked, making the nutrients in it more bio-available to the body as well. Raw spinach is high in oxalic acid which inhibits the absorption of certain nutrients. Cooking spinach decreases the  oxalic acid content meaning you get more nutrients and more bang for your buck!

Creamy Cauliflower Spinach Dip
Author: 
 
Makes ~2 cups
Ingredients
  • 4 cups Spinach, loosely packed and finely chopped
  • 1 cup grated Cauliflower
  • ½ cup Onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp Wheat Flour
  • ½ cup Broth
  • ¼ cup Yogurt
  • ¼ cup Milk
  • ⅓ cup Feta Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
  1. Heat a medium non stick sauce pan over medium heat. Add the finely grated cauliflower. Cook until soft and starting to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender. Blend with yogurt, milk and broth until smooth. Be careful and make sure you leave a small crack between the blender and the lid to prevent the contents of the blender from exploding!
  2. Meanwhile, return the pan to the heat, add the onions, cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
  3. Sprinkle the flour over the onions, stir well.
  4. Pour the cauliflower mixture over the onions and stir well.
  5. Add the chopped spinach (it will look like way too much, but let it cook down, it will be fine!), stirring often, let the spinach cook down.
  6. When the spinach is cooked down add the feta, salt and pepper. Stir the feta in and allow the dip to start bubbling. Serve with zucchini chips, crostini or toast points.

healthy-spinach-dip


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