Friday, December 9, 2011 at 07:19 AM
Spinach dip. It’s one of the most popular appetizers at holiday gatherings. For years, my aunt has brought the hollowed out pumpernickel bread filled with her onion-y, tasty spinach dip. It’s always a big hit.
But how much mayonaise is in that dip? One has to wonder.
Last weekend, we went to our first of several holiday parties and I wanted to bring something for the appetizer table. As you’ve heard me say before, I’ve never found a Martha Stewart recipe that I didn’t like. So I turned to my latest issue for inspiration.
She has a whole section on Healthy Living.
And she had a Spinach-Avocado dip that calls for avocado and Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
I just had to try it.
Ingredients
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (NuVal score of 96)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic (NuVal score of 91)
10 ounces spinach, rinsed well (NuVal score of 100) (**A note on the spinach: the recipe says that baby spinach can be used, but regular spinach will provide more texture and fiber.)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 medium-ripe Hass avocados, chilled (NuVal score of 89)
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (NuVal score of 93 for Chobani plain)
1 Tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
12 ounces sugar snap peas (NuVal score of 96)
9 small slices pumpernickel bread, cut into triangles (NuVal score of 32 for Rubschlager pumpernickel cocktail bread)
Directions
- Heat oil in large non-stick skillet. (Note: Interestingly, this recipe did not have oil in the ingredients list. I checked twice! So, I just used about 1 1/2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil – NuVal score of 11). Cook shallots and garlic, stirring often, until tender about 4 minutes.
- Add spinach and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
- Cook, covered, until wilted, about 4 minutes.
Uncover. Cook until liquid evaporates, about 7 minutes. Refrigerate until cooled, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, puree avocadoes, yogurt, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth.
Season with pepper. Finely chop spinach mixture. Stir in avocado puree. Serve with snap peas and bread for dipping.
This dip was so good! Everyone seemed to like it. And one of the best things about it was that I knew it was a “healthy” option on the appetizer table. So instead of choosing some other not-so-healthy things, I kept going back for more sugar snap peas and spinach dip.
This recipe definitely gets a “You gotta try this!” from A Better Bag of Groceries.
Have a fun, festive weekend everybody!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: appetizers, Martha Stewart Living
Tags: appetizers, Martha Stewart Living
Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 08:20 AM
This coming Sunday, I will be headed to my sister Julie’s house for a big Easter celebration. I am bringing two dishes. Asparagus (maybe grilled, maybe steamed, haven’t decided yet) and Dan & Danielle’s Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage.
Who, exactly, are Dan & Danielle? Well, Dan Weis is a Produce Specialist with the King Kullen Grocery Company. That means he knows everything (and I mean, everything) about Produce and he teaches store employees and customers about Produce. One creative way that Dan does his job is by making over recipes and putting them out in the King Kullen stores. He takes traditional recipes and makes them over with higher scoring NuVal ingredients to make a more nutritious end result. That’s exactly what he did with this Stuffed Mushrooms and Sausage recipe that has been in his family for generations.
Oh, I almost forgot. Dan married a girl named Danielle. And they had 3 beautiful daughters. They live on Long Island.
My husband and I made this recipe in our kitchen and we had fabulous results. These stuffed mushrooms are so scrumptious, so rich – that we really could only eat just two. So, we decided to freeze the rest for the next big holiday (Easter), which might pose a bit of a problem. You see, my grandmother typically comes to Easter with her own stuffed mushroom recipe (with a Ritz cracker crumb stuffing) and Dan & Danielle’s recipe, with sausage stuffing, is way better. So, do know that this is a special occasion recipe. While Dan has made some trade ups in the ingredient list, these mushrooms are still a holiday treat. I don’t suggest eating a plate of these for lunch. I suggest you walk around with a nice hot tray of these at a gathering and offer one per guest.
Dan & Danielle’s Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage
Original Ingredients
- 16 large mushrooms (Nuval™ Score: 96)
- 4 Johnsonville Sweet Italian Sausage (Nuval™ Score: 8 )
- 1 yellow Spanish onion (NuVal™ Score: 93)
- 2 cloves garlic (NuVal™ Score: 91)
- ¼ cup Holland Red cooking wine
- 1 stick of land o lakes butter (NuVal™ Score: 2)
- ½ cup of Progresso Italian bread crumbs (NuVal™ Score: 6)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese – Kraft Parmesan Shredded (NuVal™ Score: 20)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves (NuVal™ Score: 100)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/3 Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil (NuVal™ Score: 11)
- 1/3 cup water
- paprika
Trade Up Ingredients
- 16 large mushrooms (Nuval™ Score: 96)
- 4 Morningstar Farms Italian Sausage (Nuval™ Score: 26)
- 1 yellow Spanish onion (NuVal™ Score: 93)
- 2 cloves garlic (NuVal™ Score: 91)
- ¼ cup Holland Red cooking wine
- 1/2 stick of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter (NuVal™ Score: 5)
- ½ cup of 4C Whole Wheat Italian bread crumbs (NuVal™ Score: 25)
- 1/3 cup Food Club Finely Shredded Parmesan (Nuval™ Score: 25)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves (NuVal™ Score: 100)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup water
- paprika
- 1/3 cup Benissimo Extra Virgin Olive Oil (NuVal™ Score: 24) (*Note – this is a dipping oil that is a blend of canola and olive oil with added Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Minced Garlic, and De Arbol Pepper. It scores higher than olive oil because it also contains canola oil).
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Place sausage on a baking sheet and cook in oven about a half hour.
- Remove the stems from the mushrooms and clean. (set aside)
- Peel mushroom caps.
- Cut onion in quarters and place in a food processor with garlic and parsley. Pulse until chopped finely.
- Remove onions, garlic, and parsley and place in a bowl.
- Add mushroom stems into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. (place in bowl)
- After sausage is cooked thoroughly and cooled, add into food processor and finely chop.
- Heat a large skilled with olive oil and butter, add the onions, garlic, and parsley, cooking until translucent.
- Add chopped mushroom stems and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
- Mix the sausage into the skillet and add the red cooking wine. (use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan)
- Add the bread crumbs, water, salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese
- Let the mixture cool and generously scoop into each mushroom cap with sausage mixture. (press into caps)
- Place the mushrooms into a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika.
- Cook approx. 25 minutes until mushrooms are firm.
Note: Although Dan & Danielle’s recipe calls for only 16 mushrooms, we found that we had enough stuffing for many more.
As I said, we are bringing these on Easter, where a Battle of the Stuffed Mushrooms may ensue. I will let you know! Thanks so much to Dan and Danielle for sharing their recipe!
Yesterday’s Winner
Congratulations to Commenter #19 Beverly! You’ve won the Easter Giveaway! Please send me an email at abetterbagofgroceries@gmail.com with your mailing address so that I can send your package out to you. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: King Kullen
Tags: appetizers, Easter
Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 08:12 AM
This past weekend, my husband and I were invited to one of our favorite parties of the Christmas Season – Bob and CJ’s Holiday Cocktail Party. Why is it such a great party? Well, for many reasons. I love it because everyone dresses up – and that is so rare these days. I love it because CJ is am amazing decorator and I always love seeing her beautiful greenery and gorgeous tree. I love it because it is a true cocktail party and CJ serves amazing Festive Martinis. I love it because the party goes until 3 am (seriously!) But most of all, I love it because it’s a party with friends and neighbors of many years. In fact, for us, it was kind of a homecoming, since we recently moved away from Bob and CJ’s neighborhood.
I wanted to bring something extra special to add to CJ’s bountiful appetizer table:
So when Tina Haupert came into the office last week for our NuVal State of the “Union” meeting, I asked her what to make. Of course, she had a great idea right away. She emailed me the recipe later that afternoon and I made it right off my Blackberry!
This recipe is from The Comfort Table. Tina made it as well for her sister’s party that night.
Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature (NuVal score of 20 for Kraft Philadelphia Original)
One 9-ounce package artichoke hearts (drained jarred or canned, cooked fresh, or frozen, but not marinated) (NuVal score of 99 for Birds Eye frozen Deluxe)
1 cup steamed spinach (1 pound raw or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed), well drained (NuVal score of 100 for Food Club Frozen Chopped Spinach)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (NuVal score of 7for Helmann’s Lowfat Mayonnaise)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (NuVal score of 23for Belgioioso 100% Natural Parmesan)
2 garlic cloves (NuVal score of 91)
6 large fresh basil leaves (NuVal score of 100)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (NuVal score of 23for Sargento Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish. (I used non-stick cooking spray).
In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, mayo, Parmesan, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. (I used my stick blender and mixed this in a mixing bowl.)
Halfway through this recipe, I realized that I forgot to buy the basil leaves (my sister called me while I was in the grocery store, so I got a little distracted). So, I used dried basil instead.
It worked out fine!
Spoon into the baking dish. Top with the mozzarella.
Bake until bubbling and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or toasted rustic bread.
Yield: 4 servings
As always, Tina’s recommendation was a great one and this recipe is a keeper! I love how green it was – perfect for the holiday season!
Yesterday’s Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to Commenter #44 Linda! You’ve won the Flatout Bread Giveaway. Thanks to all who entered. I loved reading your comments about how you’re all “flat out” at this time of year. I highly recommend my Pilates Holiday Mix for a little de-stressing. Hang in there!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: appetizers
Tags: appetizers, Artichoke Dip, Cocktail party
Friday, December 11, 2009 at 07:01 AM
‘Tis the season for holiday get-togethers! Last weekend, we attended our friends’ annual Cookie Exchange. Now, you might be envisioning an afternoon get-together with lots of kids running around and parents sipping hot chocolate out of big mugs. Not! No one under 5 feet tall is allowed at this annual party. The height-challenged hosts joke that they barely make the cut!
Jen & Tim host this annual fun-fest at their home in Southern Rhode Island. It started to snow just as we were leaving and the commute is about an hour, but we did not let that deter us. After a day of chauferring kids from event-to-event, we were looking foward to an evening with people over 5 feet tall who can drink wine. I’m so glad we made it. Tim & Jen’s house looked beautiful in the snow.
I’m always amazed that Jen gets her house decorated so early in December. I give credit to Jen, but you know I mean Tim too!
The tree was beautiful:
And they even had a fire going. I think the cat in the picture is fake. Actually, the fire might be too. Whatever – it was nice and cozy!
And I loved the snowflakes on her chandelier:
At the Cookie Exchange, we eat appetizers and drink wine. Eventually, we get to the cookie part. I wanted to bring something healthy this year, since all my friends attending are also friends of A Better Bag of Groceries. But isn’t “Healthy Appetizer” an oxymoron? Unless it’s a crudite of vegetables? I contacted my Twitter friends at Cooking Light for suggestions. They came to my rescue in mere seconds with this suggestion: Spinach and Artichoke Dip. The recipe is from the year 2000, but my Twitter friends tell me that it is served at many a Cooking Light Staff Party.
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon, black pepper
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 (13.5-ounce) package baked tortilla chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and next 6 ingredients (through spinach) in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips.
I followed the recipe and purchased all the ingredients as specified, with one exception. I am not a fan of fat-free sour cream. So, instead I used reduced fat sour cream. Interestingly, reduced fat sour cream scores higher than fat free on the NuVal scale. You read that right – reduced fat sour cream scores a 29 while fat free scores a 26. Regular sour cream scores a 25. To make this recipe as nutritious as possible, I used Garden of Eatin’ No Salt Blue Corn Chips (score of 52) which I purchased at Price Chopper.
Everyone seemed to like the Spinach and Artichoke Dip. It was warm and flavorful.
The dip makes A LOT. And since my friends are a pretty health-consicous bunch, I came home with leftovers. Next time, I will divide it in two and use it for two parties.
The Cookie Swap
What is a Cookie Swap?
A Cookie Swap is a great little invention. You bake a large batch of cookies (all one type) and you go to the swap and trade with everyone. You come home with the same number of cookies you left with, but now you have a lot of different varieties of cookies. Here’s more information on cookie swaps from Baking 911.
Again, I wanted to give my cookies a healthy twist this year. Usually, if I’m going to eat a cookie, I just eat a cookie. I don’t really worry about what’s in it. But just for fun, I thought I’d try to make a healthier cookie. Cooking Light came to the rescue again with a recipe for Espresso Crinkles. I have to say, I have been making cookies for many, many years. And I have made many, many different kinds of cookies. And Espresso Crinkes are one of the best cookies I have ever made. My husband called them “flourless chocolate cake in a cookie.” Oh yeah, baby! If you are a gooey, dark chocolate lover, you have to make these.
Aren’t they beautiful? Here they are just out of the oven.
And cooling on my wire rack…
In case you’re wondering (I always have Weight Watchers points in the back of my head), these cookies come in at only 2 Weight Watchers points a piece. And they are worth every bite.
Eventually, just like any party with people of a certain age (most of the party-goers were on the brink of 40), the ladies end up in the kitchen and the guys end up in the basement. I wish I had taken a picture of the ladies, but I was too busy talking and enjoying the company of these great women who I’ve known since college. I did get a great shot of the guys engrossed in their Foosball tournament.
We’re such party animals! 
Due to the weather and a crazy-busy Sunday schedule chock full of kids’ activities, we made an early exit. But the time spent together with friends was just the respite we needed during this hectic season. And the bonus was the big plate of cookies that we took home. You may remember it from my post earlier this week.
So, if you have a party this weekend, I definitely recommend both of these recipes. Thanks to Cooking Light for coming to the rescue and enjoy the Holiday Weekend!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: Cookies
Tags: appetizers, Cookies
