Artichoke Spinach Dip

Ahh, the thought of sipping a mimosa over brunch while watching Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with my family has got me totally psyched to celebrate.  In the spirit of the holidays, and to my delight, Glenn and the kiddies put the Christmas tree up.  Usually I wait to put the tree up until the weekend following Thanksgiving.  However, I like the idea of coming home to a nice, clean, Christmasy decorated house.

 

 

Today I made a few goodies to bring up north.  Let's start with the appetizer, shall we?

Appetizers tend to get a bad rap because they are notorious for being bite-sized, calorie laden bombs, that can wreck havoc on a healthy eating plan.  Well, that's exactly why I decided to bring a healthy option to the table in the form of Artichoke Spinach Dip. 

This is what the dip looks like before baking.   This dip is so good the my kids and I like it warm AND cold.  Since I'm bringing this one up north with us, I'm going to wait till we get there to heat it.

 

 

My first glance of this dip was Thanksgiving circa 1980 something.  My sister in law double dogged dared me to try it.  I did, and I liked it.  So much so, that I learned to make a guilt-free indulgent version of it myself!

 

 Artichoke Spinach Dip Recipe nd

• Prep Time 10 minutes
• Total Time 45 minutes
• Yield Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 cans (14 ounces each) artichoke hearts in water, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
• 1 green onion, minced, plus more for garnish
• 8 oz fat free cream cheese
• Veggies or bread, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, place half the artichokes, spinach, mayonnaise, cup Parmesan, lemon juice, and garlic. Process until smooth.
2. Add green onion, cream cheese and remaining artichokes; pulse once to combine. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart baking dish. Top with remaining tablespoon Parmesan.
3. Bake until golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Garnish with green onion, and serve with veggies or bread.