This post is sponsored by Simply7® Snacks. Simply7® Snacks offers a high-quality, better-for-you snacking experience with their line of Kale, Quinoa, Lentil and Hummus Chips. For a limited time, you can get a coupon to save money and snack healthier!
I’ve never been a huge fan of the category of dieting that I call Abstinence Dieting. People struggle, in my opinion, when they are told they absolutely can’t eat X or Y. Instead, most people I know who succeed with healthy eating are able to do so with what I call easy swaps. Swap out unhealthy food with better-for-you, great tasting options!
A few months ago I was introduced to Simply7® chips which are about as easy a switch as you can make. Their Lentil Chips, for example, have 40% less fat than potato chips and are super crispy and easy for snacking (or dipping). As a bonus, all their snacks have simple, easy-to-understand ingredients and are gluten-free and Non-GMO Project Verified!
This time of year, another item that will frequently be sitting in front of you is some sort of baked dip (football season!) Instead of just saying no to every delicious, but often times unhealthy, dip you can whip up this spicy cauliflower dip which replaces a lot of the dairy with pureed cauliflower. It has big, flavorful spices as well and I don’t think you’ll miss the cream cheese too much.
Spicy Cauliflower Dip
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower, boiled
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Simply7® White Cheddar Lentil Chips, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roughly chop cauliflower head and dunk pieces in boiling, salted water for 10-12 minutes until the cauliflower is very tender.
- Drain cauliflower and rinse it quickly with cold water.
- Transfer cauliflower to a food processor with yogurt and puree until smooth. Add cheese and spices and puree further until dip is combined.
- Transfer dip to a 1 1/2- 2 qt. baking dish and bake at 375 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes until dip is bubbling and slightly browned on top.
- Let dip cool slightly before serving, but serve while hot.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Chip Alert
Simply7® Snacks also make Kale, Hummus and Quinoa Chips. Personally though, I’m a big fan of their Lentil Chips (I tried them all). I like how light and crispy they are. Bonus: My 1-year old loves these things. I think they dissolve a bit easier than potato or corn chips.
You can find these chips in leading grocery stores nationwide, but they also have a nifty store locator to see where you can find them near you.
Spicy Cauliflower Dip
This dip is a healthy switch for a classic game day baked cheese dip. It’s much lighter but still has a lot of flavor. The trick is all in the cauliflower!
You could roast or steam the cauliflower, but boiling it was easier for me. I just roughly chopped it up and tossed it in salted, boiling water for 10-12 minutes until it was very tender.
Then drain the cauliflower and give it a rinse with cold water.
Add the cauliflower to a food processor with Greek yogurt and puree it. It’s amazing how smooth and creamy this mixture gets!
Next, say hello to Flavor-ville. A little cheese goes a long way here and I added in some cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and hot sauce as well.
Puree all that together and scoop it into a baking dish! It should fit nicely in about a 2 quart baking dish or you could use an 8×8 baking dish. If you go with the square dish, subtract 5 minutes from the baking time because the dip will have more surface area and bake faster.
After baking at 375 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes it should be lightly browned on top and bubbling around the edges.
It’ll be super hot when it comes out of the oven so let it cool, but definitely eat it while it’s warm.
The dip doesn’t really hold up very well once it has cooled off. It’s not a great cold dip so enjoy it while it’s warm!
Feel good about snacking in 2016 with healthy switches like this spicy cauliflower dip!
And remember, you can snag a coupon for Simply7® Snacks below and snack healthier in 2016!
Vist www.simply7snacks.com for more information!
Sally
I’m wondering if this could be made vegan by using silken tofu instead of the Greek yogurt and substituting vegan cheese. It looks really yummy, but I’m vegan.
Karen
Cauliflower is such an underrated vegetable, and I never thought of turning it into a dip. So this is definitely another one to add to my repertoire :). My favourite way of cooking it is in a Gobi Mancurian sauce – divine! https://globalhelpswap.com/gobi-manchurian-recipe/