Lest you were hoping that I had come across some amazing calorie-free-but-just-as-tasty dips for your next party, let me be honest: these dips aren't exactly fat-free. BUT, as you can see, I served them not with chips, or carb-loaded bread, but with those delicious little baby bell peppers. I am therefore making use of the well-known 'Cancel-out effect'. You know the way you can cancel out a day of high calorie binging by spending a mere half hour in the gym on the stairmaster the following day? Or the way you can totally have a huge king-size snickers, because you walked the dog this morning, and the two cancel each other out? Well, this is the same thing - healthy bell peppers cancel out fatty, cheesy dips. So problem solved, you can skinny dip after all ;-)
Just in case you are not convinced by the Cancel-out effect (you cynic, you), just bring out these bowls of deliciousness on a special occasion, or at a party, where the multiple hands who are dipping in (and hopefully not double-dipping) will ensure that you don't polish off the whole bowl solo.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup roasted red peppers (I use the kind sold in a jar - too much like hard work to roast your own)
3 TBSP lemon juice
3 TBSP tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more lemon juice.
Fresh Basil Goat Cheese Dip
1 cup chevre (soft goat cheese, not the rinded type, the type that ressembles crumbly cream cheese)
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
salt and black pepper to taste
Process all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth.
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