Artichoke Spinach Dip

A favorite late night snack in my family is Artichoke dip. Fairly simple and extremely tasty, the only down side is the time it takes to cook. But, fear not! I have a short cut, thanks to my Mom, that I will share.  This recipe is adapted from the original one to reduce the number of calories, fat and salt typically found in Artichoke Dip.

For a basic recipe you only need 4-5 items. I usually don't use spinach in my artichoke dip (a) because I'm not the biggest fan of its cooked taste and (b) the recipe can sometimes make the dip into a Spinach-Artichoke, heavy with spinach, very little artichoke, all smothered in cheese. Sounds delicious (yes), but there's a smart way to make this. But I was wanting to umph this recipe up. So I added just a bit. The first recipe is the original recipe. The second in my healthier recipe!

(1) Original (makes 15 servings at 144 calories per serving)

1 cup mayo

1 cup parmesan

1 can of Artichoke Hearts

1 can diced green chiles

Homemade Granola Mix

Hi all! Months ago I saw Clinton Kelly on The Chew share his favorite Granola Mix. It looked so delicious and easy I had to try it. It was all that he said it would be! Granola can be so very expensive at the store, and if you purchase all your ingredients separately (in bulk-ish) and make it yourself, overall you'll be spending much less. This made about 2-3lbs (filled a little more than 1/2 a gallon ziplock bag) and cost a total of $4.13 (approximately). In a store you'd pay about $4.99 for 1lb, and it wouldn't be filled with all of these healthy goodies, and would probably have much more fat and sugar!

For me, I already had Old Fashion Oats in my pantry (a staple for those wondering), and I  recently bought a bag of almonds (which can be expensive, but go a long way) and a bag of dried cranberries for snacking. With honey/agave nectar, dried banana and oil already in my pantry, I was able to quickly whip this recipe up. I do a lot of eye-balling when it comes to this recipe, so feel free to do what feels, looks and tastes right!

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Simply Baked Potato

There are just some nights where I don't want to fuss in the kitchen. And if on those nights I'm patient for a potato to bake in the oven, then I'll bake a few potatoes and have one (or two) for dinner, depending how small they are.

Baking a potato is so very simple. Wash the potato thoroughly (skins on) and pat dry. With a fork, poke a bunch of holes all around the potato to allow the heat to escape while it cooks. Then with a drizzle of oil, coat the potato and rub on a bit of salt. Throw them on a baking sheet or directly on the rack. Bake at 350˙ for an hour to an hour and a half. If you make extra, they are even faster to heat up (if you have a microwave, or about 15 minutes in an oven at 350˙).

Split the potato open, add a pat of butter, some shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of greek yogurt (or sour cream) and a little sprinkle of Mrs. Dash's Onion and Herb Seasoning. Voilà! A baked potato. Make it an MYO by adding whatever toppings you have on hand (bacon bits, onion, broccoli, cheese sauce, beans, etc.). A great way to get kids to have fun with their meal. Simplicity is sometimes the best. Enjoy!

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