A Favorite Appetizer Turns Into a Light Dinner

One of my family's favorite appetizers is the 7-Layer Mexican Dip. You know the one - seasoned refried beans topped with guacamole, then sour cream, and then shredded cheese, green onions and chopped tomatoes (sliced olives if desired).

Well, this "appetizer" has fast become a favorite light dinner at the Magee headquarters. I just assemble the dip sometime during the day (it takes about 10 minutes) and then when the troops are ready, you just take it out of the refrigerator, open a bag of multi-grain tortilla chips (or homemade oven baked crispy tortilla wedges) and dinner is served! I usually serve some fresh fruit with it too.

Think about it, it has the makings of a light & healthy dinner entrée - protein and fiber from the bean base, some smart fats from the avocado, some protein and calcium coming from the reduced fat shredded cheese, and some phytochemicals and antioxidants courtesy of chopped tomato and green onions.

Here is the recipe for light 7-layer dip. Pair it with my recipe for Light Baked Tortilla Triangles. They go great together!

Light 7-Layer Dip

Everyone loves this fun party dip, even kids! Keep it light by serving it with multigrain tortilla chips (homemade or store-bought) Include 1/2 cup store-bought guacamole or make homemade by blending the following together in a small food processor:

Ingredients:

Guacamole:

1 avocado peeled, pitted, and diced
2 teaspoons lime juice, fresh or bottled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons salsa
Garlic powder or garlic
Salt to taste (optional)
black pepper to taste

Dip:

8 ounces fat-free sour cream
1-ounce packet taco seasoning mix
15-ounce can fat-free or vegetarian refried beans
1 cup diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
2 cups shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese blend (i.e. Jack and cheddar)
2 1/4-ounce can sliced black olives (optional)

Preparation:

1. Make guacamole if you haven't already and set aside.


2. In small bowl, blend sour cream with taco seasoning.


3. Spread the refried beans in the bottom of a deep-dish pie plate (you can warm the beans up in the microwave briefly to make them more spreadable.)


4. Top the beans with the sour cream mixture, then top that with the guacamole.


5. Spread the tomatoes on top, then sprinkle the green onions over the top, followed by the shredded cheese and black olives if desired.


6. Serve with reduced-fat and/or multigrain tortilla chips.

Yield: 6 dinner servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving (dip only): 226 calories, 14 g protein, 17 g carbohydrate, 11.5 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated, 1.5 g polyunsaturated fat), 19 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 688 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 46%.

Related Topics:

• Oven Baked Tortilla Triangles
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