avocado salsa dip recipe

Dips are a great snack to have around. They work great for snacks for the kids, for the family, for parties, for friends or simply for ourself. I like to make a bunch of dips and freeze some of them so that I can pull them out when necessary. Most dips can easily be made in the blender or in a food processor. Below are some great dips that are easy to make and easier to eat. I personally love to throw all of the ingredients into my Magic Bullet blender and press on.

Salsa

3 cups tomatoes chopped
½ cup green or red peppers
½ cup red onion
1 tablespoon fresh garlic
¼ cup lime juice
½ cup fresh cilantro
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
Pinch of salt

Either dice all ingredients and mix or toss everything in the food processor and blend.

Edamame-Ginger Dip

8 ounces frozen edamame
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or braggs
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 garlic clove
Pinch of salt

Cook the edamame then put everything in food processor. Chill in fridge for 1 hour.

Guacamole

2 avocados
¼ cup cream cheese or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons onion
2 tablespoons cilantro
¼ cup chopped tomato
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 garlic clove
Pinch of salt and pepper

Place everything in food processor and blend. May want to chill it for half an hour before serving.

Yummy Feta Dip

½ pound of feta cheese
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup milk (I use rice milk)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of black pepper

Crumble the feta into the food blender and add remaining ingredients. Make sure everything is chopped into fine pieces and blend until smooth. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. This dip needs to be eaten within three days so as not to spoil.

Hopefully you can get as much enjoyment out of these dips as I do. They are all extremely simple and are always a hit at parties. I personally love to snack on them in between meals. It is nice to have good healthy snacks handy and ready to eat. Happy blending and enjoy.

About the Author:

To learn many more great dip recipes visit www.MagicBulletFoodProcessor.net where you’ll find delicious 10 second recipes and great information on the magic bullet food processor.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Easy Dip Recipes in a Blender

Mexican food is very popular in the U.S., despite the general belief that Mexican cuisine is high in calories. As a matter of fact, authentic Mexican cuisine uses fresh, highly-nutrient ingredients and can provide you with a lot of healthy choices. But, as everything is super-sized in America, so has happened with the Mexican food. Portions have grown larger and recipes have grown fattening, which is what most Mexican restaurants and fast food chains serve in the U.S.

Some great Mexican meals such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos are prepared with fresh produce, corn, fresh tomatoes or tomatillos, avocado, beans, rice, mushrooms, corn tortillas and nutritious spices such as chilies, cinnamon, garlic, cumin and cloves.

If you want to avoid the Americanized versions of Mexican food that are high in fat, calories and sodium, you can prepare healthy Mexican food at home. In some very easy and quick steps you can taste highly nutritional Mexican meals in no time.

Here are some tips for cooking healthy Mexican food at home:

- Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the main ingredient of Mexican salsas. Rich in lycopene, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C, tomatoes reduce the risk of several types of cancer and their protective effect is highly beneficial.

Pico de gallo is the most famous Mexican salsa. All you need is 2 large fresh tomatoes, 1/2 large white onion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, minced fresh chile, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper. It can be prepared in 15 minutes and it contains all the natural ingredients that contribute to your overall wellness.

-  Beans

Beans contain high amounts of proteins and fiber and provide antioxidant benefits. The best variety are the pinto or the black beans that are low-fat, low-calorie. Instead, the refried beans that are usually served in the Mexican restaurants are totally unhealthy and should be avoided.

For a bean salsa, you cook pinto or black beans and then you add onion and 1 teaspoon of cumin. After 30 minutes is ready for you to enjoy.

- Corn

Corn has extraordinary health qualities because it is rich in folate, vitamin B, vitamin C and fiber. It contributes to heart prevention, it helps in better digestion and it stabilizes blood sugar levels. Bake 12 6-inch corn tortillas with 1 tablespoon of canola oil in 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes and you can enjoy a really delicious and healthy food that goes with homemade guacamole, pico de gallo or avocado salsa.

- Avocado

Avocados contain high quantities of vitamin K and potassium that lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL).

For a great guacamole sauce all you need is ripe avocados, chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper. For the salsa, add chili peppers, garlic, onions, lime and cilantro to make the taste more intense.

-  Chilies

Chili peppers are rich in capsaicin that promotes anti-inflammatory and pain-relief qualities. In addition, chilies reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases because they lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and they contain vitamin A. In most of the Americanized Mexican restaurants you will hardly find real chilies, so it’s better to prepare your own homemade Mexican meal.

If, however, you prefer going out to a Mexican restaurant, you still have healthy choices.

- Avoid the chips

Chips that are served before the meal are a dieter’s nightmare. Normally, they are full in sodium, which means that, not only they increase the levels of water weight, but they also increase blood pressure. Avoiding the chips may save you an extra 200 calories of fat. Instead, you can eat as mane carrots or celery sticks you want with the salsa dip.

- Avoid sour cream and extra cheese

Sour cream and extra cheese are nothing more than extra fat and calories. Sour cream is a basic topping in Mexican food, used in all meals to add a smooth taste. But if you are on a diet, you should avoid it. If you’re looking for protein sources, you’d better go for black beans, grilled shrimp or grilled chicken and avoid cheese.

- Prefer corn tortillas

Corn tortillas may save you an extra 200 calories of fat that you would gain if you ordered flour tortillas.

- Prefer grilled food

Order grilled chicken or meat rather than fried. For instance, fajitas have a great taste flavor and are lower in calories and fat than enchiladas and tacos that are fried.

- Cut your portion in half

Do not eat all your lunch. Cut it in half and eat it later in the week. Cutting back the portion size automatically means 200 calories less, which consequently means healthy eating in terms of fat.

The main advantage of Mexican food is that most Mexican meals can be adapted to your eating habits. So, either at home, or at a Mexican restaurant, you can add the ingredients you like and enjoy really delicious and healthy dishes. Without a doubt, Mexican food is a great temptation. But if you want to derive the healthy benefits of true Mexican cuisine, offer to yourself something authentic.

About the Author:

I work as a financial and investment advisor but my passion is writing, music and photography. Writing mostly about finance, business and music, being an amateur photographer and a professional dj, I am inspired from life.

Being a strong advocate of simplicity in life, I love my family, my partner and all the people that have stood by me with or without knowing. And I hope that someday, human nature will cease to be greedy and demanding realizing that the more we have the more we want and the more we satisfy our needs the more needs we create. And this is so needless after all.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Tips for eating healthy Mexican food