Dipping Delights

Diane Ridge

Dipping Delight

Satisfy your customers' craving for munchies with these healthful dips.

Clearly we’re a snacking society–tortilla chips, vegetables, pretzels, potato chips, French fries, chicken wings, fried appetizers. And these snacks are even more enticing when combined with delectable dips.

But there’s more than meets the eye when you look at most of the classic dips offered to onsite customers. Namely fat!

Operators can offer their customers healthful and tasty dunking options by exploring dips made with vegetables, beans and low fat cheeses. Here’s a quartet of dips for dunking everything from fresh vegetables and hot pretzels to fried shrimp.

Curry Ketchup

Yield: 1 qt. (2 Tbsps. per serving)

10 oz. Vidalia onion

2 lbs. ketchup

1 1/2 Tbsps. curry powder

1. In food processor, process onion until finely chopped.

2. Remove to bowl. Stir in ketchup and curry powder; cover; chill. Serve with French fries.

Recipe from National Potato Promotion Board

Calories 35 (5% calories from fat); fat0 g (sat fat 0 g); protein 1g; carbohydrates 8g; cholesterol 0mg (cholesterol per day 0%); sodium 397mg (sodium per day 17%); fiber 0g (fiber per day 0%)

Bean Dip Athenos

Yield: 24 servings

2 15-oz. cans garbanzo or navy beans

2/3 cup fat-free sour cream

2 tsps. minced garlic

4 tsps. balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)

1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

2 Tbsps. pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

1. Process beans, sour cream, garlic and vinegar in a food processor until smooth; stir in sun-dried tomatoes, parsley and chopped olives. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours for flavors to blend.

2. Spoon into a serving bowl and garnish with olives; serve with crackers and vegetables. Dip can be made ahead of time and refrigerated overnight.

Recipe from Bean Education & Awareness Network

Calories 54 (9% calories from fat); fat 1g; protein 2g; carbohydrates 10g; cholesterol 0mg (cholesterol per day 0%); sodium 100mg (sodium per day .04%); fiber 2g (fiber per day 10%)

Dill and Yogurt Dip

Yield: 3 qts. (1/2 cup per serving)

4 lbs. lowfat cottage cheese

2 lbs. lowfat plain yogurt

2 cups sweet red pepper, chopped

2 cups green bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp. dried dill weed

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

1. Whip cottage cheese until light and fluffy. Add yogurt and whip until blended.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with French fries and vegetables.

Recipe from Washington State Potatoes

Calories 99 (19% calories from fat); fat 2.1g; protein 2.1g; carbohydrates 7.1g; cholesterol 9 mg (cholesterol per day 0%); sodium 392mg (sodium per day 00%); fiber 0.5g (fiber per day 0%)

Hot N’ Honey Dip

Yield: 24, 2-oz. servings

3 cups honey

3 cups Dijon-style mustard

2 Tbsps. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. black pepper

large pinch caynne pepper or more to taste

1. Beat together all ingredients. Serve with pretzels, bread sticks, chicken wings, fresh or fried vegetables or shrimp.

Recipe from National Honey Board

Calories 177 ( % calories from fat); fat 5 g; protein 1 g; carbohydrates 35g; cholesterol 0 mg (cholesterol per day 0%); sodium 797 mg (sodium per day 33%); fiber 1g (fiber per day .5%)