PJ and I went to Nashville to see my parents for Easter. Because the weather was rather chilly and rainy we ended up playing several card games, and ate our way through a lot of “dips.” Although my mom is fairly health conscious, she had purchased a crab dip (with pseudo crab) and an artichoke and cream cheese dip. Delicious they were, healthy they were not.

With the arrival of warm weather, you might be attending some upcoming BBQs or grill outs and could use a quick dish idea. I thought a run down of some of my favorite pre-made, easy dips might be of some help!

Let’s start with hummus. Although most people have had hummus before, they might not know what it actually is. Hummus is made from a puree of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini (a paste of sesame seeds), oil, and usually lemon juice and garlic. There are all sorts of variations of this dip, one of my favorites is Trader Joe’s Horseradish hummus. I love its spicy kick. Hummus in general, is quite a healthy spread, as it usually contains healthy monounsaturated fat from olive oil, and fiber from the beans. The calories can add up quickly though (most have 50 calories in 2 Tbsp). I have started to make my own humus in a food processor.  After the first try, it is quite easy, a ton cheaper, and 2 cans of chickpeas makes enough for my hummus loving husband.

Next is a dip called “Baba Ghanoush.” I just love saying that name. Baba is similar to hummus, but in lieu of the chickpeas, it subs smoky eggplant. Both spreads are tasty when added to a turkey or deli sandwich. For an afternoon snack, I will often fill a whole wheat tortilla with some of this dip for a fiber-filled treat.

We all know guacamole, a dip made from avocados, lime juice, and sometimes other additions like cilantro, garlic, cayenne pepper, onions, tomatoes, jalopenos, and/or cumin powder. My guacamole recipe is never the same. Although even more calorically dense than hummus, avocados are an excellent source of healthy fats.  You do have to be careful of the store bought products. For example, Kraft Guacaomole is mostly water, partially hydrogenated coconut and soybean oil, and corn syrup. Not really the fresh ingredients you think of when craving guacamole. Once again, Trader Joe’s product scores a home-run with its taste and real ingredient list. Try guacamole on a veggie burger or on top of grilled fish.

Now comes my favorite, salsa. Last night, I went to a great restaurant in Maplewood, called Maya Cafe. They have some the tastiest salsa around (in my opinion). It is more like a pico de gallo than salsa.  Because salsa is made from mostly vegetables, it is a very low calorie dip, with usually 10-20 calories per 2 tablespoon serving. If concerned about the sodium content, you do have to watch some of the store bought jarred salsas which tend to have more sodium. My top store bought brands are Trader Joe’s Thai Style Mango and Newman’s Own Organic Chunky. Try putting salsa on a baked potato a healthy, non-calorie loaded topping.

Finally, we have the Caponatas and Tapenades. Caponata is made of diced eggplant, tomatoes, and onions cooked in olive oil and seasoned with capers and olives.  A tapenade is made from green or black olives and oil.  Due to the olives, this dip is higher in sodium. These dips go great on vegetables like green beans or also on top of a white flaky baked fish like wild cod fillets.

So spread the love, and spread on some healthy dips with friends this spring!