Weight Watchers Spinach Dip ♥


On warm summer nights, I love that "gathering moment" before supper. The meat is on the grill, the salad waiting in the refrigerator. In hand is a glass of something cold and wet, occasionally what my sister Adanna calls an "adult beverage". These few minutes bridge the day's busy-ness and the evening's relaxation.
So during the summer, I make one homemade veggie dip after another, some quick concoction that will last a few days, one celery stick at a time. This is my adaptation of the Feta & Spinach Dip from Weight Watchers. I've modified it some, starting with 8X the spinach and substituting first low-fat sour cream and then non-fat Greek yogurt for non-fat sour cream, which I find too gloppy and sweet.
Feta cheese is a brilliant addition to cream-cheese based dips, adding both moisture and "tang" that really revs up the flavor profile. Feta is also featured in this tzatziki-ish dip from Kitchen Parade, Cucumber Dip with Feta. If you like feta, you'll love these dips!
PORTION CONTROL for WEIGHT WATCHERS When we simply "dip" into a common dip dish, it's easy to lose track of how many points we consume. To carefully track points, portion out however many points you've allowed into your own 'dipping' plate, then "dip" to your heart's content!
COMPLIMENTS!
"This was delicious. I added chopped water chestnuts to make it more like the spinach dip recipe (full fat) I usually make." ~ Anonymous
"... it was a fave amongst the guests." ~ Hummus



This recipe is so quick and easy that I'm adding it to a growing collection of easy summer recipes published all summer long ever since 2009 at Kitchen Parade, my food column. With a free Kitchen Parade e-mail subscription, you'll never miss a one!
RECIPE for WEIGHT WATCHERS SPINACH DIP
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 2 hours, time for flavors to meld
Makes 3-1/3 cups (recipe easily halved)
Time to table: 2 hours, time for flavors to meld
Makes 3-1/3 cups (recipe easily halved)
Well-salted water to cover (about 2 tablespoons salt)
16 ounces fresh mature spinach (not baby spinach, see TIPS)
1/2 cup (4oz/112g) low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
1/2 cup (112g) non-fat Greek yogurt (or low-fat sour cream or full-fat sour cream)
1/4 cup (2oz/55g) feta cheese
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup fresh chives
2 teaspoons lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
CLEAN & COOK the SPINACH Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large pot or Dutch oven, filling it about halfway. Check the spinach, if it's gritty, it needs cleaning. Even spinach from a bag can be gritty, though some times it's not and you can skip the cleaning step. To wash the spinach, clean the leaves under running water, rubbing the leaves with your fingertips to detect and remove the grittiness. If the leaves are really gritty, let them soak in cold water for a few minutes, then rinse well until you can no longer feel the grit. To be sure, do a taste test. If the stems are really thick, cut them out and discard or compost; if they're quite tender, as I find in most bags of spinach, the stems can stay on. Drop the spinach into the boiling water, in batches if need be, and cook until just done but still bright green – again, a taste test helps. Use tongs to lift the greens out of the pot into a colander to drain, this lets you re-use the same water for the next batch or two. Drain well in a colander, press with the back of a spoon to release as much liquid as possible.
MIX the DIP Place the cooked spinach and the remaining ingredients in a food processor and process until light and fluffy and the spinach is evenly distributed.
CHILL Transfer to a refrigerator dish and refrigerate for a few hours before serving, this allows the flavors to meld.
ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES






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MORE FAVORITE RECIPES for DIPS & SPREADS
~ Tuna & White Bean Dip ~~ Baba Ganoush (Middle Eastern Eggplant Spread) ~
~ Pumpkin Dip ~
~ Tofu Salad Sandwiches ~
~ Beet Pesto ~
~ more appetizer recipes, including Dips, Spreads, Hummus & Pestos ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Cucumber Dip with Feta ~
~ Creamy Ricotta with Tomato-Cucumber-Corn Salad ~
~ Savory Peach Appetizer ~
~ Blueberry Salsa ~
~ Olivada ~
~ more appetizer recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade
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A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2010 & 2018
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2010 & 2018
I love that pre-dinner moment too! I do the same thing -- and always have a dip with veggies. This looks great, and great tip for portion control,
ReplyDeleteAlanna, you just had to send out a spinach dip, didn't you? Not entirely fair, you know. Will have to see if I can get ingredients together and give it a try. I am tired of grocery shopping at our local market (our 'fresh' produce seems to be very tired, the cukes are always or have been frozen and translucent), so it may have to wait until I get to the cities in two weeks.
ReplyDeleteThis was delicious. I added chopped water chestnuts to make it more like the spinach dip recipe (full fat) I usually make.
ReplyDeleteJulia ~ You're welcome!
ReplyDeleteCait ~ Good luck, you remind me how lucky I am to have such good produce so close.
Anonymous ~ Why thank you! And of course, what brilliance to add in the chopped water chestnut, for more bulk and good crunch. I'm going to add your tip to the recipe!
That's a great tip about portioning out your portion of the communal dip. I'm going to start doing that.
ReplyDeleteAm bookmarking this recipe... perfect for my diet.
ReplyDeleteI tried your recipe and it was a fave amongst the guests. I told them to visit your blog if they want to try more of your fabulous recipes. Cheers!
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