Slimmed-down Spinach Dip

I'm going to a wedding shower today so naturally I thought it fitting to contribute to the food supply (especially because dips and appetizers are usually my favourite to make). I tried this recipe that I found on Foodnetwork.ca and I think it turned out pretty well! (We sampled it last night because I made two batches). The recipe is from a show I watch occasionally called Eat, Shrink and Be Merry hosted by two sisters named Janet and Greta. I like the concept of the show - they take really fattening recipes and come up with healthier alternatives - but to be honest, I just can't stand the women who host it. They are quite irritating to say the least.

But with all that said, the recipe was good so I'm going to share it with you.

What you'll need:
1 can artichoke hearts (not marinated) - I couldn't find this so I actually bought a jar of marinated artichoke hearts and rinsed them.
1/2 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and cut into thirds
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup light sour cream
1 pkg light garden vegetable cream cheese
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
4-5 dashes hot pepper sauce
1/2 pkg frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and chopped
1 cup shredded asiago cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Drain artichokes and pat dry. Roughly chop artichokes and toss them with the onions and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well and roast uncovered for about 30 min (give them another toss when they're halfway through).

(I made two batches, that's why it's divided like that)

3. While vegetables are roasting, place kidney beans, sour cream, cream cheese, lemon zest, and hot pepper sauce in the food processor. Whirl until smooth.

4. Remove artichoke mixture from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375. Let vegetables cool for a few minutes, then add them to the food processor. Pulse on and off until the mixture is well blended but still chunky.





5. Transfer to a bowl and stir in spinach and all but about 2 tbsp of the cheese.

6. Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese.

7. Bake, uncovered for about 30 minutes until it bubbles and the cheese gets a little bit of colour. Then, serve with pita chips or crackers!

This isn't part of the recipe but I thought I'd give you a tip on the spinach.

I microwaved mine for just under two minutes in a casserole dish. This is what it looked like:

Once it's thawed, I took it in handfuls and squeezed it over the sink to get the water out. It's unbelievable how much water you can squeeze out of cooked spinach. I then transferred it to about 12 paper towels layered on top of one another and squeezed out oven more liquid until what you have looks like a green hockey puck.