Pretty Decent Spart Dip

We are stuck inside today due to another air quality alert so my project du jour is to clean out the fridge and freezer of anything that is starting to head south of the expiration date. Or has already made it there.

I had just enough ingredients to make this spinach and artichoke dip that I love and wanted to share with you. The good news is it's filled with lots of yummy cheeses and spinach, it's lower in carbs and is a great source of vitamins, protein, sodium and fat. The bad news is that I made it while Lil Guy is napping so it might be all gone before he gets a chance to try it.

Pretty Decent Spart Dip

One 8-oz package of cream cheese softened (leave on the counter for a bit)
1/8 cup mayo
1/8 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or a parmesan/romano blend
1/4 shredded mozzarella or shredded cheddar cheese
2 cloves garlic minced (or the minced garlic equivalent in a jar)
Dash of salt
One 14-oz can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
A little bit of Asiago cheese if desired

Mix all cheeses, mayo, garlic, salt with a spatula. Then gently stir in the chopped artichokes and spinach. Bake in a greased glass baking dish at 350F for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and browned. Serve warmed with pita chips or tortilla chips.

Notes:

• CFers should make sure all ingredients are full fat and not the "light" version.
• While I love fresh spinach, the stuff that comes in a frozen bag in the freezer section is already chopped and makes this a lot faster for preparation.
• Don't like/don't have artichokes? Just add more spinach - about 1/4 or 1/2 cup more additional depending on your personal preference.

Have leftovers? Try stuffing a chicken breast with a little bit of this stuff and baking in the oven.

Where it counts: Sun Chips

I love Sun Chips. Frito-Lay really has me with their promises of multi-grain healthiness. But let's be honest, they aren't all that healthy for the average person. Then again, they aren't all that healthy for a CFer either - need more fat!

But being a Sun Chip lover, I recently bought their snack pack multipack, which gives you small bags of each of the following flavors: Harvest Cheddar, French Onion, Garden Salsa, and Original. Easy peasy to compare.

Not much to report here. All packages hold the same total calories and total fat. But you'll get 10 fewer calories from fat with the Original version.

And there are some interesting changes in the sodium, I presume they essentially bake the same chip and then just dust them with a different type of high-sodium powder? It's probably not enough to make much of a difference but here's the breakdown:

Harvest Cheddar 200mg sodium

French Onion 150mg sodium
GardenSalsa 140 mg sodium

Original 120mg sodium