Take a Dip

When it comes to holiday fare, few are as sacrosanct as party dips. But too often the generous use of high-fat ingredients turns them into calorie-bomb concoctions that make double-dipping hazardous to your waistline. What’s more, many store-bought offerings have an ingredient list that deteriorates into a string of items that reads like a chemistry quiz. After all, who says, “Mmm, sodium benzoate”?

Your solution? Arm yourself with a food processor and whirl up your own dunk-worthy dips chockablock with inspired, healthy ingredients that are easy on your taste buds and your midriff. Start with this collection of dips that are sure to kick off a soiree with a feast of flavour.

Recipes

• Curry Lentil Squash Dip
• Beet Hummus
• Smoked Salmon Dip
• Roasted Garlic Bean Dip
• Smoky Avocado Spinach Dip
• Mayan Chocolate Dip
• Thai Mango Coconut Dip

Big dippers

Go beyond the humdrum baby carrots and broccoli florets by serving your dips with these fanciful dippers.

Blue corn chips

The pigments that give blue corn its fetching hue are similar age-avenging antioxidants to those found in blueberries and dark grapes. Choose organic to avoid genetically modified corn or oils. Brown rice chips are another whole grain option for the gluten-free crowd.

Parmesan pita chips
Sweet potato fries