Skinny dips: how to get rich flavor without fat calories - includes recipes

Sunset, June, 1997 by Betsy Reynolds Bateson

It's gratifying to dip without guilt. And you won't mourn the absent fat in these boldly seasoned combinations, which work equally well as spreads. You'll find them easy to assemble because they take advantage of canned foods such as beans, chilies, corn, mole paste, and precut vegetables from the supermarket produce section.

South-of-the-Border Layered Dip

Prep and cook time: 35 to 40 minutes

Notes: You'll find mole paste at Latino markets or in the international section at supermarkets. Serve dip with assorted sliced raw vegetables.

Makes: About 4 cups

2 teaspoons olive or salad oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons mole paste or 1 tablespoon chili powder

About 1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies

1/4 cup green salsa or green taco sauce

1/3 cup (1 3/4 oz.) crumbled feta cheese

1. To a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, add oil, onion, and garlic. Stir often until onion is tinged golden, about 4 minutes. Add mole and 1/2 cup broth. Stir to incorporate mole and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes more; remove from heat.

2. Add beans, mashing about half of them to thicken the mixture. If mixture is too thick for dipping easily, stir in 1 tablespoon broth at a time until mixture is the desired consistency. Spread bean mixture 3/4 inch thick on a serving platter; set aside. (If making ahead, cover and chill until next day.)

3. In a food processor or blender, combine the cilantro, chilies, and salsa. Whirl or grind until mixture forms a paste as thick as pesto. Occasionally scrape paste from sides of container down into blade area. Spoon cilantro mixture over center of beans.

4. Distribute cheese over the spread; surround with sliced vegetables.

Per tablespoon: 13 cal., 28% (3.6 cal.) from fat; 0.7 g protein; 0.4 g fat (0.1 g sat.); 0.7 g carbo (0.5 g fiber); 49 mg sodium; 0.7 mg chol.

Chipotle-Corn Cream Cheese Dip

Prep time: About 15 minutes

Notes: Chipotles in adobado sauce can be found at Latino markets or in the international section at supermarkets. Serve dip with baked tortilla chips, sliced toasted cocktail bagels, or raw vegetables.

Makes: 2 1/2 cups

8 ounces each nonfat cream cheese and reduced-fat cream cheese

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 to 2 tablespoons minced chipotle chilies in adobado sauce

1 can (15 1/4 oz.) corn kernels, rinsed and drained

1. With a mixer, beat the cream cheeses together until smooth. Add lime juice and chipotles, and beat to mix well. Stir in corn, then spoon dip into a serving bowl.

2. Serve, or cover and chill up until the next day.

Per tablespoon: 27 cal., 30% (8.1 cal.) from fat; 1.6 g protein; 0.9 g fat (0.6 g sat.); 3 g carbo (0.2 g fiber); 88 mg sodium; 3.2 mg chol.