EatingWell's Tex-Mex Dip

Ingredients

• 2 16-ounce cans nonfat refried beans
• 1/4 cup taco sauce or tomato salsa
• 2 teaspoons mild chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 cups cooked corn kernels
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 4 scallions, trimmed and chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 ripe avocado, mashed
• 1 1/2 cups yogurt cheese (see Tip) or nonfat sour cream
• Hot sauce, such as Tabasco, to taste
• 2 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3/4 cup grated reduced-fat Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

Combine refried beans, taco sauce (or salsa), chili powder and cumin in a medium bowl. Combine corn, red and green peppers, jalapenos, scallions and lime juice in another medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine avocado and 2 tablespoons yogurt cheese (or sour cream) in a small bowl; season with hot sauce. Toss together tomatoes and cilantro in another small bowl.

To assemble the dip: Spread the bean mixture on a serving platter and top with the corn mixture. Spread the remaining yogurt cheese (or sour cream) over the corn, followed by the avocado mixture. Spoon the tomatoes over the top with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with cheese.

To make 1 1/2 cups of yogurt cheese, line a colander with a large cotton towel or double thickness of cheesecloth, and place the colander in the sink. Pour in 4 1/2 cups low-fat yogurt. After 15 minutes, transfer the colander to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight. Gathering the edges of the towel together, gently squeeze out any remaining liquid. Transfer the yogurt cheese to a separate container. Refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps 1 week.