Spotlight Recipes: Smarter Dips
Whether for a kid’s birthday party or having friends over to watch the game, dips are an easy to make crowd pleaser. Don’t let gobs of calories and fat weigh down your festivities – try our more figure-friendly picks.

Karl Juengel/Studio D, Hearst Communications inc., 2009
Whether you're cooking for a kid’s birthday party or having friends over to watch the game, dips are an easy-to-make crowd pleaser. Don’t let gobs of calories and fat weigh down your festivities – try our more figure-friendly picks.
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Spotlight Recipe: Five-Layer Mexican Dip
Pep up your next fiesta with this Mexican dip made with a bunch of healthy trimmings — beans, cheese, corn, avocados and a touch of spice.
Spotlight Recipes: Chutney
Chutney is a simmered-down or pureed combo of fruit (or veggies), spices and herbs. Instead of deep frying or drowning your fish, pork or meat in heavy sauces, opt for a tangy bite of chutney instead.
Spotlight Recipes: Granita
Dig in to these delicious frozen treats that are reminiscent of Italian ices. Granita’s are harder in texture than sorbets and contain less sugar. To make a granita, cook up a simple sugar (combo of sugar and water) and add flavors such as coffee, mint, juice and wine along with fruit. Once the mixture has begun to freeze (it takes about 3 hours), scrape the ice crystals every so often as they start to form. Once frozen, scoop and serve.
Spotlight Recipe: Michelada
Want something more exciting than bottled beer for your game-day bash? If your friends are Bloody Mary fans, this Mexican cocktail might be a winner. Lime and hot sauce liven up the flavor without adding calories.
Spotlight Recipes: Gazpacho
Enjoy a refreshingly cool (and super healthy) soup this summer. Traditional gazpacho is a pureed mixture of fresh tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, celery and cucumbers but don’t be afraid to get creative. Shake things up—blend a batch of watermelon, red pepper or white grape gazpacho instead.
Spotlight Recipe: Steamed Artichokes with Almond Saffron Dip
We love our artichokes here at Healthy Eats, but we know they can be a pain to prep. Use your extra time this weekend to try this steamed artichoke dish. Serve them as a side, appetizer or just a fresher snack in place of chips and dip.
Spotlight Recipe: Speedy Soup
Try this simple soup as a quick starter to a dinner party or an easy lunch.
Spotlight Recipe: Fish Tacos
Mix up your fish taco experience by using different kinds of firm fish and topping with homemade salsa.
Spotlight Recipes: Picnic Salads
Picnic season has arrived. Fire up the grill, toss on the hamburgers and steaks and don’t forget about those scrumptious side salads. Instead of gobs of fat and oodles of calories, here are delicious (and healthy) versions of the classics.
Spotlight Recipes: Cucumber Madness
Did you realize these crunchy veggies contribute to your fluid needs? One medium cucumber is 96% water -- that's great for battling August's dehydrating temps. Cucumbers are pretty low in calories, too, with only 24 each and a good source of both vitamins C and K.