Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I love snacking and I love dips. This easy to make dip uses a couple of canned ingredients mixed with some nonfat Greek yogurt. Traditional spinach and artichoke dips can be served hot but contain a lot of mayonnaise, cheese and sour cream. I prefer to eat dips cold, watching the dairy and fat content of a dish. By using nonfat Greek yogurt, this dip has 0g fat and only 56 calories.

Fresh artichokes are a spring classic but artichoke hearts can be eaten all year long if frozen, canned or jarred in water, or marinated in olive oil and spices. The artichoke hearts have a natural buttery texture and earthy flavour. In Italy, artichoke hearts are the usual vegetable for the 'spring' section of a 'Four Seasons' pizza (with olives for summer, mushrooms for autumn, and prosciutto for winter).

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Makes 6 (90g / 3oz serving)

Ingredients:
- 390g /  14oz / 1 can spinach (no salt added), drained
- 400g /  14.5oz / 1 can artichoke hearts,
- 225g / 8 oz nonfat Greek yogurt
- 15ml / 1tbsp lemon juice
- ground black pepper

Method:
First drain the spinach and artichoke hearts, using hands if necessary to squeeze out all the excess liquid.

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients (spinach, artichoke, yogurt, lemon juice, black pepper). Spoon into a container and refrigerate.
Serve with baked corn tortillas and chopped vegetables. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Butternut Squash Soup

A classic autumnal dish: Butternut Squash Soup.

Like pumpkin, it has a sweet nutty taste and is a perfect seasonal vegetable to roast, puréed for soups, or mashed and used in casseroles as well as baked into breads and muffins. As the weather begins to turn colder, it's an ideal cold-fighting food as it's a good source of vitamins A and C.

It's easy to prepare a butternut squash for this soup recipe. There are lots of 'how to' videos online, including a good one by Martha Stewart.

Butternut Squash Soup
Makes 4 (~280g / 10oz serving)
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 15ml / 1tbsp olive oil
- 85g / 3oz / 1 carrot, chopped
- 56g / 2oz / 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 140g / 5oz onion, chopped
- 645g / 23oz butternut squash, cubed
- 720ml / 24floz chicken broth, reduced sodium
- 240ml / 8floz water
- 1/2tsp thyme, dried
- ground black pepper

Method:

• Using a vegetable peeler, peel the butternut squash, cut off the top and bottom, halve length-ways, scoop out the seeds, and chop/cut into cubes.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan. 
• Add carrot, celery and onion. 
• Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the butternut squash, chicken broth, water, thyme, and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
• Blend the soup using a hand-held blender. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Banana Chocolate Mousse

This rich mousse can be made with pumpkin or sweet potato puree. It is naturally vegan, gluten free, low sodium, cholestrol free, high fibre, and dairy free.

The sugar content is high per serving but this is due to the natural sweetness from the bananas and dates; there are no added sugars.

It can be used as a simple pie filling when poured on top of a cashew pie base or almond pie crust. Or, fresh fruit can be added to make an easy parfait!

Banana Chocolate Mousse
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 400g / 14.5oz banana
- 40g / 1.4oz dates, pitted, soaked and drained
- 28g / 1oz nut butter
- 180ml / 6floz almond milk, unsweetened
- 40g / 8tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 20g / 3tbsp flaxseed meal
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2tsp cinnamon

Method:
In a food processor, blend together the banana into a purée.
Add all the other ingredients and blend.

Spoon in dishes and refrigerate for several hours before serving. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Cottage Cheese Cheesecake - Pumpkin

After a successful strawberry cottage cheese cheesecake, I made a pumpkin version. It's just as delicious as the strawberry cheesecake but a little more seasonal. It's a nice alternative to pumpkin pie too! It's also a good alternative to my Chocolate Fudge Cake, which also uses pumpkin puree.

Canned pumpkin is all natural and perfect for using in both sweet and savoury recipes. It's low calorie (40 calories per 120g/half cup serving), low in fat (0.5g), low sodium (5mg) and a good source of fibre (5g). A serving has 4g sugars which makes it naturally sweet but not as sweet as fruit.

Cottage Cheese Cheesecake - Pumpkin
Makes 4
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 225g / 8oz lowfat cottage cheese
- 120g / 4oz pumpkin purée
- 56g / 2oz nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- 25g / 6tsp sugar, white
- 15g / 1.5tbsp flour
- 1/4tsp mixed/all spice OR pumpkin pie spice (optional)
- cashew crust

Method:
First, let the cottage cheese sit in a sieve for 15-20 minutes so excess liquid can drain away.

In a food processor, blend the pumpkin purée, cottage cheese and yogurt until smooth.

Add the egg, sugar, flour and spice and blend.

Pour into a cake pan or individual dishes, on top of the cashew pie crust (if using), and bake for 30 mins at 175C / 350F.

Cool completely and refrigerate for several hours before serving. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Cottage Cheese Cheesecake - Pumpkin NI

Cashew Pie Base NI

Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

I love cheesecake. It may well be one of my favourite desserts. However, I have since found other healthier options that are just as tasty.

It's probably best not to compare restaurant versions with this recipe as the difference in calories is significant. A single slice of The Cheesecake Factory’s Original Cheesecake contains 707 calories, 29g saturated fat, 425mg of sodium and 62g of carbohydrates.

This cheesecake uses low fat cottage cheese and nonfat Greek yogurt. I had some ripe strawberries so I made a strawberry version. However, if I didn't have berries to hand, I would've just added some lemon zest and perhaps a drop of lemon juice.

I made the cashew pie crust for the biscuit base instead of using processed graham crackers or digestive biscuits and melted butter. The cheesecake part of this dish is only 113 calories per slice. When the cashew pie base is added, a slice is 323 calories.

Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

Makes 4

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 225g / 8oz lowfat cottage cheese
- 75g / 3oz strawberries
- 56g / 2oz nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- 25g / 6tsp sugar
- 15g / 1.5tbsp flour
- 1/2tsp vanilla extract
- cashew crust

Method:
First, let the cottage cheese sit in a sieve for 15-20 minutes so excess liquid can drain away.

In a food processor, blend the strawberries, cottage cheese and yogurt until smooth.

Add the egg, sugar, flour and vanilla extract and blend.

Pour into a cake pan or individual dishes, on top of the cashew pie crust (if using), and bake for 30 mins at 175C  / 350F.

Cool completely and refrigerate for several hours before serving. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Cottage Cheese Strawberry Cheesecake NI

Cashew Pie Base NI