Homemade Dips Make Healthier Snacks For The Holidays Or Unexpected Company AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Party dips are popular at holiday time, but commercial dips are usually high in fat, calories and sodium, and comparatively low in health-protective phytochemicals, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). To make holiday snacks and appetizers healthier but still rich in flavor, the Institute has created low-fat, vegetable-based dips that can be made quickly and easily, with ingredients easily kept on hand for last-minute company.

"Vegetable-based dips full of the flavor of herbs, spices and other seasonings offer many health-protective features," says Melanie Polk, R.D., AICR's Director of Nutrition Education. "The cancer-fighting antioxidant power of herbs and spices can be as great as that of fruits and vegetables."

Homemade dips, she points out, can offer a fresher taste than their commercial cousins, and can be quickly prepared. Polk recommends pairing them with cut-up vegetables as well as whole-grain crackers for an appetizer that's colorful, festive and healthful.

AICR's new dips are also helpful in maintaining a healthy weight (eaten in moderation), as they are lower in calories and fat than most commercial dips. For example, many store-bought dips range from 60 to 110 calories and 6 to 11 grams of fat per two-tablespoon serving. AICR's three holiday dips range from 26 to 50 calories and contain only 1 or 2 grams of fat.

Homemade Dips Can Be Healthful and Cancer-Protective

Chickpeas, spinach and tomatoes make rich but healthful bases for party dips. Each is high in nutrition and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. For example, spinach is rich in several of these natural substances. Two, lutein and zeaxanthin, are also believed to protect against age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people over 65.

Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, which has been linked to reduced prostate cancer risk and is now being studied for its potential to protect against other cancers.

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), used in AICR's Mexican-style dip, are rich in protein, fiber, vitamin B6 and many important minerals. They contain a group of phytochemicals, isoflavones, that may help prevent hormone-related cancers.

Garlic, which is used in all three of AICR's new holiday dips, contains a group of phytochemicals called organosulfides. They offer a variety of heart- and cancer-protective features.

The following dips work especially well for the holidays and entertaining because they are all unlike what is generally available in markets. Each reflects a different regional ethnicity - Southwest American, Indian and Mexican - that offers a rich and slightly exotic flavor. Despite their distinctive taste, they are spiced lightly enough for everyone to enjoy.

The following Southwestern-style dip features roasted red peppers and
sun-dried tomatoes that have not been packed in oil and, therefore, are virtually fat-free. It uses a small amount of reduced-fat Neufchâtel cream cheese which has a more satisfying flavor than "light" or "fat free" cream cheese.

Santa Fe Sunset Dip

2 jars (7-oz. each) roasted red peppers, drained
3 oz. (1 package, or about 30) sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, or to taste
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallion
4 oz. reduced-fat Neufchâtel cream cheese, softened
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Tabasco or hot chili pepper sauce, if desired, to taste

Soak dried tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain well, reserving 3
tablespoons of the soaking liquid.
In a food processor, purée red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, lemon
juice, cilantro and scallion until smooth and well-blended.

Add cream cheese and purée mixture, adding enough of the reserved
tomato-soaking liquid to thin the dip to the desired consistency (scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally). Blend until smooth. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste. Adjust seasoning, adding more garlic, cumin, or lemon juice if needed.

Transfer to a container with a cover. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before using. Bring dip to room temperature before serving.

When ready to serve, transfer dip to an attractive bowl and place in center of a large serving platter. Surround with assorted cut-up vegetables and, if desired, baked tortilla chips and serve.

Makes 2 1/3 cups.

Per 2 tablespoons: 42 calories, 2 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 5
g. carbohydrate, 2 g. protein, less than 1 g. dietary fiber, 117 mg.
sodium.

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This Mexican-style dip has just a touch of low-fat sour cream and
mayonnaise to add creamy "mouth feel." Fresh cilantro, garlic and lemon juice enliven the taste of the otherwise bland chickpeas.

Mexicali Dip

1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 Tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise
Salt and white pepper, if desired, to taste
Tabasco sauce, if desired

In a food processor, purée chickpeas with sour cream, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice and mayonnaise until smooth. If dip is too thick, gradually add additional teaspoons each of sour cream and mayonnaise, just until right consistency is reached. Transfer to a container with a tight lid. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce, if desired. If time is not a constraint, cover and refrigerate 24 hours before serving.

Bring dip to room temperature before serving. When ready to serve, transfer dip to an attractive bowl and place in center of a large serving platter. Surround with assorted cut-up vegetables (carrots, different colored bell peppers, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini spears, sliced jicama) and, if desired, baked tortilla chips or whole-grain crackers.

Makes 1 cup dip.

Per 2 tablespoons: 50 calories, 1 g. total fat (less than 1 g.
saturated fat), 8 g. carbohydrate, 2 g. protein, 1 g. dietary fiber, 110
mg. sodium.

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Either fresh or frozen spinach may be used in the following Indian-style dip, and neither form needs to be cooked before preparing this dip. However, fresh spinach will give the dip a lighter, brighter shade of pale green, and a fresher taste.

Taj Mahal Dip

2 tsp. curry powder, according to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin, according to taste
1 9-oz. microwavable package of baby spinach leaves (uncooked), or 1
10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed
dry
3/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired, to taste

In a small, non-stick skillet, stir curry and cumin over medium-low heat
just until fragrant, 30-45 seconds. Transfer spices to a bowl.

Combine spinach, sour cream, yogurt and garlic in a food processor and
blend until spinach is puréed and mixture is smooth. Add one-third of the curry mixture and blend in. Add more of the curry mixture, to taste. Process until well-blended. Season to taste with salt, pepper and pepper sauce.

Transfer to a container with a cover. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before using. Bring dip to room temperature before serving.

When ready to serve, transfer dip to an attractive bowl and place in center of a large serving platter. Surround with assorted cut-up vegetables (carrots, different colored bell peppers, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini spears, sliced jicama) and, if desired, the thin Indian crackers called pappadams, or other, preferably whole-grain, crackers.

Makes about 2 cups.

Per 2 tablespoons: 26 calories, 1 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 2 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. protein, less than 1 g. dietary fiber, 24 mg. sodium.

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