Gooseberry Cookbook "Good for You" Giveaway Part 1 Healthy, Yummy Dips

Well,  How is everyone after the big Easter weekend?  Here, we are all trying to find ways to work off our Easter meal.  For the first time in a LONG time, I am seeing a calendar without any big deadlines looming, and that takes a world of weight off my shoulders!

Now I have time to share some great recipes from my friends at Gooseberry Patch.  Reviews on the recipes from Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Good for You have received 4 and 5 stars from the family.  I think it is soooo important to find healthy recipes that taste like you are cheating and eating on the DO NOT EAT list!  At the end of the week, I will choose a name from all comments left on the posts, and that person will receive his/her very own copy of this cookbook! .

Yesterday was Easter here, and I wanted to have some snacks out for everyone to nibble on while we waited for dinner time.  The bonus is these recipes are so delicious that no one realized they were also healthy!

First up, Dip #1 is "Avocado Feta Dip"
By Anne Alesauskas from Minocqua,, Wisconsin

2      avocados, halved, pitted,      1   green onion, thinly sliced
        and diced                                    1T lemon juice
1 C. crumbled feta cheese              2 t. dill weed
1      red pepper, diced                     salt/pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl; mix until smooth.
Makes 12 servings or 3 cups of dip
* This one might have won my taste testing contest.  I made a few changes by leaving out the dill weed and adding green tabasco sauce for a little kick.

Dip #2 is "Creamy Spinach Dip"
by  Karen Augustsson from Frederick, Maryland

1 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped            1/4 C. light sour cream
             spinach, cooked                        1/4 C. roasted sunflower
1/4 C.   finely shredded Parmesan                    seed kernels
             cheese                                          1/4 t.  garlic powder
1/4 C.   ricotta cheese                            salt to taste

I served all the dips with a bag of Tostito Scoops.  They were a big hit all the way around!  I had people who swore they could not eat avocados loving Dip #1, and the same thing with garbanzo beans in Dip # 3 and spinach in Dip #3!

Last is Dip #3 "Chickpea and Red Pepper Dip"
by Paulette Alexander from St. George's, Newfoundland

1 19 oz. can garbanzo beans,           1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
                    drained and rinsed           1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 12 oz. jar  roasted red peppers,    1/4 t. salt
                    drained and sliced             1/4 t. pepper
1/2 C.          sour cream

Put all these ingredients in a food processor/blender.  Process until smooth; transfer into a serving dish.
Makes 8 servings or 2 cups of dip. * I added some green tabasco sauce to this dip to give it a bit of a kick since I did not have any red pepper flakes.

I served all the dips with a bag of Tostito Scoops.  They were a big hit all the way around!  I had people who swore they could not eat avocados loving Dip #1, and the same thing with garbanzo beans in Dip # 3 and spinach in Dip #2!

Don't forget to leave a comment here on this post and future posts this week to be eligible for the giveaway of Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Good for You at the end of the week .  Next up: Hearty Breakfast Quinoa