Summertime Dips and Spreads

A good dip can make fruit and vegetables a lot more interesting – for kids and adults alike – and these four recipes are easy enough to prep the day before an outdoor gathering, a weeknight snack spread, or a summer lunch. In this free live cooking demonstration, Anca Soloschi, MS, RDN of Sound Dietitians, LLC walks through three savory dips and one sweet dip, with notes on balanced eating, omega-3s, olive oil quality, and how these recipes work for blood sugar management. Hosted by Kristina Wigren of Stilly Valley Health Connections, this class is part of the free cooking and nutrition programming offered through SVHC – explore more in our free class recordings library.

What’s covered in this class:

• Cannoli dip – room temperature cream cheese (8 oz) and whole milk ricotta (1 cup) mixed with powdered sugar (1/3 cup, adjustable to taste), vanilla extract, and mini chocolate chips folded in for texture; served with strawberries, apples, and whole wheat crackers; all four dips are noted as better the next day once flavors meld; the class also covers how pairing a protein and fat-rich dip with fruit or crackers helps stabilize blood sugar – relevant for anyone managing diabetes or pre-diabetes
• Olive tapenade – black olives (1 cup), capers (1/2 cup, which provide all the saltiness so no extra salt is needed), Roma tomato, three garlic cloves, fresh basil (1 cup), and extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup), pulsed in a food processor; can be left chunky or minced by hand; served with bread, balsamic vinegar, and additional olive oil; includes a discussion on olive oil quality – why extra virgin and single-country-of-origin matters, and what cold pressing preserves
• Smoked trout spread – canned smoked trout (or any canned fish including tuna, salmon, herring, or sardines), full-fat Greek yogurt, cream cheese, lemon juice, dried dill, celery tops or fresh parsley, and sliced green onions; mixed by hand in a bowl for a chunky, rustic texture; high in protein and omega-3s; the class covers omega-3 sources from both animal (fatty fish) and plant (chia, flax, hemp seeds, olive oil) origins, and clarifies that avocados are not a meaningful omega-3 source despite the common belief
• White bean basil dip – cannellini or great northern beans (rinsed well or use low-sodium), tahini (1/4 cup), lemon juice, garlic, ground cumin, olive oil (2 tbsp), and two cups of fresh basil blended smooth; the Mediterranean restaurant trick of adding ice cubes instead of water is demonstrated for a smoother, creamier result; arugula or spinach can substitute for basil; a note to always taste canned beans before salting since they retain sodium even after rinsing