Weekly recipes for January 25, 2012

Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip

Start to finish: 40 minutes. Makes 4 cups.

8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened
2 cups low-fat sour cream
6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese blend
1 cup chopped green onion

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Place the mixture in a 1-quart baking dish. Cover. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling and hot.

Instead of a baking dish, you can slice about a 1/4-inch piece off the top of a round sourdough loaf; set the piece aside. Hollow out the loaf; cut up the bread to serve with the dip. Spoon the dip into the hollowed-out crust. Replace the top slice. Wrap the bread bowl in foil and bake in the preheated 400-degree oven for 30 minutes.

Serve with toasted bread slices, vegetables on skewers or whole-grain crackers.

Nutrition information per 2 tablespoons: 57 calories (66 percent from fat ), 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat ), 2 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 100 milligrams sodium, 13 milligrams cholesterol, 0 grams fiber.

-- Adapted from Daisy Sour Cream

Crudites with Green Goddess Dressing

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Total time: 10 minutes. Makes: 3 cups.

3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
3/4 cup low-fat sour cream or crema Mexicana
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
Zest of 1/2 lime
2 green onions, roughly chopped (green, white parts)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 pickled jalapeño pepper, seeded (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a blender and puree on high for about 1 minute; pour into a serving bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 3 days. This is best served cold or at room temperature.

Serve with small vegetables threaded on skewers, such as grape tomatoes, raw green beans, little carrots, celery cut on the diagonal, radishes cut in half, cauliflower, cucumbers, raw or slightly blanched asparagus, yellow or red bell peppers.

Nutrition information based on 2 tablespoons per serving: 30 calories (63 percent from fat ), 2 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat ), 2 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams protein, 80 milligrams sodium, 6 milligrams cholesterol, 0 grams fiber.

-- Adapted from On a Stick by Matt Armendariz

Spinach Avocado Dip

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Total time: 40 minutes. Makes: 2 3/4 cups.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
10 ounces spinach, rinsed well, tough stems removed
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 medium-ripe Hass avocados
1 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
12 ounces sugar snap peas
9 small slices pumpernickel bread,cut into triangles

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add shallots and garlic, stirring often; cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and about 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, until spinach is wilted, about 4 minutes.

Uncover. Cook until liquid evaporates, about 7 minutes. Refrigerate until cooled, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree avocados, yogurt, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth.

Season with pepper. Finely chop the cooled spinach mixture. Stir into the avocado puree. Serve with snap peas and bread for dipping.

Nutrition information per 2 tablespoons of dip: 46 calories (57 percent from fat), 3 grams fat (0 grams saturated fat), 3 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 46 milligrams sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 grams fiber.

-- From Martha Stewart Living magazine

Stir-fried Diced Chicken and Cucumber

Makes 2 servings.

3 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup sherry
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 pound chicken tenders cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 medium cucumber (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 scallions, sliced

Mix sugar with sherry, garlic and ground ginger. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Remove chicken to a plate, reserving marinade. Sprinkle cornstarch over chicken and toss. Set aside. Mix hoisin sauce and water with marinade.

Heat sesame oil in wok or skillet over medium-high. Add chicken, leaving any liquid on the plate. Stir-fry 3 minutes. Add cucumber and stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Add marinade to pan

and cook 1 minute. Pour sauce over chicken and cucumbers;

toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with scallions.

Serve over microwaveable brown rice that you have heated according to package directions and tossed with 2 teaspoons canola oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition information per serving: 392 calories (27 percent from fat), 11.8 grams fat (2 grams saturated, 4.1 grams monounsaturated), 108 milligrams cholesterol, 38 gram protein, 25.3 gram carbohydrates, 1.8 gram fiber, 338 milligram sodium.

Chicken with Plum Sauce

Makes 4 servings.

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 small zucchini, cubed
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained
1 (7-ounce) jar plum sauce
Hot cooked rice

In wok, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the chicken until browned. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Add the zucchini, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and plum sauce and cook until warmed through. Serve over hot cooked rice.

-- From Pam Wobrock