Low Carb Taco Dip ~ Lean & Green

 

This is a meal sized portion
of a creamy & delicious taco dip
with vegetables. 🥑🍅🧅 

Ingredients: 

avocado cooking oil spray

8 ounces light cream cheese, at room temperature*

1 cup fat free Greek yogurt*

1/2 cup salsa**(see recipe link below)

1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

7.5 ounces (96% lean) cooked ground beef or turkey

1 cup (4 ounces) reduced fat pepper jack or cheddar cheese, finely grated

1 cup diced grape or cherry tomatoes

1 small avocado, diced

1/4 cup diced onion

4 cups (about 20) mini bell peppers

Dinner Method:

Preheat oven to 325*. Very lightly grease an 8 inch square baking dish with the avocado oil and set aside.

Add the cream cheese, yogurt, salsa and the spices to a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to combine the ingredients until they are blended and smooth. Stir in the cooked meat. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and use a bowl scraper to smooth evenly in the pan. Place in the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

While the dip is heating, cut the stems and tips off of the mini peppers. Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds. Rinse and drain the pepper halves on paper or cloth towels. 

Remove the dip from the oven and. Cut into 4 equal portions. Place each portion on a serving plate. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese, 1/4 cup of the tomatoes, 1/4 of the avocado and 1 tablespoon of the onions over the top of each individual dip portion. Add 10 pepper halves to each serving plate and serve. Makes 4 meal servings.

Appetizer Method:

Prepare same as above. After the dish is removed from the oven, do not divide into portions. Instead, Sprinkle all of the cheese over the top of the dip, followed by the tomatoes, avocado and onions. Serve warm or chilled with the pepper halves for dipping. Makes 12 appetizer servings.

*If you are not following a reduced fat meal plan, regular cheese and yogurt may be used.

**Here is a link to a super simple homemade picante sauce recipe: https://carriekitchencreations.blogspot.com/2022/01/super-simple-low-carb-picante-sauce.html

Super Simple Low carb
Picante Sauce

Nutritional information for 1 dinner portion, approximately: 470.6 calories ~ 25.55 grams fat ~ 27.48 grams carbs ~ 19.8 grams net carbs  ~ 33.85 grams protein

One dinner portion equals: 1 lean, 3 green, 3 condiments & 1 healthy fat

Nutritional information for 1 appetizer portion, approximately: 156.8 calories ~ 8.5 grams fat ~ 9 grams carbs ~ 6.6 grams net carbs ~ 11.28 grams protein

One appetizer portion equals: 1/4 lean, 3/4 green, 3/4 condiments &  1/4 healthy fat

Notes: My husband and I enjoyed this taco dip for dinner ~ I used mini sweet pepper halves to scoop the dip and he used tortilla chips. He preferred the dip warm and I liked it both heated and chilled.