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Friday, April 10, 2015

Baked Cajun Seafood Dip Featuring Chobani 0 Plain Greek Yogurt


I love to make dishes lighter and healthier when I can…but I refuse to sacrifice flavor or texture! One of my favorite tricks for reducing fat while keeping dips super-creamy is to use fat-free Greek yogurt. Chobani recently sent me more of their yummy Greek yogurt to create a couple of fun new dishes for you! I love their yogurt, because I don’t have to sacrifice flavor or texture to eat more healthfully. I‘ve been developing one sweet and one savory recipe to share with y’all…first up is today’s offering:  Baked Cajun Seafood Dip. You’d never know that it’s lower in fat…it’s creamy and full of the big flavors we love at Casa Garcia. The creamy base is a mixture of Chobani 0% plain yogurt, reduced-fat cream cheese, and 2% shredded co-jack cheese. To that, I added a bit of Tabasco and Cajun seasoning for a nice kick…and lots of shrimp and crabmeat.

This dip is perfect with sturdy chips or thin slices of warm crusty bread! This is one of those recipes you’re going to want in your hip pocket for  the upcoming holiday entertaining season: it’s simple to make, easier on the waistline, and totally delish. Simple mix together the ingredients, pop into the oven to bake until bubbly, and set it out for your guests to devour. I’m betting that no one will have a clue that you’ve shaved fat and calories from typical creamy dips…without sacrificing texture or flavor. That’s a win-win situation in my book!

Baked Cajun Seafood Dip
adapted from Southern Living
 
 
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375. Add the following ingredients to a mixing bowl: 1 package softened low-fat cream cheese, 1 cup Chobani 0% plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup shredded 2% co-jack cheese, 4 ounces lump crab, 2 sliced green onions, and 1 tsp. salt. Set aside while you cook the shrimp.
 
 
Step 2:  Add 2 tbs. butter to a non-stick skillet over med-high heat. When the butter is melted, add 1/3 cup finely diced shallot, 1 tbs. Tabasco, 1 tbs. Cajun seasoning, and 1/2 lb. diced shrimp -- make sure the pieces are bite-sized. Saute until the shrimp are cooked through, then turn off heat and let the mixture cool for a few minutes.
 
 
Step 3: Add the spicy shrimp mixture to the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir until the mixture is evenly incorporated...be gentle so you dont break up the crab too much! Spread the dip in an 8x8 square pan. Top with an additional 1 cup of the shredded 2% grated co-jack cheese.
 
 
Step 4: Bake until the cheese is melted and the dip is bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. I served this dip with slices of San Francisco sourdough baguette and scooped tortilla chips...but any cracker or chip would likely work perfectly well with this dip!
 

This dip is really fabulous! It’s creamy and comforting…with just enough spice to make it interesting. Feel free to vary the amount of Tabasco and Cajun seasoning you use, depending on the heat level you like; the amount I used makes for a medium level of spice. The sweet shrimp and crab play really nicely against the savory shallot and green onion, making this dip downright addictive. I hope you’ll give this appetizer a try at your next football-watching party…or during the upcoming holiday season. I’m planning to share this dip at our family Thanksgiving spread this year.

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