Eight Layer Fiesta Dip Cups [Peek Into Kelly’s Kitchen]

Savory Sunday Snacks

With football season in full swing, I’m always searching for fun, satisfying Sunday afternoon snacking options. And as I tend to get lazy on cool, autumn Sunday afternoons, I like the snacks I make to be hearty enough to double as dinner, if necessary. Today, I’m going to share a dip option that can double as a snack or a lazy Sunday supper, but is also perfect for a party. These individually portioned snacks are especially great for get-togethers during cold and flu season as people can keep their germs to themselves. No double dipping here!

Build it By the Numbers

Essentially, this is the individual version of the go-to party platter of taco dip. Only better. It’s less messy and looks great! A big tray of individual fiesta dip cups makes a beautiful presentation at a party with a large bowl of chips on the side. To get started building the foundation of this dip, find yourself a can of refried beans. Unless, of course, you’re the type who makes your own. If that’s the case, go for it! Personally, I think the canned ones work well for this recipe. And they score fairly high on the NuVal scale, too. The brand I used today scored a 54. I like to kick up the flavor of the beans by mixing in some prepared taco seasoning. It doesn’t score so well on the NuVal scale (only a 1), but it does add a lot of flavor, so I choose to add only half of a packet. The second layer is my favorite. I heart guacamole! While my preference is to make my own guac from scratch, the store bought kinds work in this case, too. Wholly Guacamole brand has several varieties to choose from—chunky avocado is our favorite and it scores a whopping NuVal 88. The next layer is pretty self-explanatory: sour cream. Of course, you can choose between light (28) and regular (24). Then comes the salsa. With so many choices lining the supermarket shelves, keep it simple and use NuVal to pick out a jar. As the layers go, next up are cheese (25), tomato (100) and green onions (100). Lastly, you have a decision to make for the top layer: black olives, black beans or both. I tend to skip the black olives (4) and trade up to black beans (85). But you can do both. I won’t judge. That’s the beauty of NuVal. It’s not about limiting your choices—it’s all about helping you make educated choices in how you feed your family.

This dip is a wonderful example of how you can use NuVal to TRADE UP for ingredients with higher nutritional values. By comparing the beans, salsas, guacamole options and chips, you’re able to make nutritional decisions—at a glance—right at the supermarket. That’s how you can build a better bag of groceries and a more nutritious Sunday afternoon snack.

Wishing you relaxing Sunday afternoons, tasty snacks and good health!
Kelly

Eight Layer Fiesta Dip Cups

Ingredients
8-10 (9 ounce) plastic tumblers
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1/2 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
1 cup guacamole
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chunky salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar
1-2 tomatoes, diced
½ bunch of green onions, sliced
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced olives, drained (optional)
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained (optional)
tortilla chips

1.  In a small bowl mix taco seasoning (or cumin) with refried beans.

2.  Assemble layers in this order, using about 2 Tablespoons of each ingredient:

refried bean mixture
guacamole
sour cream
salsa
cheese
tomatoes*
green onions*
black beans or black olives*

3.  Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

*If making ahead of time, wait to add these toppings until shortly before serving. Store in the refrigerator until serving.

This is a guest blog written by Kelly Radi.

Passionate about food and nutrition, Kelly is a freelance writer, NuVal expert, former BLEND employee, and current BLEND advocate. A wife and mother of 2 teenagers, Kelly lives in Sartell where she is often spotted at Coborn’s scouring the shelves in search of the best NuVal scores. She enjoys cooking, playing tennis, and sitting down with a good book. She can be reached at radi.to.write@gmail.com. 

The opinions expressed in this blog are the opinions of the writer and not the opinions of NuVal LLC, Coborn’s, Inc., BLEND, and the CentraCare Health Foundation. Read more “Peek Into Kelly’s Kitchen blogs here.