Greek-Style Dip

I found this recipe in my inbox last week, courtesy of Vernon Patch! I'm reprinting it here just for ease, but I wanted to give credit where credit was due. Greek yogurt and ricotta make an awesome base for dips, where in the past I would have not thought to use anything other than sour cream. Only 88 calories in a 1/4 cup, and it's packed with protein and calcium. YUM!

Note to self - use the food processor next time. Feta will not puree without a fight. ;)


Greek-Style Dip

8 oz. (1 cup) feta cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 small container Greek-style plain yogurt
About ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 tsp. fresh or dried oregano
Optional garnishes: sliced black olives, chopped tomato, and lemon zest, if desired.

In a food processor (or using a whisk or potato masher), puree the feta cheese, ricotta cheese, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and the yogurt until smooth and thick.

Place the ingredients into a bowl.  Add the mint and the oregano and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or a day before serving.

To serve: place dip in decorative bowl and top with garnishes, if desired. Serve with multi-grain tortilla chips and fresh, cut up vegetables.