Everyone loves a good dip, period. Whether it’s for a family snack, an appetizer for a get together, or game day food, like the Super Bowl, having a great dip recipe is a must. This gluten free dip is my family’s favorite spinach and artichoke dip. It is loaded with veggies, rich and creamy cheeses, and is so good with fresh veggies or your choice of chips!

When I make this dip I love to find a variety of different spicy cheeses from my local co-op, however, you can always choose to make this on the milder side with some good old Monterey jack or Colby jack cheese. This week I lucked out and found blocks of habanero ghost pepper jack, chipotle Colby, and jalapeño jack to make this dip a little more on the piquanté side of things!  My favorite combination of flavors in this dip comes from the spicy cheeses, smoked paprika and tangy goat cheese, that vibrant combination of flavors is just unbeatable.

Why Whole Milk versus Low-Fat Milk

As a functional nutritionist, I always recommend to my clients that they eat foods in their whole form, and this includes all dairy.  Anytime you remove a whole group of foods from your diet, like fats, your diet becomes nutrient deficient and overtime, you may begin to experience symptoms of a deficiency.

Whole milk and other dairy products like cheese and yogurt contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and are a good source of carbohydrates, protein, and fat [1]. In general, I do not recommend eating dairy products that are low-fat or non-fat.  There are a few reasons for this:

• Many non-fat and low-fat products have replaced the fat that has been removed with fillers, thickeners, and sugar yielding a products that is not a whole food and potentially inflammatory.
  
• Dairy products often contains the fat soluble vitamins A, E, K and D…and did you know that in order for your body to absorb these fat soluble vitamins, you must have fat in your diet?  A low fat diet reduces the bile released by your gall bladder therefor reducing the absorption of your essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins.
  
• Taste.  Yes, taste.  Fat makes food taste good and creates satiety from our meals.  If you think about your macros in regards to a fire, the carbohydrates are like the kindling for the fire, they burn fast and are quickly used up.  The fats in your diet are like the fire log, it burns at a more steady rate for a longer period of time.
  

So grab some good cheese from your favorite store and let’s get cooking!

Mexican Spinach Dip Ingredients

Serves 6-12

1 Tbsp Ghee or Avocado Oil

1 Red Bell Pepper, finely diced

1 Small Red Onion, finely diced

4 cloves Garlic, finely minced

2- 10 ounce Bags of Frozen Spinach, defrosted and squeezed to remove excess water

1 cup Chopped Artichokes (I like to use grilled marinated ones, but you can use frozen too)

3.8 oz Can Sliced Black Olives, drained

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

3 cups Shredded Cheese* I used habanero ghost pepper jack, chipotle Colby, jalapeño jack

6 oz Soft Goat Cheese

1/4 tsp Chipotle Chile Flakes or Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (opt)

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/4-1 tsp Fine Sea Salt ONLY if you need it: the olives and cheese are already salted!

* I recommend using block cheese and shredding it yourself.  Bagged shredded cheese contains additives that can effect the texture of the cheese once melted [2]

How to Make Mexican Spinach Dip

1. Defrost and drain the spinach, I usually let it sit out on the counter for about an hour before using.  You can also heat it in the microwave for a minute or two, just make sure you don’t over cook it.

2. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees

3. Chop the artichokes and set aside.

4. Shred all the cheese and set aside.

5.  Finely dice the bell pepper and onion.  Heat a cast iron skillet or oven safe skillet over medium heat and add the ghee, pepper, and onion.  Sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened. 

6. Add the garlic and sauté for 60-seconds while stirring.  Add the artichokes and spinach and cook down until moisture has evaporated, about 3-5 minutes.

7. Turn the heat to low-medium and add the smoked paprika, chipotle chili flakes, black olives and heavy cream, stir to combine and cook for 2-minutes.

8. Turn the heat off but leave the skillet on the burner.  Add all the cheese and stir until melted and combined.

9. Top with dollops of the goat cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes

10.  Remove and set on a trivet and enjoy with fresh veggies or your favorite tortilla chip!

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FAQs

Q: Can I used bagged cheese instead?

A: You can, but it is more processed than shredding your own cheese and will contain additives and preservatives.

Q: Can I use fresh spinach?

A: Yes, just chop it and sauté a bit longer so most of the water evaporates

Q: What can I use instead of the goat cheese on top?

A: You can try feta or whole milk ricotta!

If you like this recipe, check these out!

Paleo Grilled Buffalo Wings:  My son Andrew LOVES wings and this recipe is unbeatable!  It’s all in the sauce and my wicked wing sauce is the best! It is so good I keep a jar on hand for buffalo chicken salads, wraps, and more!

Smoked Chicken Texas Twinkies:  The name says it all..smoky, chicken stuffed jalapeños that are Paleo and Whole30 friendly!

Epic Charcuterie Board:  Everyone loves a great charcuterie board and this post helps you put together an epic board that has a little of everything!

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. – Amy

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