As we embark on a new year, and new decade, I want to begin a new series of articles focused on bringing your “family” into the kitchen. While I will certainly provide suggestions and guidance about bringing your immediate family into the kitchen int articles, I put the word “family” in quotes, because I do not want your thinking to be limited to your relatives by blood or marriage. When we enjoy someone’s company, cooking together can be a blast, so think about who you might like to invite to join you in a future cooking adventure!

One strategy to gather family and friends in the kitchen is to make it a party! Why not use a Super Bowl Sunday party (whether it is just a few family members, or a whole house full of friends), as an opportunity to create a delicious recipe that will be enjoyed by all? A second strategy that you can put to work simultaneously is to take a family favorite, which in its current version does not love you back, and transform it into a delicious recipe that will actually leave you healthier than before you ate it! How is this possible?!

Let me introduce you to my fantastic 7-Layer Dip! While you may have been enjoying a dip similar to this one for years, as we had, it is traditionally full of artery-clogging, inflammation-producing ingredients, not what we want to share with those we care about! However, those ingredients are out the door, while the fun and flavor are here to stay! There are many different options with which to play. You can follow the recipe below or experiment by adding your own tweaks to any or all of the layers. (Be sure to check out all of my tips below the recipe.) I have even reimagined the dippers… adding a boost of nutrients with every bite!

I have to let you in on a little secret… I don’t reserve this recipe for parties or special occasions. I actually make this for my family, all of the time! Why? Before I tell you my answer, I wanted to you hear what my family had to say…

Mia, my 13 year old daughter, likes it because it is easy to eat on days she doesn’t have a lot of time. She told me that she thinks the flavors and textures contrast well… a bit of salt from the olives, a little hit of sweetness from the corn, some heat depending on the salsa we use and the beans contribute a hearty, yet smooth base. Depending on her mood, she like different dippers – baked tostadas and purple cabbage are her favorites. She said, “It may sound strange, but it is light and filling at the same time. Sometimes I eat a small amount as a snack, but other times, I eat enough to make it a meal.”

Maggie, our 16 yo foreign exchange daughter from Germany, told me that if she had to choose only one recipe to bring back home and be able to make over and over, it would be this dip! She also said that she likes how the variety of flavors come together. To pause here for an interesting factoid of sorts… Maggie explained that she has loved Mexican food for a long time, but when she was living in Germany, it wasn’t very easy to find Mexican restaurants. In fact, she said that it is easier to find an Italian restaurant in Germany than a Mexican restaurant or even a restaurant that prepares German food?!  Apparently, a lot of Italians move to Germany to open family restaurants and can get by without learning the German language, since many of their customers love the food so much, they learn how to order (and even converse) in Italian! Back to Maggie’s love for Mexican food… She really enjoys spicy food and the traditional ingredient combinations, including tomatoes, beans, rice, onions, garlic, chilis, corn, cilantro, cumin, and more. When it comes to the dip, she said that it is easy to take for lunch, the beans are super filling and fuel her soccer-related workouts and it has the perfect amount of flavor to eat with plain or spiced crackers/chips, or mild flavored vegetables like carrots or zucchini.

Austin made it hard for me to get information from him, maybe because he is a 16 yo boy of few words at this point in his life, unless of course, the conversation is related to vehicles. I kept at it and extracted the following… Although he likes all of the layers, his favorite layer is the corn with the spices and lime. He has been in the “low energy output mode” as of late, especially when it comes to preparing meals, so it doesn’t get easier than scooping out some dip and grabbing the tostadas. Add a piece of fruit (especially an Asian pear) and he calls it a meal!

My husband, Scot, said he loves having our 7-Layer Dip in the fridge because it is quick and easy, and very convenient to eat before, or even after soccer practice. His favorite layer is the guacamole, because he absolutely loves avocados. His only complaint is that sometimes, if he eats it right out of the fridge, it is too cold, (sensitive teeth), so whenever possible, he scoops out some dip and leaves it out a room temperature for ~10 minutes before diving in.

Why do I LOVE THIS RECIPE? Let me count the reasons…

They EAT it! – Although we all have different taste preferences, as you have read, everyone enjoys this dip. Therefore, I am happy to be to prepare it ahead, either on the weekend or even on a weeknight, and then have it available on the fly.

I can DELEGATE parts, if needed – If I have an especially tight schedule, I can get help preparing some of the layers. Scot happily makes the guacamole, though I am sure that he samples it quite a bit, resulting in a little less to use in the dip itself. Any of the kids will season the corn or chop scallions, olives, or cherry tomatoes.

I can use ANY container and make AS MUCH or AS LITTLE as I want/need  – Sometimes I assemble the dip in a few containers, and keep one in the garage fridge (which maximizes how long food lasts, since that fridge gets opened much less frequently than the one in our kitchen). The container you use can be of any size or shape – round, square, rectangular or oval. You can make a huge batch for a big party or a small amount, perfect for 1-2 people, though you will probably wish you had made more!

It is NOT dependent on the season – While it is fun to play around with ingredients only in season for a short time, it is also wonderful to have recipes that you can make any time of year. I also love the fact that I can use pantry staples, including the beans, olives and salsa. I keep several packages frozen organic corn on hand, and have used frozen guacamole (yes, guacamole freezes very well), when fresh, ripe avocadoes weren’t readily available. Scallions and cherry tomatoes are on my weekly shopping list, so we always have those ready to use.

It can be turned it into a “FOODIE BAR” – While you can certainly assemble the dip ahead of time, you can also enable everyone to make their own version, by setting it up as a “Foodie Bar”! Simply keep each layer in a separate container and provide everyone with their own bowl. That way, each person can make their own version, perfectly suited for their taste preferences. If someone isn’t a raving fan of avocados, they can skip the guacamole, instead of “trying to eat around it” or just pass on the “pre-assembled” dip. Everyone can eat together without feeling awkward or uncomfortable about making their individual choices.

It is crazy flexible with SO many OPTIONS!  I have hints and tips for you for every layer… see below the recipe!

Our Favorite 7-Layer Dip

The amount you use of each ingredient will be dependent upon the size of the container you’d like to use and how much you enjoy each layer. If it was up to my husband, he would double the guacamole, but my son would double the corn!  Feel free to adjust amounts to fit your needs.

Ingredients

~3 cups of a cooked bean of your choice, seasoned, smashed and thinned a bit*

~1 cup of corn, (thawed from frozen), mixed with ~2 tsp of salt-free taco seasoning and fresh lime zest and juice, also see tip*

~2 cups of guacamole*

~1 ½ cups of salsa, see important tips below*

~1 cup of cherry tomatoes, diced into quarters (or smaller if they are big)

~1 bunch of scallions, white and green parts diced small

~ 1 cup of olives, sliced or diced – options below*

For dipper ideas and even more toppings – see tips below

Procedure

1. To serve an assembled dip – Prepare each of the ingredients and layer them into a casserole-type dish, in the order listed above, ensuring that enough salsa is used to adequately cover the guacamole (see tip if your salsa tends to have a lot of liquid).
2. To set up a “Foodie Bar Style” experience – prepare each of the ingredients as you would normally, but hand out a bowl to each person and invite them to create a tasty masterpiece!
3. Serve with delicious dippers (see my suggestions below)

The Nutrition Professor’s Shop Smart, Prep Smart, Cook Smart Tips:

* For the bean layer – You can make the beans from dry, or use canned beans – and any variety… black, pinto, Peruvian, just to name a few! If you typically purchase canned “refried” beans, look carefully at the label to ensure that you are not getting any undesirable ingredients (like oil or an excessive amount of sodium). I prefer to cook pinto beans in my pressure cooker with onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, a few drops of liquid smoke and a splash of white vinegar. In a pinch, I have also mashed canned pinto or black beans and added a bit of vegetable broth or aquafaba (water from the bean can) to thin the consistency, along with some herbs and spices (chili powder, cumin, coriander and oregano) or a salt-free taco seasoning, like our homemade Austin’s Smoky Spice Blend (available on my website and in my cookbook).

* For the guacamole layer – use your favorite recipe (or store-bought version). I even have two fun guacamole recipes, Greeny Guac and Beany Guac, in my Foodie Bar Way cookbook.

* For the salsa – you can really dial the heat up or down with the salsa you choose. Make your own or find a favorite at the supermarket. If the salsa you enjoy has a lot of extra liquid, it might be best to reserve that liquid for another use (as part of a base for salad dressing), as a “watery” salsa may add to much liquid to the dip. If you are setting up the dip “Foodie Bar Style” – put out a few options – perhaps a traditional red salsa, and a salsa verde with tomatillos in the starring role.

*  For the corn layer– This is the perfect layer for a little one to help you make – since it just involves stirring the corn, seasoning and fresh lime juice. If you are feeling adventurous, cook up some red onions, jalapeños and garlic in a pan, adding a very small amount of veggie broth (if it begins to stick), then toss in the corn, salt-free taco seasoning and a generous squeeze of lime.

*  For the olives – Of course you can use black olives, but also consider green olives. You can even find the spicy ones stuffed with garlic and jalapeños!

*  Other toppings – have fun with other options including fresh jalapeno, cilantro, pepitas, sweet red/orange/yellow bell peppers (diced very small), hot sauce!

*  Don’t forget about the dippers – a few of our favorite dipper options include baked tostadas (look at the ingredient label for one without oil), bell pepper planks, jicama and purple cabbage cut into chip size pieces (may sound strange, but they are great), wide carrot sticks, zucchini planks, and cucumber rounds. I have even enjoyed this dip with raw broccoli and cauliflower florets as my dippers. When you choose veggies as dippers, you are delivering even more nutrients to your cells!

Want another great Super Bowl Sunday recipe to serve with the 7-Layer Dip? How about… BBQ Jackfruit Sliders!

I even made this recipe live on Studio40 TV… the hosts LOVED it!

Timaree Hagenburger, a plant-based registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), certified exercise physiologist with a master’s degree in public health, has over 20 years of experience as a nutrition professor. She is a sought after speaker, media personality and author, who works with private clients, and in corporate wellness, has contributed to several cookbooks and published her own cookbook, The Foodie Bar Way: One Meal, Lots of Options, Everyone’s Happy (www.foodiebars.com)! Timaree is also the founder of an incredible online membership community, The Foodie Bar Way of Life, that makes loving the food (and living a life) that loves us back… simple, satisfying, sustainable AND FUN! You can contact her about working with her through 1:1 dietitian nutrition coaching, for hands-on cooking instruction and to inquire about arranging a speaking engagement.