Bacon and Cheese Dip
 

I wanted a dip that was healthy and this recipe quickly evolved.  If you don't want to include bacon then just omit it.  The cheese and onion flavour by itself is just divine.

The links below are not my recipes but you may find them interesting anyway.

To convert any of these ingredients into US measurements please use this Quantity Conversion Chart.

Ingredients:

100 gm bacon bits (the diced variety on the deli is very low fat)
100 gm extra lite 5% fat cream cheese (Kraft make this)
100 gm grated low fat cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 and 1/4 cups 97% fat free natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Optional 2 tablespoons finely diced capsicum

Method:

Cook bacon bits in non stick pan till cooked and golden (no oil needed here)

Transfer to bowl and whilst warm add the cream cheese so that the heat of the bacon can soften it.  Mix together.

Add remainder of ingredients and mix well.

Serve with cracker biscuits, celery sticks, carrot sticks etc.

Makes approximately 2 cups of dip

Notes:

Red capsicum gives a nice bit of colour but you could swap it for finely sliced spring onions. Or, simply omit it.

Dried onion flakes are available from Asian stores and are very handy to have in the pantry.  If you don't have any then substitute a small amount of grated fresh onion.

Food Facts:

Cheese is extremely popular due to its variety of tastes and textures. Some cheeses like feta and mozzarella are mostly used in salads or on pizzas.  Other cheeses, both hard and soft are perfect for cheese boards where their flavours can be truly appreciated. Cheeses contain valuable amounts of protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals but some cheeses, particularly hard ones, are high in saturated fat. Cheeses fall into two categories - hard and unripened.  Hard cheeses are generally matured for many months and their flavours develop over this time.  Examples of hard cheeses are cheddar, parmesan, goat's cheese, haloumi, feta and mozzarella.   Unripened cheeses are young and immature and they have a light, mild taste.  Examples are ricotta, cottage, fromage frais, quark and cream cheese.   Enjoy cheese but be aware of the fat content and the amount you consume.