Tailgate Ready: Greek Yogurt Pimento Cheese + That Dip Jenny Makes

Two things made me jump up and down and do a Hyper-Helen-Dance this past week:

(1) I registered for the 2018 Boston Marathon!!! So that’s happening.

(2) I made my homemade pimento cheese for the Carolina v. Duke football game.

I suppose #2 caused me to jump up and down twice. Once for pimento cheese and twice for the ~~football game~~ tailgate.

Despite our losing rebuilding season, the weather, the family and the strong tailgate spread made a pretty stellar afternoon in Chapel Hill.

Speaking of the tailgate spread, I bring you my favorite, guilt-free Greek Yogurt Pimento Cheese recipe!

Apologies to my vegan and non-dairy eating friends… this one is NOT for you. BUT WAIT. I’ll throw in my cousin Jenny’s edamame, black bean, corn salsa dip recipe, which makes a regular appearance at our family tailgates. So you good.

Here we are, showing off our healthy dips among barbecue, hushpuppies, chicken nuggets and 10 layer birthday cake (also fabulously made by Jenny):

Guilt Free-Greek Yogurt Pimento Cheese

For those of us who love pimento cheese, especially on a fall Saturday afternoon before kickoff, this recipe is healthier than most. I substitute Greek yogurt for mayonnaise. It tastes the same, if not better. Also, this dip is HOMEMADE. No store bought jar with preservatives or ingredients that you can’t pronounce. You know exactly what’s going in your body, your belly with this one.

Use celery and carrots to dip, and I think we can put it, with moderation, in the “guilt free” basket. Plus, it takes no more than 10 minutes to make.

Without further ado, let’s talk pimento cheese!

Ingredients:

4 cups (or 2 bags) Shredded sharp cheddar cheese (sharp ched is key)
1 cup Non-fat Greek yogurt
1 large jar pimentos
1-2 diced green onions
½ jalapeño (optional; add a whole for more kick)
dash of Cayenne pepper
Sea salt & ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix cheese and yogurt in large bowl
Mix in the pimentos (juice in jar included)
Mix in the green onion and jalapeño
Season with cayenne pepper, sea salt and pepper and continue to mix (bonus arm workout)
Refrigerate overnight, if you can, or at least a couple of hours

That Dip Jenny Makes

We can’t decide if this is a dip or a salsa, and we don’t really have a name other than “That Dip Jenny Makes.” But I can tell you that the family asks every game, did Jenny make that dip? Where is it?! This one is truly guilt free, in moderation, of course. And it’s delicious. Serve with corn or whole wheat scoop chips or just eat it with a spoon!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or more to taste)
½ teaspoon agave nectar or sugar
1 small garlic glove, pressed (I’m not a fan, so I would leave this out)
2 cobs of corn (cooked, cooled and cut from cob OR get a can of roasted corn from Trader Joe’s and call it a day)
1 cup edamame, cooked and cooled
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained well
½ cup red onion, diced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, oil, garlic and agave or sugar. Whisk together and set aside.
Add the corn, edamame, black beans, onion and cilantro to a medium/large bowl.
Pour dressing over the mixture and gently toss
Refrigerate for at least one hour, up to overnight, to allow flavors to blend