Snack smart at your next party with this bean dip. It's low in saturated fat and perfect for dipping fresh vegetables or for spreading over pita bread. It can also be used as a vegetarian sandwich spread or as the filling for a healthy quesadilla.

Yield: About 2 cups, 16 servings

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 small onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup canned white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach, reduce the heat to medium, and cook about 4 minutes more, until the spinach is wilted and the onions have softened. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
2. To the bowl of a food processor, add the white kidney beans and the garbanzo beans. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the cooked onions and spinach. Pulse until a puree begins to form, about 5 to 6 pulses.
3. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until smooth, about 5 to 6 more pulses. Serve immediately, at room temperature.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.