This recipe was created using products from Arla Foods.
As the holiday season gets into swing, the calendar sure has a way of filling up quickly with parties and other gatherings. When you’re trying to stick to healthy eating, it can seem overwhelming to navigate so many buffets tables, bars, and other settings where we’re primed to make merry and overindulge.
Healthy tweaks can help make recipes more realistic. When the folks at Arla reached out to me about their all-natural dairy products, I immediately started thinking about holiday-themed dips and spreads. Because it’s officially the season of All Things Pumpkin, when I tasted the company’s cream cheese, I knew right away where this was going…
Cream cheese and sour cream are common ingredients used as a base for sweet and savory dips. Delicious, yes, but they can provide a lot of calories (mostly from fat) with little protein or other nutrients. This recipe adds pumpkin and plain low-fat Greek yogurt to keep that rich texture to lighten things up while adding some extra flavor as well as a punch of vitamin A. I love this as a dip for fruit, but it also happens to make a lovely spread for toast. Add a garnish of pumpkin seeds and you’re good to go. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread
Ingredients:
- 7 ounces plain cream cheese
- 2 ounces plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
- Add ingredients to the bowl a food processor. Pulse until well mixed and smooth.
- To serve, use as a dip for sliced fruit or whole grain crackers or spread on toast. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and additional pumpkin pie spice if desired.
Makes about 16 2-tablespoon servings
Nutrition per serving: 50 calories, 3.5 grams fat, 3 grams total carbohydrate, 0.5 grams fiber, 2 grams sugar*, 1 gram protein, 100% daily value vitamin A
*includes naturally occurring and added
What’s your favorite food to enjoy at holiday parties?
Disclosure: This recipe was created using Arla cream cheese. Though I was not compensated monetarily for my time, I did receive free samples. Opinions are my own.