Get festive at your next pizza party with this delicious baked mozzarella and marinara dip recipe!

The fundamental flavor combination in most pizzas is tried and true and completely and utterly perfect. The best part is, you don’t have to enjoy that ooey-gooey mozzarella, piping hot marinara, and warm crispy bread crust in pie form only. The triage can be noshed on in a healthier way or in an alternate way, like the following baked mozzarella and marinara dip. This recipe is a unique, crowd-friendly way to enjoy an all-time favorite food.

What I personally love about this recipe is that it let’s me decide whether or not I want to have the crust component or not. Sometimes, when I’m feeling bloated or on the heavier side, I try to minimize carbs in my diet. This dip recipe is based in marinara sauce, spinach, basil, and mozzarella cheese, with the optional dipping vessel of toasted baguette slices. If I’m holding back on carbs, I’ll simply dig into the dig with spoon and eat it straight out of the skillet, or I’ll use it as a sauce over roasted veggies. However you dive into it, this marinara dip is worthy of a recurring appearance at your dinner table. It is also a huge crowd pleaser, because everyone can have a taste without committing to an entire slice of pizza. Plus, it helps to add a homemade feel to any get-together – you can do so much better than simply ordering in pizza from your local dealer!

Once you nail the basics of this dip recipe, try customizing it to you and your friends and family’s taste preferences. Add in roasted veggies, a variation of cheeses, or even croutons prior to broiling.

Baked Mozzarella and Marinara Dip Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 3 cups of your favorite marinara sauce (no added sugar)
• 2 cups loose fresh spinach leaves
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves
• 1 8-ounce fresh mozzarella ball, sliced
• 1 baguette, sliced
• Olive oil
• Garlic salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Set the oven to broil.

Take the baguette slices and brush each side with olive oil. Season lightly with garlic salt and pepper. Place them onto a baking sheet and pop them into the broiler for a minute on each side, or until each side is lightly toasted, not burned. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the marinara sauce and spinach. Stir. Cook until the spinach is wilted. Add in the basil leaves. Stir.

Remove the skillet from the stove and take the mozzarella cheese slices and layer the across the top of the marinara sauce. Place the skillet into the oven, which is still set to broil, and let sit for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is lightly browned. Stay near the oven during this process in order to avoid burning the cheese.

Serve with the toasted baguette slices. Enjoy!

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Rich Marinara Sauce Image from Shutterstock

The post Baked Mozzarella and Marinara Dip Recipe: Pizza Gets a Gourmet Makeover appeared first on EcoSalon.

Beets are one of my favorite root vegetables to work with. They also taste quite unlike anything else, a mixture of sugary and earthy, making them ideal for both sweet and savory dishes. 

Beets are blood cleansers, packed with vitamins and minerals and actually considered a natural aphrodisiac [PDF]. Flavor and health benefits aside, beets give the most incredible color to any dish they are in. This beets recipe for a savory dip is infused with the deep flavor of roasted garlic and softened with the cooling, creamy backdrop of thick coconut milk. 

You can pair this beets recipe with roasted pita bread (whole-wheat or whole-grain, preferably), crackers or vegetable crudités. You could also use it as a condiment in sandwiches or just do as I do and eat by the spoonful as a snack to curb hunger. Enjoy!

DIY Dip: Roasted Garlic and Beets Recipe

Serves about 6

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch (about 5 individual) beets
• 1 head garlic
• 1 cup thick coconut milk (or unsweetened coconut milk yogurt)
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Scrub beets until clean (they can sometimes be quite dirty). Cut off the stems so only stubs remain (don’t throw beet greens away, they’re delicious too!). Cut 1 centimeter off the top of a head of garlic. Place beets and garlic on a cooking tray lined with parchment paper. Pop into the oven for about 1 hour. The garlic will cook more quickly, so you can remove that after about 30 minutes – keep an eye on the garlic head so that it doesn’t burn.

Remove beets from the oven and let cool so that you can comfortably touch them with your hands. Remove the skins from all beets. Then squeeze one end of the head of the garlic so that the individual cloves slip out from the cut end. Place both the beets and garlic into a food processor. Blend until smooth.

In a bowl, add the coconut milk and fold into the beet mixture, salt, pepper, and dill, reserving a teaspoon of the dill for presentation later. Fold the mixture together until evenly combined. Serve with the remaining dill as a garnish.

Related on EcoSalon:

A Spring Delight: Cumin Spiced Beet Salad Recipe

Recipe: Vegan White Cheese Party Dip

Recipe: French Lentil Dip

Photo Credit: Dag Endresen

The post DIY Dip: Vegan Roasted Garlic and Beets Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.