Ushering in a New Year of Promise

Wow! My list of New Year's resolutions is about a mile long. I'm astonished that it could actually be 2010... Ten years have passed since 2000? God has impressed on my heart that I need to be more intentional in my relationships this year. My catchphrase for this year is CONNECTION. My goal is to invest more in people and care less about things. Spend more time and less money. Share what I've learned about writing, speaking, and the journey of being a creative Christian on the pilgrimage toward eternity.

Speaking of New Year's goals, Catalin and I try to eat healthy, but we have committed to an even more healthy lifestyle. Since the New Year began, he's been working out more on our elliptical machine, which I bought him for our anniversary last year. We had a baby in July, so I am working on losing those last five pounds to get back to my pre-baby weight! I have always been a "Cooking Light/healthy recipe" buff. One of my favorite challenges is to take fattening recipes and turn them into healthy ones. For instance, I love dips, but those can be some of the worst party foods. Why not try this fab new recipe below? I promise that you will love it and you will NOT miss the fat and calories!
 
Healthy Nine-Layer Dip
Ingredients:
1 16-oz. can fat-free refried beans
1 package Old El Paso mild taco seasoning mix
1 cup reduced-fat or fat-free sour cream
1 package store-bought guacamole (I like Wholly Guacamole.)
1 cup medium salsa
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese (Cheddar, Mexican or mozzarella cheese work well.)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 T. sliced black olives
¼ cup chopped green onions
2 T. sliced jalapenos or hot peppers (optional)
Tortilla chips (Thick chips like Tostitos Scoops work best.)
 
Directions:
1. Place refried beans in a 9x13 glass baking dish or plastic pan. (Avoid using a metal pan.) Thin beans by adding 2 T. of milk or water and mixing well. Add Old El Paso mild taco seasoning mix and mix until blended. Spread mixture smoothly in bottom of pan.
2. Layer sour cream over top. Layer guacamole over sour cream. Then layer salsa over guacamole. Sprinkle cheese over salsa to cover. Sprinkle tomatoes liberally over cheese. Arrange black olives over cheese. Sprinkle green onions over top. Sprinkle sliced jalapenos or hot peppers over top or just use a few as a garnish, if desired.   
3. Serve with tortilla chips. (Tostitos Scoops work well. I also like Tostitos Bite Size for parties-no double dipping! J) Cover and refrigerate any remaining dip.