LAYERED BEAN DIP

One day, Boyfriend asked if I knew how to make 7-layer bean dip -- someone at work had made it and he wanted to have it for a Sunday football-watching meal! I -- knowing about 4 recipes off-hand, 1. pancakes, 2. omelets, 3. toast, 4. cereal -- looked it up and was pleasantly surprised to see that it is extremely easy! 

INGREDIENTS
2 TSP OLIVE OIL
1 MEDIUM ONION, DICED
2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED (I used garlic in a jar)
1 CAN OF REFRIED BEANS
2 TBSP LIME JUICE
1/4 TSP GROUND CUMIN
1/2 TSP SALT
1 CAN OF WHOLE KERNEL CORN
FRESH GROUND PEPPER
1/2 CUP FRESH CILANTRO LEAVES, CHOPPED (I used cilantro leaves from my spice cabinet)
JALEPENO SLICES
1 CAN OF GREEN CHILES
2 RIPE AVOCADOS
4 MEDIUM TOMATOES
1 CUP NON-FAT PLAIN GREEK YOGURT
1/4 CUP SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE (I used a Mexican blend)

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large pot/pan heat the refried beans with the corn and green chiles on medium-high heat. Put half of the onion mixture in with the beans. Add 1 tbsp of lime juice, 1/4 tsp cumin, and a dash of salt, stir thoroughly. 

Put bean mixture in the bottom of a large serving dish -- a deep glass bowl is great, so you can actually see the layers. Then put the rest of the onions on top of the beans. 

Next cut the avocados in half long ways and pull apart. With a spoon, scoop out the seed in the middle and then scoop the fruit out of the skin. Chop up the avocado -- you can mash it some if you'd like more a of a guacamole layer, I prefer avocado chunks -- and then add it as the next layer in the dish.

Next, chop the tomatoes. As you can see in the third photo above, I prefer to cut my tomatoes open like a pumpkin and then scoop the seeds out with a spoon. It makes for less watery dip. Layer the tomatoes on top of the avocado. Here you can chop up some jalepeno slices or leave them in slice/ring form on top of the tomatoes. 

Second-to-last layer is non-fat plain greek yogurt, cover the tomato/jalepeno layer with a layer of yogurt. Then cover all of the yogurt with the shredded cheese.

We like to make burritos using these high-fiber wraps! Add some lettuce for an extra crunch and/or use chips for dipping!

Boyfriend made little bite-sized taco salads with sriracha!