One of the reasons we love organic Baby Kale and our organic kale-based blended greens — such as Kale Italia and Power Greens — is for their versatility. Any of our kale-based blends can go from a cool salad bowl to a cozy soup or a sensational sauté, combining with different ingredients and seasonings so you never get tired of eating your greens the same ol’ way.

Take this recipe from our partner Amelia, who cooks and blogs at Eating Made Easy. It’s a brilliant take on a legendary holiday party or game-day snack, featuring our flavorful Kale Italia. Let her tell it:

Creamy Kale Italia Artichoke Dip

Prep time: 15m | Cook time: 35m | Total time: 50m | Serves 4 as an appetizer

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t love spinach artichoke dip. Trouble is, it’s not exactly “light”.

But this spinach artichoke dip — actually, Kale Italia Artichoke Dip — is not only delicious but also nutritious. Really. And it’s every bit as good (better, if you prefer less grease and more flavor) as the traditional versions of this crowd pleaser.

What makes this dip awesome?

  • The greens: Kale, mizuna and arugula add a lemony, peppery flavor and bite. Radicchio adds texture and a slight crunch. This unique mix of bold greens holds up perfectly, even after being cooked into other, richer ingredients.
  • The beans: Blending soft white beans into a smooth purée achieves the creaminess you want in this recipe, but in a much healthier way — and the beans add heart-healthy fiber.
  • The cheese: Because cheese makes everything better!

The first time my husband tasted this recipe, he asked me — in all seriousness — if we could have this as an appetizer before dinner every night. Though that’s not likely to happen, I will definitely be making this again on Super Bowl Sunday.

My 3-1/2-year-old daughter was a bit more skeptical, since she claims not to like “finich” (her word for spinach). When I told her the greens in the dip were actually kale and arugula rather than spinach, she still hesitated…then I told her the whole thing was mostly melted cheese, and she was all in. She ended up loving the dish, and she gobbled up those deep green leaves as eagerly as we did. I hope your family loves this dip, too!

Ingredients
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Earthbound Farm Organic Yellow Onion, finely chopped
Pinch salt
1 clove Earthbound Farm Organic Garlic, very finely minced
(or 1 teaspoon crushed garlic)
5 ounces Earthbound Farm Organic Kale Italia (1 package)
14 ounces artichoke hearts, roughly chopped (1 can)
1/2 cup white beans, puréed with the juice of 1 small lemon
1/4 cup organic reduced-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup organic nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until soft, adding 1-2 tablespoons water if you need more moisture.
Sprinkle the onion with a pinch of salt, then add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Stir in the Kale Italia, a few handfuls at a time, depending on the size of your skillet. (You can cover your skillet so the greens steam faster.) Stir frequently as you add more greens, until they begin to wilt.
Uncover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the artichoke hearts, white beans, cream cheese, yogurt and Parmesan cheese and mix until combined thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into a small baking dish and sprinkle the Jack cheese on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and browned a bit.
Let the dip cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve with crunchy carrots or other raw veggies, toasted baguette slices, tortilla chips or pita chips.