Super Bowl Sink or Swim: Black Bean Dip

I pretty much assume I'm going to splurge on my diet each year on Super Bowl Sunday.  Apparently we Americans eat more calories on average on this day each year than any other day except Thanksgiving. I am absolutely no exception to any statistic about overeating, this included.

However, since my sister's wedding is a mere three months away (have I mentioned the other bridesmaids are supermodels?), and I don't believe I have shared with you that my 10-year class reunion is this summer, I don't have much time to recoup if I majorly overeat.

I believe the very best way to keep yourself in check when attending a holiday party is to go in with realistic expectations.  If you believe you are not going to eat a single fatty item, then when you do it will upset you, and you may give up completely.

Since I am the party host this year, I have some control over calorie content.  I am serving a lot of veggies; I made my football-shaped Oreo truffles with low-fat cream cheese (not that it helped much); and I am making this fabulous bean dip that is actually very healthy but tastes insanely wonderful.

The reason it tastes so good is because I got the recipe from my mom.  My mom is one of those annoyingly perfect people who is good at every single thing you can ever think of in the entire world.  This means that her bean dip recipe obviously is going to be uber-tasty.  She is so nice to let me share it with all of you.

Black Bean Dip

2 cans black beans
2 cans Mexican corn
4 tops and bottoms of green onions
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
cumin to taste
2 Roma tomatoes
1 avocado

First, drain and rinse your super healthy, fiber-filled black beans.

Next, drain your Mexican corn, which is also often called Fiesta Corn.  Mix the corn and beans in a large bowl.  Golly it sure looks pretty with all that color in the bowl.

Next you slice the green onions.  Don't forget to cut off those furry things on the ends.

Slice your onions thin, because green onions are one of those ingredients that no one really likes to eat by itself, but then you put it in something and it just tastes so fabulous you can hardly stand it.

Add your onions to your other ingredients.  Wow, this recipe really is just eye-pleasing.

Next, add your olive oil, or as Rachel Ray says, EVOO.  I don't like to add the full 1/3 cup, because olive oil is very healthy but full of good fat.  Still, fat is fat, and I don't think you actually need every drop of this 1/3 cup.  Just more than 1/4 cup, perhaps.

Next, you pour in your balsamic vinegar.  Balsamic vinegar is the best thing ever.  I will eat it on anything except dessert.  It is delicious, and it has very few calories.  

Finally, you are going to add your cumin "to taste." "To taste" actually means pour in half the bottle, because cumin is also sent to us straight from God.  Yummy, yummy.  Mix everything up.

What you are going to do now is place your nice big bowl in the refrigerator.  Let all the juicy goodness merge together into one flavor of delicious.  An hour before serving, dice your tomatoes and chop your avocado and stir them in, as well.  I would show you photos of this, but I have not done it yet since the Super Bowl is still tomorrow.

I know you will love this dip.  It is low in fat and calories and has a lot of nutritional content.  

The problem with dip, you say, is the fact that most humans eat it with chips, and chips are bad.  Yes, chips are bad.  However, my favorite chip maker Tostito is offering two great options: whole grain and baked.  Here they are, and I bet you can't tell the difference between them by looking.

The whole grain chips (left) are still slightly high in fat, but whole grains provide nutrition and do not turn straight into sugar like white flour.  The baked chips have lower calorie and fat values per serving.  However, I suggest you do your research and know that one serving is 12-14 chips, and then you count out your 12 chips and walk away from the food table. I repeat: Walk away from the food table.

Some other Super Bowl tips to keep your head above water?  (Get it, swim, don't sink.)  Drink a lot of water.  Eat the veggies.  Everyone serves veggies.  They fill up your belly without lots of calories.  Take one of a couple of things you cannot live without.  And then walk away from the food table!  And if you see me there, please drag me with you.