Lighter Layered Taco Dip

I love dips. I mean really love dips. Sweet, savory you name it, I love it. My only problem with them is how much trouble they get me in. For example, yesterday, after work, I plopped on the couch with a bag of whole grain tortilla chips and some all-natural guacamole. It was only maybe 10 minutes before I realized I had absent-mindedly gone through half of it...darn it.

I have read in the magazines and all that how you are supposed to portion that stuff out, and only sit down with what you intend to eat...but I am always too anxious to begin the "eating process" to think about that.

We have a problem...

But dips are so good! This equals a lot of extra gym time for me. But that's a sacrifice I am willing to make. 1 pound of yummy dip for 4 hours at the gym? I'll take that...I guess.

Fortunately for me, I made this dip a bit lighter. It's not the lightest thing you could be eating on earth...but it is not loaded with fat and calories like many of the origional versions of this dip...I advise you all to make this and dig in...literally.

Lighter Layered Taco Dip
Dame Good

Ingredients:

1 cup refried black beans
8 ounces neufchatel cheese, softened
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1.25 oz dry taco seasoning
1/2 cup salsa
1 small avacado, chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups lettuce, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup all-natural hot pepper cheese (pepperjack blend), shredded
1/2 cup reduced-fat cheddar, shredded
3.8 oz can black olives, drained

Directions:

Start to layer your dip in an 8x8 casserole dish. Layer the refried black beans and spread evenly on the bottom of the pan. In a separate bowl, mix the neaufchatel, sour cream and taco seasoning. Stir until combined.

Layer the neufchatel mixture evenly over top of the refried beans. Next layer the salsa, then the lettuce, the avacado, the tomato,  the green onions, the cheeses and top with the black olives.

Its best to refrigerate the dip for an hour or so before serving, so that it sets. Serve with tortilla chips. Refrigerate leftovers.