2 heart-healthy spins on classic dips

By changing the ingredients only a little bit, you can cut fat and calories for something a little easier on the heart. And, as these two dips prove, they can still pack in a lot of flavour.

You can cut the fat even further in this delicious peanut sauce by using reduced-fat peanut butter. The calories and other nutrient figures below will remain the same.

Prep time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 0 minutes. Makes about 250 ml (1 c).

• 125 ml (1/2 c) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, heated
• 5 g (1 tsp) sugar
• 125 g (1/2 c) creamy peanut butter
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) rice vinegar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) toasted sesame oil
• 2 to 5 ml (1/2 to 1 tsp) hot pepper sauce, such as Sriracha (optional)

1. Mix the broth and sugar in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves.
2. Whisk in the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and hot pepper sauce.

We revamped the classic Mexican dip with tomatillos — a member of the nightshade family that resembles a small green tomato, and has a delicious apple-like tartness.

Prep time: 10 minutes. Serves 6.

• 1 large ripe Hass avocado, pitted and peeled
• 2 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 30 g (2 tbsp) finely chopped onion
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 22.5 g (1 1/2 tbsp) chopped fresh cilantro
• 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) fresh lime juice
• 2 g (1/2 tsp) salt
• Pinch of ground black pepper

1. Using a fork, mash the avocado in a medium bowl.
2. Puree the tomatillos in a food processor or chop very finely by hand.
3. Add to the avocado along with the onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined. Serve at room temperature.

Dips, while flavourful, are notoriously high in sodium, fat and calories. But with just a few small changes, you can still enjoy delicious dips, and not have to worry about your blood pressure.