Ingredients:

250 g cream cheese, cubed

125 ml mayonnaise

60 ml water

170 ml oil-packed artichokes, drained and chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped

30 g spinach, finely chopped

200 g mozzarella cheese, grated

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Preparation:

In your quickpot, combine all the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on Low for 2 hours. When ready to serve, stir and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Serve with potato chips, croutons or crudités.

This is the perfect appetizer to serve at a Holiday party! Be sure to make some extra, because this goes pretty fast! If you make this recipe and want to share with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Making it is easy—waiting for all the deliciousness to be ready is the hardest part of this recipe! We’ve topped ours with olives, but feel free to customize this recipe using anything from pine nuts to pesto, all the way to mint leaves or dill.

Ready to make labneh? Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

32 oz whole greek yogurt

½ teaspoon salt

Mixed olives (pitted and/or stuffed, to your liking)

Tools:

Cheesecloth or a linen towel

Preparation:

Line a sieve with three layers of cheesecloth, or a linen towel, over a larger bowl in order to let drip/catch the excess liquid. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt and the salt. Pour this into the lined sieve and carefully tie the ends of the cheesecloth or linen towel together in order to create a small package of sorts.

Place the bowl and yogurt-filled sieve in the fridge for 24 to 36 hours.

Discard the liquid and untie the package. The yogurt will be thick and slightly dry with a smooth, creamy interior. Gently roll it out of the cheesecloth or linen towel and store it in a hermetically sealed container. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Top with beautiful olives, or your other topping of choice, either as a garnish on top or mixed in. Add a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy!
What will you put your labneh on? We can’t wait to find out! If you make this recipe and want to share it with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

As the weather changes, so does our diet, eating, and cooking habits. Recipes that don’t require a stove or oven, that are light, refreshing, and help us stay cool (but still fill us up) become our go-to! Plus, the summer season brings family gatherings, barbecues with friends, holidays, vacations, and weekends hanging out by the pool. Luckily, we’ve got just the thing for you to snack on, serve to your guests, or bring to a party–and it’s healthy!

In collaboration with Sarah, of Sarah’s Dolce Vita, we’ve developed two recipes that are perfect for dipping an array of crunchy snacks or to spread on toast for something different (why not?). An easy way to feed a crowd, the possibilities are endless with Sarah’s delicious cannellini-based Pesto Hummus and yogurt-based Cucumber Carrot Tzatziki! Pair the dips with sliced baguette, tortilla chips, nutritious veggies, multi-grain crackers, or fresh pita bread… The choice is yours!

Don’t think that these dips are only for big groups, special occasions, or to make when you have down time! These recipes are so quick and easy to do that you can start making them part of your weekly routine; make a batch to munch on while watching TV or typing away at work. Think of them as an everyday essential for summer!

If you crave creamy things and can’t get enough veggies, the yogurt dip just might be for you, or if you are looking for a low-fat, high-protein option, you can live off of this hummus recipe–it literally goes with everything. What’s more is that these dips are considered part of the Mediterranean diet, which promotes the healthy way people eat in the regions around the Mediterranean: lots of veggies, lots of sharing, and no compromising on taste.

Let Sarah show you how easy these recipes are to make and turn fresh summer ingredients into dips that are a hassle-free crowd pleaser!

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Pesto Hummus (with cannellini beans)

Servings 1 bowl

Author The Nutritious Princess

Ingredients

• 2 cups cannellini beans
• 1 cup basil
• 1 cup arugula
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Strain and rinse cannellini beans.
• Place all ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.
• Serve with your favourite veggies, tortilla chips and crackers in the Dublin Serving Bowls.

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Cucumber Carrot Tzatziki

Servings 1 bowl

Author The Nutritious Princess

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup grated cucumber
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup Greek yogurt full-fat for a thick texture

Instructions

• Grate carrot and cucumber.
• Squeeze out excess liquid of grated cucumbers and carrots.
• Mix grated veggies with yogurt and salt to taste.
• Serve with your favourite veggies, tortilla chips and crackers . Enjoy!

Helping you be that person who brings the healthy option to the party,

Meet the blogger!

Sarah is an Italian-Canadian who is passionate about food! In fact, she’s pretty sure either tomato sauce or melted dark chocolate runs through her veins. She loves to spend hours experimenting in the kitchen, watching Food Network or let’s face it, hitting the mall. She strives to have a career she loves, one she’ll never want a break from. This is where her love for teaching and passion for cooking merge into one – hello Food Network cooking show?  She has a major sweet tooth and will walk miles for dessert.