Deliciously Healthy Roasted Onion Dip

If you normally rely on a package of French onion soup to make onion dip and haven't tried making your own onion dip from scratch, you don't know what you're missing.  Once you taste this zesty, healthier homemade version, you'll never go back to the powdered soup mix version again.  This roasted onion dip uses reduced fat cream cheese and non-fat plain Greek yogurt but boasts the same rich, creamy mouthfeel you get from fat-laden sour cream and full-fat cream cheese.  If you are on a sodium-restricted diet, feel free to use less salt or your favorite salt substitute.  If you're entertaining this holiday season, or need to bring an appetizer or snack to a party, make this Roasted Onion Dip and serve with raw veggies, crackers, pita chips or other dippers, and get ready to be bombarded with recipe requests!

Ingredients
3 large Vidalia® onions or other sweet onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic
2 to 3 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp Kosher salt
3/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 Tbs fresh thyme, chopped)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbs chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Toss the onions and garlic with olive oil, salt & pepper to evenly coat.  Spread on a baking sheet and roast in oven until caramelized and golden brown, stirring occasionally for even browning (roasting should take around 30 to 45 minutes).  Remove from oven and allow garlic & onions to cool, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Place onion & garlic in food processor or blender and process until pureed.  Add cream cheese, yogurt, thyme & oregano, and puree until thoroughly combined.  Stir in chives, transfer dip to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to develop (you can serve immediately, but the dip tastes best if chilled for an hour or two).

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  If you feel like indulging or if you love bacon, stir in some real bacon bits before serving for savory bacon flavor and crunch.