Healthy 7 Layer Greek Dip

A friend sent me a message last week and asked if I'd been eating anything interesting for lunch. Lunch had taken a turn for the boring and she wanted ideas, some new recipes. For me, lunch most days needs to be quick, simple, and light. I eat a lot of salads for lunch or I often just grab some hummus and veggies on the go. But my friend put lunch recipes on my radar and just in time too because the kids officially started their summer break this week and as things go around here, they want lunch every single day.

Now kids being kids, I could probably get away with a lot of peanut butter sandwiches and quesadillas. However, I don't want to eat PBJ for lunch and I really despise having to make more than one meal at a time (I think this is one of my biggest pet peeves). So, I've been experimenting with the lunch menu. First up, this 7 Layer Greek Dip, which fits the quick, simple, light checklist and has the added bonus of being a crowd pleaser.

The 7 Layers of this Greek Dip  make it more of a lunch than just my standard hummus and cucumbers on the go.  It can double as the perfect dip for casual summer entertaining or a festive addition to any warm weather picnic, but I still stand firmly behind it as a really good lunch.

The nice thing about a lunch like this, especially when the kids are home from school, is that everyone ends up gathered together around the dip platter. No one can sneak off to the trampoline with a sandwich or hideaway with a book while they munch. In the middle of the day, everyone migrates to the table at the same time, an unusual treat, and digs in. This is why I love the summer break!

The Mexican version of this 7 layer dip, with its renowned cheesy layers, has always been a favorite of mine. I'm going Greek now though for the light and healthy factor - all those veggies! And also, because I'm dedicating this simple, summer lunch to my friend who once spent a perfect summer semester of college in Greece with me.

This Healthy 7 Layer Greek Dip is the exact opposite of all the McDonald's french fries we downed that summer, but it still makes me a bit nostalgic for a patio lunch in Athens again.

Healthy 7 Layer Greek Dip

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Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Avocado Yogurt Dip

• 1 ripe avocado
• juice from one small lemon
• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

Dip Layers

• 1 cup hummus
• Avocado Yogurt Dip
• 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• ½ cup Feta cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup Kalamata olives, sliced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

1. For the Avocado Yogurt Dip, combine all of the dip ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.Adjust seasonings to taste.
2. To prepare the 7 Layer Greek Dip, layer the ingredients in the order listed in a large serving bowl or platter. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with pita chips and cut veggies.