I’m always looking for easier and tastier ways to serve nourishing foods to my family. Getting kids on board with eating healthy can take some strategic planning, but recipes like this radish cream cheese dip help make it easier. (And it’s not a bad way for adults to enjoy more veggies too!)
Having some kind of garden (even a small one) is something I highly recommend, and I’m looking forward to the early radish varieties popping up this spring. I’ll be keeping this recipe at the ready!
Healthy Cream Cheese Dip (Starring Radishes)
Radishes may not be at the top of many grocery lists, but this unassuming veggie deserves some credit. They’re packed with vitamin C and boast a long list of health benefits, such as purifying the urinary system, maintaining a healthy blood pressure, relieving congestion, and offering respiratory support. Radishes also have antibacterial and antifungal properties and can even help oxygenate the blood.
While radishes are incredibly healthy, kids especially might find this veggie a little spicy. By blending cottage cheese, radish, and cream cheese together, the healthy fats from the dairy tone down the zippy bite of the radishes. Many savory cream cheese dips add sour cream, but I’ve opted for cottage cheese since it’s higher in protein.
Using a milder variety like a French breakfast radish can also help. You can often find them at the farmer’s market or grow your own. Sow radishes in the early spring (once danger of frost has passed). If you’ve always wanted to start a garden, here’s how to get started!
Wait, is Dairy Healthy?
While dairy isn’t a dietary necessity (certainly not glassfuls of pasteurized milk for kids), it does offer some health benefits. Raw, grass-fed, and cultured dairy products offer nourishing fats, calcium, and vitamin K2 for a healthy gut and body.
Our family had given up cottage cheese because of all the nasty additives until I discovered the Good Culture brand (check a grocery store near you). I love that it’s full of protein and cultured dairy without the stabilizers, thickeners, and added flavorings of other brands.
Radish Cream Cheese Dip Recipe
This smooth and creamy dip is bursting with fresh flavor from the herbs and a hint of heat from the radishes.
- 1 bunch radishes
- 8 oz block of cream cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 5 fresh basil leaves
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- salt (to taste)
-
Wash the radishes well and cut off the tops and bottoms.
-
Add all ingredients to a food processor and puree until smooth.
-
Serve with veggies for dipping.
-
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition Facts
Radish Cream Cheese Dip Recipe
Amount Per Serving (0.25 cup)
Calories 84
Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 22mg7%
Sodium 213mg9%
Potassium 55mg2%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 0.1g0%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 315IU6%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 35mg4%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
- Mix up the herbs! This recipe calls for basil and parsley, but it’s pretty forgiving when it comes to the herb choices. I’ll add different savory herbs depending on what’s growing in the garden at the time. Mix it up with some chives, summer savory, dill, or other herbs of choice.
- Try letting this cream cheese dip sit in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
How to Serve Radish Cream Cheese Dip
Try brightening up the creamy dip with a little bit of lemon juice. Or top it off with some chopped green onions or jalapenos for an even spicier kick! For an even cheesier flavor, stir in some grated parmesan or shredded cheddar cheese.
We like to dip veggies like bell peppers, cucumber slices, and carrots into this dip. You could also use homemade tortilla chips or even potato chips if you’d like.
Making Radish Cream Cheese Dip With Kids
I’ve found that the more creative I get with how we eat vegetables, the more my kids are apt to eat them. Getting kids in the kitchen (and safely using knives!) helps them to want to eat their yummy creations. Same with having a garden: they want to eat what they grow!
Here are a few fun ways to serve veggies for more variety:
- Slice celery into finger width pieces and make “celery smiles”
- Cut the veggies into cubes and arrange on a skewer for veggie kabobs. Softer ones, like cucumber, celery, avocado, and tomatoes are easier to get on a skewer.
- Let them arrange sliced vegetables and veggie sticks into their own piece of art. Create a picture, make a scene, and then eat it!
More Dip Recipes
Looking for some new recipe ideas? Here are a few appetizer dips to try with your next snack or meal. They’re also high in protein and made with simple ingredients!
What are some ways you get more veggies into the diet? Do you have a favorite dip you like to use?
