Set-outs plus Healthy Spinach and Kale Dip

I'm pretty open about my love for Trader Joe's.  Coffee, tea, wine, flowers, CHEESE, Dr. Bronner's soap*, sesame sticks, wasabi peas, and now, Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip.  Oh praise thee, Trader Joe's Reduced-Guilt Spinach and Kale Greek Yogurt Dip.  So good.  Could do with a shorter title, but still.

Buy this.

Here's where I'm going to sound even lamer (is that a word?) than I am in real life:  I didn't want to go across town to get this treat today because the last time I was at Trader Joe's it was sold out.  Now, 'across town' in Ann Arbor takes approximately 18 minutes, one end to the other.  It's nothing.  We could go three blocks in Chicago in that time on a good day. But there's a bridge that's out.  And our TJ's parking lot is a disaster because it's a one-way loop, and there's always someone who, I feel mostly every time I'm there, chooses to not follow the clearly marked asphalt directionals and chaos ensues.  And the carts in the parking lot...my God, the carts in the parking lot.  

So I decided to get all LHOTP (that's Little House on the Prairie) and attempt to replicate this lovely creature on my own.  Here's where I ended up:

Faux Trader Joe's Reduced-Guilt Spinach and Kale Greek Yogurt Dip (FTJRDSKGYD).  Catchy.  

6 Cups washed and chopped kale (remove the stems and ribs)

2 Cups chopped baby spinach

2 stalks celery, diced small

2 small carrots or 1 large, diced small

1 Cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

1/2 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 envelope Lipton vegetable soup and dip mix

 This is going to look like a ton of greens...

But she cooks down mightily. 

1. Wash, chop and saute the kale and spinach (there's probably enough excess water after washing so you don't need to add additional water or fat.)

2. Saute greens until cooked down, 4-5 minutes.  Drain excess liquid, if any.

3. In a large bowl, add greens and remaining ingredients.  Stir to combine.  Can serve immediately if needed, but it tastes so much better if left to sit for a while, refrigerated, before you serve.

Dinner.  No lie.  Somewhat sad; also no lie.

4. Serve with pita, bagel, baked tortilla or pretzel chips.  Plus veggies because you always have to have veggies.  

My husband kills me because he was raised in a very proper home and yet he chooses to call appetizers either "set-outs" or "put-outs".  Depending on the crowd, perhaps?  Anyway, the first time we entertained at our ramshackle house in Chicago he had me doubled over in laughter by saying, "Uh, Leah, everyone's going to be here in 20.  Do we have any put-outs?"  The charm has not worn off; and the set-outs just get better.

* Trader Joe's is by by far the least expensive place to buy Dr. Bronner's.  I tried the peppermint soap as a body wash thanks to my friend Heather who got her best New York accent on and said, "It's like an AL-toyd for your BAH-dy." It really is.  It's also good for cleaning up organically after any type of dog 'happening'.