Baked Pita and Black Bean Dip

I love chips and dip. It's usually lays potato chips and an onion dip-- those are the most delicious to me. I'm trying to stay away from chips for obvious reasons, and I'm pretty sure your standard store bought dips are loaded with creams and cheeses and fats.

In my attempts to make a healthy alternative [[besides corn chips and salsa, which are not that bad]], I made pita chips with a black bean layered dip. It was really easy and fast. If you ever have dinner parties or just want to do something nice for someone you love, this turns out really pretty while being incredibly delicious.

[[Seasoned Pita Chips]]
I know you can just buy these, but they're always made with white flour pita. This way you can control preservatives and crispiness and make them whole wheat. Andrew and I ate it all and then we were too full for dinner, so this is probably a good appetizer for four people. :)

2 pieces of whole wheat pita bread, sliced into triangles
about 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
a few dashes of salt and pepper

-- Preheat your oven to 375 F
-- Lay your sliced pita out on a cookie sheet so you have one layer. Drizzle with oil. If you have a spray bottle, that may work better to get an even coat.
-- Sprinkle with seasoning and bake for about 10 minutes. It may need more or less time. Check them periodically to be sure they're not too hard or soft for your taste. It'll be around 10 minutes though.


[[Bean Dip]]
You can use another chili powder. Chipotles just have a great smokey flavor that really stands out in a dish. I recommend getting some. This looks really pretty in a glass dish so you can see the layers. Regular tortilla chips would work well with this, too.

1/2 can of black beans
1/2 container of tofutti sour cream
1/4 cup pico de gallo [[we just got some fresh from whole foods, but it's easy to make]]
1 tbs lime juice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
a few dashes of chipotle pepper powder
2 tbs chopped green onions

-- In a serving bowl, place on layer of cooked black beans. Then, a layer of pico de gallo.
-- In a seperate bowl, mix the lime and cayenne pepper with the sour cream. Place that mixture on top of the pico de gallo layer.
-- Top with a few days of chipotle pepper and the chopped green onions.
-- Serve with a side of pita chips.