Healthier Slow Cooker Spinach Dip

A few healthier modifications plus the convenience of the slow cooker makes this recipe a winner.

Ingredients:

• 14-28oz artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup low-fat/fat-free Greek yogurt
• 2 (8 oz) blocks low fat/fat free cream cheese
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Directions:

Coat the slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients. Stir to combine, cover and cook until heated through. 1-1/2 to 2 hours on high, 3 to 4 hours on low. Recipe may be doubled.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Adapted from this site.

Ingredients:

Crust (I used gingersnap [2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies+ 6 tbsp butter pressed into 9.5inch springfoam pan, baked at 325 for 12 mins])

3 8oz pakages of cream cheese (I used 2 low fat and 1 regular)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
a good pinch of cloves
1/3 tsp nutmeg

Garnish (I used whipped cream (plus icing sugar and cinnamon), caramel sauce and crushed, roasted pecans)

Directions:

Cream together cream cheese and sugar
Add vanilla and eggs, mix
Fold in sour cream
Reserve 1 cup of mixture and pour rest onto prebaked crust
Add pumpkin and spices to reserved cream cheese mixture- gently mix in
Pour on top of cream cheese layer
Bake in a water bath at 350 for 40-60 minutes (keep checking after 40 minutes to avoid cracking- it's done when it jiggles in the middle like jello)
Turn oven off and prop door open for a few minutes
Let cool
Refridgerate till next day
Add garnishes and Enjoy!