Skinny Pumpkin Pie Dip

 

I’m a bad friend.

I’m what most people call an “enabler”, but I really hate that term since I heard it on Intervention relating to drug addicts, so I’d prefer to call myself a “Justifier” since I like to justify everything. Also, it sounds cool.

Justifiers are like enablers except they come up with more excuses for why someone needs/does something. Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m not a Justifier for anything in life (certainly I can’t stand behind bad lifestyle choices or life-altering decisions) but I do justify best when it comes to shopping and food.

Find a necklace you like but just “aren’t sure if it’s necessary?” It is, and you can totally wear it with that teal top you have because it makes your cleavage look amazeballs and who doesn’t love pearls??

At a party and “want to splurge on these cupcakes, but just don’t think it’s worth it“? It is, and I already ate the entire bowl of spinach and artichoke dip and am halfway done pounding through the bean dip, so you should totally have eight cupcakes because calories don’t count at parties and please, eat as much as I have so I feel better about myself.

Oh, and don’t worry. I’m a hellish Justifier to myself. I regularly think and justify the following:

OMG! A Betsey Johnson dress for $75! Who cares about the minor stain on the back, it’s SUCH A STEAL! You need this dress. Like really freaking need it or your endocrine system will explode. Seriously.

Look, I know you think you shouldn’t be eating a slice of pie right after indulging on a huge bowl of chips and salsa but like, you totally worked out kinda sorta hard like, three weeks ago. I’m sure your metabolism is still kickin’ from that two minutes of cardio from trying to squeeze out of those second-skin skinny jeans. You deserve it, buddy. Eat up.

So yeah. I have problems (whatelseisnew?!) but I also have solutions.

Solutions to my never-ending LOVE for dip. Solutions to my farfetched justification for eating tons and tons of food after (just barely) sausaging myself into some skinny jeans. Solutions that taste great, are seriously stupidly simple to make, and are ringing in fall weather even though in California, we’re still rocking daisy dukes and bikini tops. Well, Katy Perry is, I’m not. But you know.

Solutions that sound like Skinny Pumpkin Pie Dip. Solutions you need to face-plant into. Uh, forreal though.

So, are you face-dunking yet??

Skinny Pumpkin Pie Dip *adapted from Allrecipes.com 

1 tub (16 oz) Cool Whip Free, thawed
1 small box sugar free/fat free instant cheesecake pudding
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not the pumpkin pie mix)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Sprinkling of cinnamon sugar

1. In a large bowl, gently fold together the Cool Whip, pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.
2. Garnish dip with cinnamon sugar. Serve with graham cracker squares, nilla wafers, fruit, Pie Fries, or my (surprisingly) personal fave, peanut butter cookies (like Nutter Butters). Store the dip in the fridge, covered tightly, for up to 2 days.

I love that this dip is on the healthier side, which helps in justifying eating all of it. It’s smooth in texture, light and fluffy, and tastes just like a whipped pumpkin pie. I love the added cinnamon sugar on top for that additional hint of spice (one of the reasons I love pumpkin pie so much!). And the cheesecake pudding was what I had on hand; it made this pie not too sweet which I liked, but feel free to use vanilla if you have it. Butterscotch or white chocolate pudding might be interesting, too!

And because I’m a good friend, we can face-dunk together.

Happy Wednesday!

xo, Hayley