Category: Vegan Dips

by betsy

Vegan Pumpkin, White Bean and Kale Dip–Crazy Easy, Nutritious and Delicious!

Pumpkin, White Bean, and Kale DipYield: approximately 3 1/2 cups

This recipe is throw-together easy, highly nutritional, and delicious to boot.  It was inspired yesterday by what was in our pantry and fridge when an impromptu post-yoga, haven’t-yet-been-to-the-market, quick lunch was in order.

1-15.5 ounce can white beans like cannelini, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup canned pureed pumpkin

2 cups loosely packed chopped raw kale

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup roasted and lightly salted cashew pieces

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon rubbed sage (or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves)

1/2 teaspooon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish: fresh sage leaves or rosemary sprigs

Accompaniments: toasts, bagel chips, pita chips, or crackers (I like melba toast as depicted)

 

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until well-combined, but not pureed.  It should be creamy but with some nice texture and flecks of color.  Serve slightly warmed atop your favorite crunchy accompaniment.

 

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by betsy

Vegan Smoked Almond and Spinach Spread (or Pesto)–Great Made with Farm Stand Swiss Chard and Kale Too!

Vegan Spinach and Smoked Almond Spread

Yesterday, at the farm stand, gazing lovingly at the fresh greens grown right on the property, I suddenly remembered that I had never posted this recipe. I made it with spinach, but it would be just as good with Swiss Chard or kale.

Fondly dubbed by one guest as “the green thing” at my friend, Jo Grice Barrows’, potluck appetizer birthday party, this dip was a hit!  And it was by NO means a vegan crowd!

I came home from school on a Friday after a busy week near the end of the academic year, the day of the party, and it started pouring.  I thought to myself, “I REALLY don’t want to get out; I wonder if we have ANYTHING on hand from which I could make an appetizer?”

A scan of the pantry and fridge yielded smoked almonds and fresh baby spinach.  Voila!  Vegan Smoked Almond and Spinach Spread was born.  And its consistency makes it also perfect for a pesto.

This crowd-pleasing appetizer could not go together more more easily or more quickly.  I whipped it up and still had time to walk both dogs their typical mile each once the rain stopped.  When I told my husband I created the spread from what we had in the house, he said with mock incredulity, “You made it out of dog food and Pill Pockets?”  Funny guy.

You will love this spread even if you have LOTS more ingredients on hand.

2 cups smoked almonds

4 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise

2 tablespoons water

2 large cloves garlic, halved

2 teaspoons fresh fresh lime  juice (lemon is tasty too)

1 teaspoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon natural sugar

Optional pinch sea salt

Accompaniments: crackers, toasts, bagel chips, fresh vegetable “dippers,” etc.

Place smoked almonds  in a food processor, and pulse until nuts are finely chopped.  Add spinach, and pulse a few more times until spinach is finely chopped and mixture just begins to hold together like a paste.  Add remaining ingredients and continue pulsing until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture reaches a thick, slightly textured, spreadable consistency.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Refrigerate, covered, until serving time.  Serve in a bowl surrounded by the accompaniments of your choice.  I tucked a little yellow parasol on the side since the weather was warm, but you can garnish however you please.

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by betsy

My Vegan Caramelized Double Onion, Fresh Kale, and White Bean Dip Published on Tofutti Website! (doubles as an enchilada filling)

DSCN1429What is twice as good as Vegan Onion Dip?  Why, Vegan Caramelized DOUBLE Onion Dip of course!

It’s the perfect dip:  deep, rich flavor from the caramelized onion, lots of vitamins and vibrant color from the fresh kale, and plenty of protein and fiber from the white beans.

And holding it all together is the delicious flavor and creamy-firm body of my go-to vegan sour cream: Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream…and it really is.  Better that is.

The good folks at Tofutti liked my dip so much that they have kindly posted it on their website.  Just click HERE for the recipe.  And while you’re there, check out the many other mouthwatering posts.

By the way, if you think this recipe is good as a dip…you should try it as an enchilada filling!

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by betsy

The Blooming Platter Cookbook’s Vegan Fresh Pea and Tarragon Hummus is a Featured “Celebrity Recipe” on the Jazzy Vegetarian

Last week, as you may have read in an earlier post, I had the distinct honor of being a featured guest on Laura Theodore’s Jazzy Vegetarian radio show.  Too fun!

During our email correspondence following the lively interview–Laura has energy to burn!–she asked if she could post the recipe I shared on air on her blog.  I didn’t even have to think about that…the answer was, of course, “Are you kidding?  Absolutely!”  You can find my easy and beautiful spring recipe for Fresh Pea and Tarragon Hummus from The Blooming Platter Cookbook right HERE.

Check out the Jazzy Vegetarian blog, radio and TV shows, recipes and more.  Plus “JV” is also on FB…I hope everyone will “lick” it or “like” it…your choice!

Thanks again, Laura!

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by betsy

One Green Planet’s April Fool’s Day Tribute Includes Vegan “Knock-off-amole” aka Fresh Pea Guacamole from The Blooming Platter Cookbook

This recipe seemed like the perfect “fooled you” dish.  And One Green Planet must have thought so too, as they published it today as one of their April Fool’s Day features!

My “Knock-off-amole” is so named because it is a delicious and nutritious guacamole “knock off” made with fresh green peas instead of avocado.  And like every good art teacher knows, green and red are complementary colors, making each other “pop,” so the chopped tomato and diced red onion look glisteningly gorgeous in this Mexican-Southwestern dip.

There is nothing non-vegan or unhealthy about traditional guacamole; to the contrary avocado is high in “good” fat.  So it wasn’t for those reasons that I sought a convincing substitute. 

No, sadly, it was because I developed a food sensitivity or allergy to avocados in my twenties.  It was a tragic day, as I was born in Texas, and loved my mother’s guac.  However, even the tiniest bit left inside a veggie sushi slice even afer the avocado has been picked out does a number on me.

So, craving my Mama’s guacamole and perusing the farmer’s market last spring, it suddently occured to me that their beautiful fresh green peas might make a fine substitute.  Indeed!  Though no one will necessarily think they are eating avocado, they won’t care because it tastes so good and is deliciously respectful of its namesake.

Therefore, whether you are an avocado lover or not, I know you’ll enjoy this fresh take on an old favorite.  Click HERE for the luscious recipe at One Green Planet.

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by betsy

Blooming Platter Cookbook Indian Saag Dip Featured in One Green Planet’s Inaugural “Green of the Month” Series

This month, One Green Planet (OGP), launched its new “Green of the Month” series.  First up: Spinach!

As a blogger for OGP, I received an announcement of the series, and the Indian Saag Dip from my Blooming Platter Cookbook jumped immediately to mind.  So I submitted it for review yesterday and, much to my delight, Team OGP published it today!

This fresh, beautiful, and spicy dip was a hit at my all girls “Christmas, Chanukkah, Curry & Cakes” party in December, and I think it will be a hit with you whenever fresh spinach is in season.   And since it’s green and since St. Patty’s Day is next Saturday…maybe a little cross-cultural Indian and Irish celebration is in order!

Just follow THIS LINK for the scrumptious recipe.

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by betsy

Go Dairy Free Publishes Blooming Platter Vegan Orange-Scented Olive, Parsley, and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade

I originally created this deliciously different, colorful, nutritious, and flavorful tapenade especially to dollop atop my Moroccan Soup with White Beans and Kale, recently published on Go Dairy Free (GDF).  But, the two go together so beautifully that GDF founder and creator, Alisa Fleming, published the tapenade today..

It has a multitude of applications beyond a soup topper: serve it on crostini, as in the photo; toss it with whole grain pasta; or dollop some on a baked sweet potato…just use your imagination!

So, before winter oranges are all gone, whip up a batch  to nibble on this week, as it won’t spoil quickly.  You will be glad to have plenty of this colorful, tangy, and simultaneously rich, yet bright, spread on hand.

Check out THIS LINK for the recipe and the back story to find out why in the world I would serve something so sophisticated it in a stainless steel dog bowl!

Thanks, as always, to Alisa Fleming, creator and founder of Go Dairy Free!

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by betsy

Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe #5: Vegan Queso Con Carne Dip

This hearty Vegan Queso Con Carne Dip is an oldie but goodie, and the essence of traditional Superbowl snacking.

Though this recipe lacks the seasonal influence of most of my other recipes, like those in The Blooming Platter Cookbook, frozen corn, soy crumbles, soy milk, and nutritional yeast makes it nutritious, and onions, green chilies, Ro-tel tomatoes, and a host of Mexican spices insures that it is fragrant and addicting.

Even though our dog Huff is co-starring in a “Crash the Superbowl” Doritos commercial. I like this “Queso” served with Frito “Scoops” to do just what the name says.  And I don’t feel too badly, as Frito-Lay makes both products.

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by betsy

Crash the SuperBowl Snack Recipe #3: Vegan Fat-Free Spinach-Three Bean Dip Included in FatFree Vegan Kitchen’s Superbowl Starting Line-Up

A big and fat-free thank you to Susan Voisin, the queen of delicious fat-free vegan food, for including The Blooming Platter and one of my recipes in her tasty fat-free Superbowl starting line-up at the Fat-Free Vegan Kitchen.

Just follow this link for her list of great ideas and links for guilt-free snacking, including my Vegan Fat-Free Spinach-Three Bean Dip.

I can think of no better endorsement for this scrumptious dip than that my National Art Honor Society teenagers ask for it by name and devour it at our meetings!

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