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White Bean Hummus
Ditch the plastic carton of supermarket hummus and mix it up with a homemade tangy white bean version, sprinkled with seasonal herbs and brightened with lemon juice.
Step One: Gather your ingredients.
Two 15-ounce cans of lima beans 1 garlic clove, minced Juice of one fresh lemon ½ cup diced parsley, with additional mint or rosemary, if desired ¼ cup olive oil ½ cup diced scallions (green onions) Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Step Two: Blend Hummus
Add ingredients to a blender or food processor one at a time. Pulse the ingredients until smooth and blended. Serve in a bowl or serving dish with crackers, red pepper strips, or carrot sticks to dip.
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Fresh Corn Pesto Dip
Try this crunchy, sweet variation of pesto with fresh corn on the cob. It makes for a thicker, chunkier dip that can be easily spread on crackers.
Step One: Gather your ingredients
2 bunches fresh basil 1 clove garlic ¼ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup crumbled feta cheese 2 small ears of corn 1 lemon
Step Two: Prepare the Corn
Husk the corn and use a knife to pare the kernels off into a small bowl. Microwave the kernels for one minute to lightly steam them.
Step Three: Blend Pesto
Blend the ingredients. First add the garlic, olive oil, and salt in a food processor or blender. Add the corn kernels and blend lightly. Strip all leaves off the basil stems and blend in. Once the mixture is well blended but still slightly chunky, add in the juice of the lemon and the feta cheese. Pulse once or twice until combined.
Step Four: Serve
Serve in a bowl as a dip with rice crackers or use as a bruschetta spread, topping each slice with fresh tomatoes.
RELATED: Make A Savory Tomato Confit
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Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Need a delicious, crunchy finger food alternative to chips or nuts? These protein-rich roasted chickpeas can be made as spicy or mild as you like.
Step One: Gather your ingredients
1 15-ounce can chickpeas Olive Oil Sea Salt Garlic Powder Red Pepper Flakes
Step Two: Prepare
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain chickpeas and spread out on a paper towel, blotting until completely dry.
Step Three: Season Chickpeas
In a mixing bowl, lightly toss the chickpeas with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt to taste, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder or garlic granules, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Step four: Bake Chickpeas
Spread the seasoned chickpeas on a rimmed baking pan and bake at 400 degrees F for 23-35 minutes, or until crunchy. Make sure not to burn them. Let cool and store in a paper bag or parchment paper-lined container.
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Cauliflower with Curried Yogurt Sauce Dip
Dress cauliflower up with a tangy, brightly colored yogurt dip. Add more cayenne pepper to kick things up a notch.
Step One: Gather your ingredients
Small cauliflower 1 yellow onion Cumin, coriander and turmeric (or fresh cilantro and fresh turmeric root) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup greek yogurt Salt Cayenne pepper
Step Two: Create Dipping Sauce
Finely dice the onion and sautée in 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent. Add in 1 teaspoon of cumin, and ½ teaspoon each of ground coriander and turmeric (if you have fresh cilantro and turmeric, add ¼ cup finely diced cilantro and 2 teaspoons ground turmeric root instead). Turn off heat. Place onions and spices into a bowl and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 cup greek yogurt. Mix well. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper and salt to taste.
Step Three: Prepare Cauliflower
Cut cauliflower into small florets. Place in a steamer or in a shallow pan of boiling water for 5-10 minutes or just until tender. Serve florets warm or cool arranged on a dish around the yogurt dip.
RELATED: 6 Amazing Sophisticated Vegan Popsicle Recipes
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Stuffed Split Figs with Almonds
This sweet treat is the perfect way to end summer, and end your meal. Enjoy these ripe figs stuffed with honey-sweet cheese, a hint of lavender, and crunchy almonds.
Step One: Gather your ingredients
4 ounces of light cream cheese 4 tablespoons honey Lavender florets 12 fresh figs 12 raw almonds
Step Two: Make Cheese Blend
Using a hand mixer, blend half a box (4 ounces) of room-temperature light cream cheese with 4 tablespoons of honey and a few lavender florets.
Step Three: Prepare Figs
Snip or cut off the stems of the figs. Hold the figs with the stem side facing up and divide the fruit in two slits by slicing down from the top, though not cutting all the way through.
Step Four: Fill Figs
Gently spread the fig apart and spoon the cheese filling into each one. Top with an almond.
Lead image via Skånska Matupplevelser
