Vacation Recipes: Hi-Protein Bean, Nut and Seed Spreads and Dips
Beans, nuts, and seeds, when combined with whole grain crackers provide the perfect complement of amino acids for complete protein nutrition. They offer a powerhouse of sustained energy especially for summer days when we tend to stretch out our active hours and when three meals may not be enough to sustain energy. These recipes are simplelink and can be fun and easy for the whole family to prepare. They may also be good ways to incorporate more fresh vegetables in your menus. I hope something here piques your interest and provides some new eating interests for your family.
French Lentil Dijon Spread
2 T. walnuts
1 cup cooked French (tiny black) lentils
2 mushrooms, sliced
1 scallion, sliced
1 clove garlic
1 T. whole grain mustard
1 T. tamari
t. pepper
Water
Finely grind walnuts in a blender or coffee grinder or chop well with a knife. Place nuts, lentils, mushrooms, scallion, garlic, mustard, tamari and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add a little water if desired to get the consistency you desire. Spread will keep in refrigerator for several days.
Source: Cynthia Lair
Lentil Curry (Dahl)
1 cup lentil, soaked
4 cups water
1 T. curry powder and a pinch of salt
Cook lentils until soft. Add salt and seasons. Cover and cook 5-10 minutes.
Serve with pita crisps, rice crackers, flax crisps, or your favorite crackers or veggies.
Source: Paul Pitchford
White Bean Spread
1 cup navy or cannelloni beans
1 whole head garlic
5 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
10 sage leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
2 bay leaves (or basil leaves)
1 T. chopped thyme
3 T. olive oil
Soak beans overnight. Pour off liquid and rinse beans. Cover soaked beans with filtered water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and add 5 garlic cloves, sage leaves, bay leaves, and 2 T. olive oil. Simmer, covered until the beans are tender. Remove the bay leaves.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Rub the head of garlic with remaining oil. Put in a small baking dish and add 1/3 cup water. Cover and bake until soft and slightly caramelized. Cool and squeeze out the softened garlic. Puree beans in a blender, processor, or mash by hand with all the garlic, remaining oil, 1 t. salt and enough bean broth to give beans a spreading consistency. Season with lemon juice and pepper. Stir in the thyme. Serve warm.
Source: Pina LoGuidice.
Easy Rosemary-Lemon White Bean Dip
2 cups cooked cannelloni or other white beans
1-3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
cup plus 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. minced fresh rosemary
Grated zest of 2 lemons
Put the beans in a food processor with 1 garlic clove and pinch of salt. Turn on machine and add the cup olive oil in a stead stream through the feed tube; process until mixture is smooth. Taste and add more garlic if desired.
Place mixture in a bowl and use a wooden spoon to beat in the rosemary, lemon zest, and remaining 1 T. olive oil. Adjust salt and pepper seasoning. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Source: Mark Bittman
Black Bean Hummus
2 cups cooked black beans
cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. ground cumin
t. salt
3 T. olive oil
3 T. warm water
Juice of one lime
Juice of one lemon
Soak and cook cup of dried beans to make 2 cups. Set aside a few whole beans for garnish. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until a smooth paste. Place in a small bowl. Garnish with parsley or cilantro and a few black beans. Serve with pita.
Source: Trish Ross
Santa Fe Black Bean Salsa
2 cups cooked black beans (3/4 dried beans, soaked and cooked)
1 yellow pepper, chopped
cup sweet white onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 avocado, chopped, optional
cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 T. olive oil
Juice on one lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
Combined cooked black beans, chopped pepper, onion, tomato, avocado, and cilantro. In a separate bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper flakes. Add to bean mixture. Stir and let stand for at least one hour. Serve with taco chips.
Source: Trish Ross
Traditional Hummus
2 cups cooked chickpeas and 2/3 cup chickpea water from cooking
3 T. tahini
1-2 cloves garlic
t. sea salt
2 T. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice.
Puree all ingredients in a blender. Serve with crisp rye toast, pitas, or carrot sticks.
Source: Annemarie Colbin
Spicy Bean Vegetable Dip
1 cup cooked kidney beans
1 clove garlic, minced
t. Tabasco sauce
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. mayonnaise
Juice of lemon
1 T. minced chives or chopped green onions
Blend in a food processor or blender all ingredients, except chives, until smooth. Sprinkle with chives and serve with raw vegetables.
Source: Trish Ross
Tapenade
1 cups pitted green olives
1 cup cook chick peas
cup sun dried tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. lemon juice
cup olive oil
cup fresh chopped basil
t. grated lemon rind
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until slightly chunky. Put in a small bowl and top with a couple of sliced olives. Serve with slices of a mini-baguette.
Source: Trish Ross
Curry Dip
lb. cooked tofu
1 t. rice vinegar
1 T. barley malt
2 t. curry powder
1 t. mustard powder
t. salt
cup filtered water
Place all ingredients minus a bit of the water in a blender. Blend and adjust, adding more water for thickness and consistency. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold.
Source: Jackson Blackmon
Avocado-Tofu Spread with Salsa
1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
pound tofu, drained
1 lemon, juiced
Pinch of sea salt
1-2 T. salsa
Water, if needed for consistency
Mash avocado with tofu in a bowl. Add lemon juice, sea salt, and salsa; mix. Puree in blender or food processor until smooth, adding water if needed. Adjust seasonings.
Source: Mary Estella
Black and White Aioli Dip
2-3 cloves garlic
cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces soft tofu
2 T. fresh lemon juice
t. sea salt; Ground pepper to taste
cup oil-cured black olives, pitted and cut into slivers
1/8 cup small capers, drained
Peel and mince the garlic. Add the oil, tofu, lemon juice, salt and pepper and process until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Transfer to a bowl and stir in olives and capers just before serving. Excellent with whole-grain crackers, crudits, especially raw zucchini and yellow squash.
Source: Annemarie Colbin
Ginger Dip
lb. tofu
4 T. green onions, diced
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. grated ginger
1 T. barley malt
cup walnuts
cup wateradjust as you go.
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend, adjust and serve.
Source: Jackson Blackmon
Copyright 2008 Pathways4Health
- Using beans from the can is quick and easy, but you do sacrifice life-force energy compared to cooking your own from scratch. [link]