The BEST Vegan "Crab" Dip Ever.

This may easily be one of my favorite dips of all time. 

Adapted ever so slightly from PractiGantic's recipe, 

you won't be able to stop making this and sharing it with everyone you know. 

Best if prepared the night before, or has a few hours to sit before serving.

Vegan Crab Dip (takes about 25-30 min to prepare):

28 oz heart of palm (found canned near canned artichokes etc.)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

16 oz vegan cream cheese, softened (Kite Hill highly recommended for best taste)
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise 

1 red bell pepper diced small

4 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 cup red onion, diced small

3 tbsp green onions, diced

4 oz pimiento, drained and diced small
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of freshly ground sea salt
a few dashes of Old Bay Seasoning

First, mince the garlic, then drain and chop the heart of palm into varying shapes and sizes to act as the crab in the dip. Don't worry if some starts to shred, as you sautee it this will happen to some pieces and that is perfectly fine.

Next you're going to sautee the garlic and heart of palm in the olive oil over low heat until the heart of palm browns. Keeping the heat low, allow this to occur as you prep the remainder of the dip, stirring with a spatula occasionally.

For the next steps - if you're short on time, you can just add all of the ingredients (except Old Bay) together in a bowl while the heart of palm sautees. But, I find doing it in the following order allows the seasonings to flavor the cream cheese and mayo base the best. 

First add the cream cheese and mayonnaise to a large mixing bowl and combine together. Then add the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice and mix well.

Next, add all of the dry ingredients (except the Old Bay) to the dip, mix together well, then set aside to marinate while you prep the rest of the ingredients. Dry Ingredients: paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, freshly ground sea salt.

Head back over to the heart of palm, add a light dash of Old Bay Seasoning and a grind of pepper, stir together well, and continue to let brown.

Next, dice all the veggies (red bell pepper, red onion, green onion, pimientos), and add them to the dip as well and stir together.

By now your heart of palm should be almost ready. Add another dash of Old Bay and continue to sautee until ready. Then remove from the heat and let cool.

Once cooled, fold the heart of palm into the dip and mix together well. I enjoy serving this dip cold after it's had the chance to sit for a few hours first, or overnight, but sometimes it's just too hard to wait! Enjoy!

Dairy-Free Creamy Queso Dip

One of my favorite recipes, made entirely of veggies and whole foods, 

it's tastes so good, it's so versatile, and so healthy too!

Dairy-Free Creamy Queso Dip:

3 organic russet potatoes
3 organic carrots
1 organic small yellow onion
1 organic red pepper
1/2 cup organic cashews
lemon juice from 1/2 an organic lemon
15oz diced tomatoes and green chillies

Optional: 1/2 or whole packet of taco seasoning
Optional: organic diced jalapeño


Peel the potatoes, carrots, and onion and deseed the pepper. Add them all to a pot of boiling water along with the cashews and boil until potatoes, carrots, and cashews are soft. About 15-20 min.

Set aside about 1 cup of of the water used for boiling incase you need to thin out the dip, and then add the drained cooked veggies, cashews, and lemon juice to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth, adding about a tablespoon of reserved water at a time to thin out only if needed.

Once blended, add to a small sauce pot over low-medium heat and stir in the the tomatoes and green chillies. This is also when you would begin to add the taco seasoning and diced jalapeño to taste if you want.

Serve warm and enjoy! I also find this freezes well if you end up having extra or want to make it ahead of time.

Perfect to top these Twice Baked Potatoes with,

or dip these Southwest Taco Wontons into!

Classic Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Classic Spinach & Artichoke Dip:

1/8 lb. vegan butter

12 cloves fresh garlic, minced

12 oz vegan cream cheese (Kite Hill highly recommended for this recipe)

16 oz vegan sour cream (Tofutti highly recommended for this recipe)

4 oz vegan parmesan (Follow Your Heart highly recommended for this recipe)

24 oz artichoke hearts, chopped

24 oz fresh spinach, chopped

1/4 tsp onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into your slow cooker and set on low. Cook for 2-3 hours stirring and testing occasionally until it's all melted into this the best spinach & artichoke dip you've ever tasted, then enjoy!!! 

Sweet Corn Salsa

I love this recipe for so many reasons! This salsa has a great pop of flavor and it's perfect any time of year and at any occasion! I especially love it outdoors in the summer! It's so easy to make and all of the veggies can easily be prepped the night before! Enjoy this super healthy salsa knowing it's made entirely of real, whole foods!

Sweet Corn Salsa:

16oz organic sweet corn
1 organic jalapeño, diced
1 organic poblano pepper, diced
3/4 organic red onion, diced
1/2 freshly chopped organic cilantro
juice from 2 organic limes
juice from 2 organic lemons


Dice the jalapeño, pepper, and onion and combine with the sweet corn. Chop the cilantro and mix in with the veggies. Finally squeeze the juice from the lemons and limes onto the veggies and mix together and enjoy!

Serve this alongside some Southwest Taco Wontons & Avocado Lime Dip to really step it up a notch!

                   

Rosemary & Thyme Potato Wedges

Rosemary & Thyme Potato Wedges:

6-8 organic Russet potatoes

organic extra virgin olive oil

fresh organic rosemary

fresh organic thyme

ground organic black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the potatoes and then cut them into wedges. Toss in a large mixing bowl with EVOO until coated. Then stir in the rosemary, thyme, and freshly ground black pepper.

Add them to a glass roasting pan and place in the oven. After 20 minutes, flip them over and add more EVOO if needed and put back in the oven for another 20 minutes, or until they begin to brown.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Enjoy these as a side to your protein and other veggies in a main meal, or even serve as an appetizer to dip in this Avocado Lime Dip:

Creamy Vegan Buffalo Dip

Creamy Vegan Buffalo Dip:

2 cups cook organic quinoa

4 tablespoons organic buffalo sauce

1 cup organic almond milk

2 cups shredded organic vegan mozzarella

1/4 teaspoon organic garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon organic paprika 

1 organic cucumber, chopped

1 organic avocado (optional)

Cook quinoa as directed and measure out 2 cups cooked quinoa into a mixing bowl. Add the buffalo sauce to the quinoa and combine fully. 

In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, bring the almond milk to a slow boil whisking in the garlic powder and paprika. Once warmed and lightly boiling, add the mozzarella and allow to simmer for 2-5 minutes, whisking continuously.

Finally, mix 6 tablespoons of the cream sauce into the quinoa throughly, top with chopped cucumber (the colder the better) and avocado and serve with your favorite organic tortilla chips!

Enjoy!

For more apps, Click Here, and you may also like:

                

Warmed Sweet Potato w/Avocado Lime Spread

After making a batch of Avocado Lime Spread for my Quinoa Veggie Burgers, I had plenty of spread left over and didn't want any to go to waste so I looked around to see what else it would pair well with. I decided to bake a sweet potato and it turns out they are the perfect combination of tangy and sweet and can be a great snack, or a perfect little side dish! 

So easy too!

Warmed Sweet Potato w/Avocado Lime Spread: 

Organic Sweet Potato(s) - the quantity will depend on how much you want to make. Consider 1/2 sweet potato per person.

For the spread:

2 organic avocados
1 organic garlic clove, minced
1 organic jalapeño, chopped
juice from 2 organic limes
1/2 tbsp freshly chopped organic cilantro (more to taste)
1/8 tsp organic cumin

Simply bake sweet potatoes (skin on) at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until soft.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the Easy Avocado Lime Spread and set aside.

Once soft, peel the skin off (it should be very easy to remove at this point) and then slice into 1/4-1/2 inch slices. Top with spread and enjoy! 

Cheesy Vegan Quinoa Taco Dip

Cheesy Vegan Quinoa Taco Dip

1/2 cup organic quinoa dry
4 tbsp organic vegan cream cheese
5 tbsp 365 Pepper Duo Hot Sauce
1/8 cup shredded organic vegan cheddar or pepper jack
1 tsp organic paprika
3/4 - 1 cup your favorite organic salsa
1/4 cup no salt added organic black beans
1/4 cup organic yellow corn


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cook quinoa as directed and add to large bowl. While the quinoa is hot, add in the cream cheese and mix throughly until the cream cheese is melted and mixture is one texture.

Next, add the hot sauce, salsa, and paprika and and combine. Finally fold in the beans and corn and transfer to an oven safe serving dish. Top with shredded cheese and bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and sides are bubbling.

Serve with organic tortilla chips and garnish with freshly sliced organic avocado. Enjoy!

Easy Avocado Dip!

Easy Avocado Dip:

2 organic avocados, peeled

1 organic garlic clove, minced

1 organic jalapeño, chopped 

1/4 cup freshly squeezed organic lime juice

1/2 tblsp freshly chopped organic cilantro (more to taste)

1/8 teaspoon organic cumin

Place all above ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. If using a Vitamix, place all items except jalapeños into the Vitamix, pulse, and then stir in the jalapeños after. 

Makes approximately 2 cups.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition Info for 1/3 cup serving:

112 calories, 9.7g fat, 1.4g sat fat, 0mg cholesterol, 5.2mg sodium, 7g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 0.7g sugar, 1.4g protein

Perfectly paired with these Southwest Chicken Taco Wontons!

Healthy Homemade Hot Sauce!

Homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe:

10 organic Cayenne Peppers (176g for this recipe)

1 1/2 cups organic white vinegar 

3 organic garlic cloves, skin fully removed

1/2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon organic paprika

1/2 bay leaf

Rinse and remove the tops from the peppers and place into a medium, non-reactive sauce pan (i.e. ceramic or stainless steel). Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low/medium-low, cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and tender. 

Once peppers are soft add to a food processor, blender, or Vitamix and blend until smooth. If end result does not end in a smooth puree, strain through a fine sieve and discard any sediment it catches.

Return to sauce pan and simmer on low for another 15 minutes. 

Place in an airtight glass container and refrigerate overnight. 

While mine never lasts this long, it can save for about 5-6 months when refrigerated in airtight container, but always check for mold or signs or spoil before using. 

Nutrition Info (3 tablespoons):

40 calories, 1.9g fat, 0.4g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 17.3mg sodium, 6.5g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 1.1g sugar, 1.1g protein

      Use this sauce to make these 

       Buffalo Chicken Wontons!

    

Super Easy Hummus Recipe!

Super Easy Hummus Recipe!

Ingredients:

30oz organic Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
6 tblsp organic olive oil
1/8 tsp sea salt
juice from 1 organic lemon
1 1/2 tsp organic ground cumin
2 tblsp organic tahini

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. If you need, add an additional 1-3 tablespoons of warm water to help with blending.

Nutrition Info (serving: 4 tablespoons)

93.5 cal, 8.7g fat, 1.2g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 24.2mg sodium, 4.2g carbohydrates, 1.25g fiber, 0.25g sugar, 1.25g protein