A healthier alternative to dairy-laden dips, this artichoke and white bean dip is like hummus on steroids, and it tickles your taste buds with every bite. My friends love it with raw veggie sticks, pita chips, or flatbreads, or spread on wraps and sandwiches. The rosemary flavor intensifies if the dip stands or is chilled overnight, so if that herb’s not a favorite, use half the amount called for. I’ve been known to devour it with Awesome Almond Crackers, directly out of the blender carriage. Yeah, I’ve got issues.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) unsweetened almond or soy milk (strained if homemade)
- 1 (14-ounce/400 g) can artichoke hearts, plain (not marinated), well rinsed and well drained
- 1 (15-ounce/425 g) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1½ tablespoons diced yellow onion
- 1½ teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- ¾ teaspoon finely chopped rosemary (not dried)
- 1 teaspoon natural salt
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 0.12 teaspoon cayenne pepper
How to Make It
- Throw everything into your blender and puree for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy like hummus
- (If you’re using a conventional blender, you may need a tablespoon of water to help the blades do their work.) Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Awesome almond crackers
- These crackers are a fabulous alternative to the ubiquitous, fake-flavored cardboard-like slices so popular in snacking culture. They are just yum. Although these are devoid of preservatives, artificial flavors, and sugar, you could be forgiven for suspecting they contained some nasties. Getting their texture juuust right is a little tricky. Rolling the dough as thin as possible is key. My partner, Scott, devours these with my dairy-free butter and says they’re better than his old processed favorites.
Makes: 30 or 29 or 28 … depending on how many you scarf off the tray while they cool
Ingredient:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, plus 1 more if you’re a garlic lover
- ½ teaspoon granulated onion powder
- ½ teaspoon natural salt
- 1½ cups (150 g) blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup (19 g) ground flaxseeds
- 2 tablespoons shelled hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Throw the water, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, and salt into your blender. Blend just a few seconds, until the garlic is crushed and the liquids are combined. If you’re using a conventional blender, slowly add the almond flour through the lid opening while the machine is running on low. If you’re using a high-speed blender, just add the flour and blend on low until the dough thickens and comes together. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and stir in the ground flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and herbs.
- Cut four large sheets of parchment paper to fit two large baking sheets. Divide the dough into two balls. Place one ball on a sheet of parchment paper. Place another piece of paper on top and using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough. Get it as thin as possible, no more than 1⁄16 inch (1.5 mm) thick. (Any thicker and the crackers won’t get crispy.) Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into about 15 (2-inch/5 cm) squares. Repeat with the second dough ball using the two remaining sheets of parchment. Place the parchment with the crackers on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes and then swap the baking sheets so the top one is on the bottom and vice versa. Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the crackers are pale in the middle and just starting to brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for about 30 minutes, until the crackers are crisp.