Healthy Vegan Dips and Spreads For Spring

In the last few posts we have been discussing recipes for healthy vegan patties and croquettes.  In this post you will find some refreshing, healthy vegan dips that are light, nutritious and just perfect for spring.  

These dips can be served with just about everything. Besides croquettes and bean patties they also go well with chips of any kind, pitas, toasts and crudites  (cut up vegetables.)

Lime Spinach Spread

Makes 1 cup

 

10 ounces of frozen organic spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry scallions, chopped

2/3 white navy beans

¼ cup organic lime juice

1-teaspoon lime zest

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1-teaspoon maple syrup

½ teaspoon Himalayan salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Combine beans, spinach and scallions in food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds until blended. Add lime juice and zest, Dijon, sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

Process until smooth. Serve with gluten-free crackers and bread or vegetables.

Roasted Garlic and Kale Hummus,

Makes 2 cups

1 bulb of fresh garlic

1 large can of organic chickpeas

½ cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup tahini

1 teaspoon salt

1 small bunch organic kale, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Black Pepper

Chili Flakes

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Wrap garlic in a piece of foil leaving the top exposed and drizzle olive oil on top.  Bake garlic for 30 minutes until the cloves are tender and then squeeze the garlic out of the cloves.

Blend the garlic with all of the other ingredients until smooth.  Serve with raw vegetables or gluten-free tortilla chips.

Vegan Chipotle Cream Dip

Makes 1 cup.

½ cup organic raw cashews, soaked

¼ cup water

3 canned chipotles in adobo sauce

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 large organic clove garlic

squeeze of fresh lime

salt

cracked black pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until you reach the desired consistency. Serve with chips, crackers or vegetables.

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.

Vegan Cocktail Croquette Recipes

Croquettes are a blend of ingredients  that are shaped into a ball or lozenge shape and then. covered with bread crumbs. These vegan versions make a delicious hot snack. Traditionally they are made from a mix of mashed potatoes, ground meat, fish and cheese but these versions use chickpea flowers, sweet potato, quinoa, peanut butter and other healthy ingredients in order to make a delicious treat.  As they are fried in oil it is probably best to only have these croquettes rarely or on special occasions if you are on a very low-fat diet.  You should also make sure that the ingredients in these recipes are compatible with your Healthy & Active Metabolism program diet in general.

Chickpea Croquettes

Makes 8 croquettes

1 cup organic chickpea flour

¾ cup hot water

1 organic lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 15 ounce can organic chickpeas

4 organic scallions, chopped

1 organic carrot, grated

1 habanero, minced

4 organic garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons of cilantro leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil for frying

In a large bowl combine flour, lemon juice, water, salt, pepper and cumin.  Stir until well combined.  Add the chickpeas, carrots scallions, jalapeno, garlic and cilantro.

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Scoop patty-sized of the chickpea mixture into the skillet. Cook three or four minutes and flip over to cook completely.

Serve with your favourite sauce.

Red Quinoa and Sweet Potato Croquettes

Makes 12-14 croquettes

1 cup organic, gluten-free vegetable broth

½ cup red quinoa, rinsed

1 cup organic sweet potato, mashed

1 organic scallion, chopped

½ teaspoon natural organic peanut butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup gluten-free bead crumbs

3 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil for frying

In a saucepan, boil sweet potato cubes until soft. Reduce the heat to low, add in the quinoa, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes and then turn off the heat and let sit for another seven minutes.

Mash sweet potatoes with a masher and then, in a large bowl combine the potato and quinoa.

Roll into spheres and then flatten into patties   Lightly grease a flat-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat and then fry until golden brown.

Serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

Saffron MIllet Croquettes

Makes 6 large croquettes

1 small red oniom

1 clove garlic

1 carrot

1 parsnip

1 zucchini

1 cup cooked millet

pinch of salt

Several saffron threads, crushed

2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil for frying

Crush the saffron between your fingers and add to the millet.  Stir.

Dice vegetables and mince the garlic. saute the vegetables until they are soft and then mix the cooked vegetables into the millet.   

Run the millet mixture through the food processor until finely processed.  Form six equal-sized  croquettes.  Cook in heated oil until nicely browned.

As croquettes can be oily it is advisable to pat them dry with a paper towel before serving.

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.

Two Great Healthy Vegan Snack Patty Recipes

Snack patties are usually made with a mix of beans, lentils and ground vegetables. They are very tasty and easy to make. The nutritional value in these two recipes is upped iby the healthful spices and herbs that are part of the mix, such as turmeric, chives, green onions and cilantro, all of which are protective of the immune system.

Frying Bean Burgers

There are two recipes listed here: one for a darker snack and one for a lighter looking one. If you make both they look attractive contrasted on a serving plate.  

When using canned beans be sure to rinse them well and try to choose an organic brand that is lower in sodium.

Also, as always, be sure that  beans, yams, millet flour, bread crumbs, cornmeal and other ingredients are allowed foods on your HAP metabolism list of allowed foods.

Black Bean Yam Snack Patties

Serves 4.

3 large organic yams

1 cup cooked organic black beans

½ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons organic millet flower

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 large organic garlic clove, minced

4 organic green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Fill a large saucepan with water and cook the yams over high heat until tender. Drain until dry.

Mix the yams with the black beans in a bowl and mash until smooth.  Add the breadcrumbs, flour, green onions, garlic and cilantro and blend it all until it is a batter.

Heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat.  Make patties and fry in the oil on each side until golden brown.  Cool and serve with your favorite dip, salad or spread.

White Bean and Chive Patties

Makes 12 patties

1 19 ounce can organic white beans

1 shallot, diced

1 carrot, grated

1/3 cup gluten-free cornmeal

1/3 cup gluten-free cornmeal

1 tablespoon chopped organic fresh chives

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cracked salt

2 dashes cayenne peppers

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Put the beans, shallots, carrot, cornmeal and chives in a blender and process until it a puree. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend it all until it is a batter.

Heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat.  Make patties and fry in the oil on each side until golden brown.  Cool and serve with your favorite dip, salad or spread.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.