Spinach Lemon Pesto Spread

Are you looking for some alternative spread or dip that is healthier and more nutritious and also delicious? This is it.  With the spinach and garlic plus the nuts this is what health enthusiasts are longing for. With just one teaspoon coconut oil this beats any cheese laden dips anytime calorie wise.  The garlic gives it that irresistible flavor punch and the tanginess of the lemon juice and the saltiness of the Worcestershire sauce will excite and satisfy any palate. So delicious I eat this spread as is for my salty kick but this is excellent with plain crackers and your favorite veggies.

Spinach Lemon Pesto Spread

• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients in the blender and pulse till the ingredients are well mixed.  Serve over crackers or vegetables or chips.  

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

My daughter does not cook but she can whip up a real good Buffalo Chicken Dip.  This is her recipe.  It is made simpler with the use of the slow cooker and also easier to transport and serve for a potluck or an office party.

Here is the recipe of this addictive crowd pleasing dip or spread.  I gave some to a friend and her husband ate it in one sitting while my friend and I chatted when I arrived. So beware be sure you have your self control button on.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

• 1 large chicken breast cooked and chopped or 12 oz chicken from a can
• 2-8 oz cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, (or a mix of mild and sharp cheddar)
• 1 cup Ranch dressing
• 1 cup hot pepper sauce

Place all the ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours or at high for 3 hours.  I cooked mine in an Aroma Brand slow cooker/rice cooker for 2 hours at slow cooker setting.

Serve with tortilla chips or vegetables.  

Onion Pepper Cranberry Relish

My daughter gave me a box of  Harry and David's variety of food goodies which included a bottle of onion pepper relish. I loved it and just decided I got to make something similar. I usually try to use what I have in my pantry full of canned foods from Aldis grocery store. For that piquant sweet taste I added to the list of ingredients written on the label of the bottle, whole berry cranberries from a can. I also felt the need to add orange marmalade.

I mixed all the ingredients and hoped to eat as is as most relishes and it was good but I decided to slow cook the ingredients to better come up with the consistency and taste of the bottle of onion and pepper relish from Harry and David's.  The slow cooking did mellow the onions and gave the thick consistency with the addition of cornstarch.

Relish without being slow cooked.

It has its own personality and not a twin of what I was copying but it is just as good. It has the characteristic spiciness complemented by some sweetness. Heaven on anything you put it in.

Onion Pepper Cranberry Relish

• 1-14 oz can whole berry cranberry
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 3 tbsp chopped jalapeno from a bottle
• 1 tbsp orange marmalade
• 1 tbsp cornstarch in 4 tbsp water

Add all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook for 6 hours at low or three hours at high setting.  I cooked mine for two hours in an Aroma brand rice cooker /slow cooker at slow cooker setting.

Serve as a dip for chips or vegetables or as a relish for your Christmas ham or New Year's Eve roast or even fish or seafood. I almost forgot also add as relish for your hot dogs and burgers.

Vegan Coffee Chocolate Dip or Frosting from Sweet Potatoes

I had something similar that was used to frost a sheet of vegan brownies during our plant based support group meeting prepared by a member, Linda.  I could not tell that the main ingredient of the frosting was sweet potatoes.  Actually a can of pureed sweet potatoes was used and vegan milk chocolate chips.

I adapted the same approach but instead used sweet potatoes I cooked in the microwave instead of the canned ones.  Instead of the vegan chocolate chips which I did not have any, I used non dairy milk, cocoa powder and maple syrup to come up to the taste that the chocolate chips would have given.  I added coffee granules because I love the taste of coffee and chocolate together.

This is an easy healthy frosting or dip or spread and your family or friends would never guess that the sweet potatoes serve as the base for it.  I have made similar dips before using bananas (here and here) which also works but the sweet potatoes has a neutral taste which does not distract from the taste of the chocolate and coffee.

Vegan Coffee Chocolate Dip or Frosting from Sweet Potatoes

• 1/2 cup non dairy milk
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant coffee granules
• 4 to 6 tbsp maple syrup (or according to your taste)
• 2 cooked sweet potatoes, peeled and mashed

Mix first four ingredients in a blender till well mixed.  Add the sweet potatoes and blend till the mixture is smooth.

Serve as a dip with fresh apple or banana slices.  Use a frosting on a cake.  It can be a spread on your toast or bagels or waffles.  Or eat it as is with spoon.  Yum.  

Plant Based Olive Red Pepper Tapenade

This was inspired by the Good for You Olive Tapenade that I previously posted in this blog.  I wanted a plant based version that adheres to the no oil, no dairy, no meat, no fish limitations of this approach to eating healthy.  The previous version is a pretty healthy one.  This is a healthier but very close version.  It is surprisingly good and delicious even without the almonds and optional oil that were in the original recipe.  

This tapenade is more moist than the bottled tapenade that I have tasted.   It is not soggy however like a salsa.  It has a wonderful spreadable consistency and an exciting taste to boot.

Plant Based Olive Red Pepper Tapenade 

• 1/2 cup pimento stuffed olives 
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 whole tomato, seeds removed            
• 1 whole fresh red pimento pepper
• 1/4 inch jalapeno pepper
• 4 basil leaves

Place all the ingredients in a micro processor and pulse till well blended. Put the mixture into a strainer till most of the liquid has drained.  You want it spreadable but not soggy.  

Serve with crackers or baguette slices.

Pineapple Salsa and Housecleaning and Creating Space

Housecleaning  and Creating Space

I am housecleaning right now since we are putting new floors in the bedrooms in our house.  The less stuff on the floor the easier for the people doing the floors to move furniture and install the hard wood planks.  Renovation and the housecleaning and decluttering that results from it usually make people realize they can really get along with less stuff and wish they had done it before. 

I think it was Meryl Streep who said that life is full of metaphors.  In our recent faith sharing session hosted by Sue at her house, she mentioned a beautiful metaphor.   We were talking about meditation and Sue said that it is like housecleaning wherein you are allowing God to fill more space in you.  Something to think about when we clutter our lives with so much activities. 

I am featuring the recipe for Pineapple Salsa which Sue loves and which I had brought to our meetings occasionally.

Pineapple Salsa

(Adapted from the recipe submitted by Linda P. for the cookbook "Recipes and Spiritual Reflections of the Associates of the Sisters of St. Joseph Baden, Pennsylvania".  Cookbook is now out of print) .

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 tbsp orange marmalade
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
• 2 tsp lime juice (fresh preferred)
• 2 tsp jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Serve as a dip for corn chips or as a side dish when serving baked ham, pork or chicken. 

 

Notes:

1.  If you are using unsweetened crushed pineapple, you might want to either increase the orange marmalade or add sugar to increase the sweetness of the salsa.  About 1 tbsp of either one will be enough.

2.  You can substitute chopped green onions for cilantro.  The salsa is fine without adding either cilantro or green onions however.

3.  Use fresh jalapeno pepper or a good canned one.

Versatile Vegan Chocolate Frosting, Spread or Topping

  

Versatile Vegan Chocolate Frosting, Spread or Topping

This is an incredibly delicious recipe for chocolate frosting for cupcakes, spread for your bagels or toast  or topping for your ice cream.  Do not be misled just because it is vegan.  Trust me.  I myself was amazed on how good it was. 

Ingredients: 

3 ripe bananas
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
6 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar (If  you are a diabetic, you can use Splenda sugar substitute which I did)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp decaf coffee or expresso (optional.  I used one decaf coffee singles dipped in 2 tbsps hot water).

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients in a blender till smooth. 

Adjust the consistency according to how it is going to be used.  This recipe is thick enough to frost cakes even if used at room temperature and as a spread.  If using as a topping for a milk shake or ice cream,  add more decaf coffee if you opted to use it  or just plain water to thin out the mixture.

Refrigerate when not using immediately.

Some ideas for its use are shown below.  Other uses will be featured in future posts.  Watch for them.

It can be used as gifts.  Just remind them to refrigerate it when not using.



Try something fabulous for breakfast.  Try it as a very delicious spread for bagels or toast or even as a topping for homemade doughnuts.  You can add it as your ready made smoothie component that takes care of three commonly added smoothie ingredients, chocolate, peanut butter and bananas, in one or two spoonfuls, .  It is so versatile. 

Fresh Spinach Dip

I had a bag of fresh spinach that I wanted to use before they got really soggy and inedible.  I also had this craving for some kind of dip that I could use with the mini Pretzel Crisps I bought from the McGinnis Specialty Store in Monroeville, Pa. 
                     

 

Here is the recipe I came up with using what I had in my pantry and refrigerator. The water chestnuts give the dip crunchiness while the green onions, Parmesan cheese, dried minced onions and garlic powder enhance its flavor without you having to use any dried soup mix which some recipes call for.

I happened to have a facial appointment right after I prepared this and I brought some to Diane, the facial technician at the Beautiful Image, to sample.  She loved it so much she just had to have the recipe right there and then before my facial.  You will adore it also.

Diane, wonderful facial technician, at the Beautiful Image.

Fresh Spinach Dip

Ingredients

1 9 oz bag fresh Spinach  (or you can also use 10 oz of frozen spinach thawed and liquid squeezed out)
1/3 cup chopped scallions (around 3 stalks)
1 8 oz can of chopped water chestnuts
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp dried minced onions
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp parmesan cheese
pepper and salt to taste

Instructions

Microwave the fresh spinach in a bowl for 3 minutes at high setting.  Squeeze out the water from the cooked spinach.  Add to the spinach the rest of the  ingredients.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours for the flavors to blend.   It is also OK to eat it right away if you cannot wait like I did.