Summer literary arrived this weekend in Toronto. And we are ecstatic. That also means we will be bumming around parks, beaches and backyards. Meals are quicker but more frequent and a glass of bubbly seems so appropriate any time of the day. It is incredible what summer can do to our spirits.
As the picnic season beckons, I want to have options that are quite effortless and caters to our very grazing need. These dips and spreads are perfect for that happy hour in your backyard or for when you want to slather something on sandwiches to take to the park, so simply carry in jars to dip in later. It also helps mid week to throw some cooked pasta with one of these dips. All three recipes require no cooking and can be made a few days in advance. They last about a week in the refrigerator.
Zaatar Labneh is nostalgic for us, we ate lot of this stuff when we visited Kuwait, where Vivek's parents lived for several years, before they retired and went back to Chennai. You don't need any blender for this and they make yummy cucumber sandwiches after.
I am most excited about this luscious green Avocado Spinach and Artichoke Dip. This is a clever little recipe from Cookie & Kate's new book Love Real food. I have been loving this book. Just like her blog, Kathryne's recipes are unfussy and very accessible. Most of her recipes call for pantry staples and I adore that about this book. That is not to say this book is lacking in interesting recipes, it packs quite the punch. Her German chocolate cake deserves a post of its own, it is a perfect little vegan cake that can be made for any mid week dessert crisis (which we have far too often in our house.) I made it the day this book showed up in my mail, and have since then made it thrice. I can't wait to cook more from this book.
Zaatar Labneh
- ½ tub of greek yogurt (about 500 grams)
- 1 tablespoon Zaatar (a Middle Eastern spice blend)
- Zest and juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon
- 1 pod of garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- A big glug of olive oil
Place a sieve or a colander in a bowl. Line it with cheese cloth or muslin. Add the yogurt and let it drain overnight or for 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Scrape the yogurt in a bowl and stir in all the other ingredients.Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice, if needed.
Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle some sumac before serving.
Sunflower Sundried tomato Dip
- ½ cup of sunflower seeds
- ½ cup of sundried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and some more
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 pod of garlic grated
- 1 big bunch of basil leaves
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- A big glug of extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Soak the sunflower seeds for a couple of hours or overnight in water. To speed this along soak for 30 minutes in hot water.
Drain and add the seeds to a blender or a food processor. Throw in all other ingredients and blend until the mixture is smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. Adjust seasoning, I had to add a little bit more apple cider vinegar to make it really pop.
Avocado, Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- 1 large or 2 small avocados, halved and pitted
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 pod of garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups packed baby spinach
- ½ well drained marinated artichoke
Scoop the avocado flesh into a blender or food pressor. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper flakes, and a few twists of black pepper. Blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.
Throw in the spinach and marinated artichokes and blend until it is almost smooth but still has a nice texture. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice, if needed.
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