Baba Ghanoush

From Nia's dad, Clive

Baba Ghanoush is a Lebanese dip made from eggplant - it can be used as a dip for bread or veggies or as a tasty base for a sandwich. I love this stuff but was always mystified as to how it was prepared, until last summer when I was schooled in the ways of roasting eggplant by my friend Nia's dad. It's so easy and fresh tasting, I couldn't believe it took me so long to try it!

Serves about 6

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (200 C) Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Place eggplant on the baking sheet, and pierce the skin with a fork. Roast for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally until soft. Remove and let cool. Once completely cool, peel skin off.

Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic in a blender and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste and slowly mix in olive oil. Sprinkle on paprika as a garnish. Enjoy!

Sundried Tomato Hummus

I love hummus - it's so cheap and easy and delicious. And there are so many variations in the flavor - literally endless combinations of ingredients. Anyway, I read about adding sundried tomatoes and couldn't wait to try it. They add such a great punch of flavor and color, it really was great.

makes 3-4 servings

1 can garbanzo beans (about 1 cup)
1 jar sundried tomatoes (about 1 cup)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil (I used the oil from the sun dried tomatoes for extra flavor!)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 large garlic clove
1 tsp paprika
salt to taste
parsley

Using a blender, blend beans, oil, lemon juice, garlic clove, and paprika in a bowl. Chop up the tomatoes and mix them in the mix, adding salt and fresh chopped parsley until you are satisfied with the taste.

Great with vegetables, bread or on sandwiches.

Pineapple Black Bean Salsa

In an effort to eat a little healthier, I made this salsa to bring to a world cup party with some friends. It was great, spicy and sweet from the pineapple and combined with the salty chips it was wonderful.

1 cup pineapple, chopped into chunks

1 bell pepper, chopped roughly

1/2 red onion, finely minced

1-3 jalapeño, minced (Add according to your heat preference. Removing the seeds keeps it mild)

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 cup corn

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup orange juice (or pineapple juice if using canned pineapple)

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp ground chili

1/8 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Chop and combine all ingredients in a large bowl. I find that making it a few hours in advance helps the flavors to mingle a little better. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use. Serve with tortilla chips.

Paradise Tomato Pineapple Dip

from Paradise Bakery

I tried this dip at Paradise Bakery in Salt Lake and it was a flavor explosion. So I looked it up when I got home and whipped some up. It was simple and the unusual flavors really pop together. Be sure to pair it with a high quality baguette and bring it to your next party.

2-3 skinny baguettes, sliced

11 oz sundried tomatoes

3 cups canned pineapple

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp salt

3 oz garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp soy sauce

6 oz olive oil

Place all ingredients except the olive oil and bread in a food processor. Process until slightly chunky. Slowly add in the olive oil and stir until combined. Refrigerate until used.

7-Layer Dip

from my mom.

I love 7-layer dip! It is so tasty and easy to make. There are endless variations out there, some with ground beef or different types of beans (black, pinto or kidney) and cheeses. So feel free to add anything that could add to the mexican flavors. I'm sure you could make some healthier substitutions to make it a little lighter without sacrificing too much taste.

2 cups refried beans*

4-5 tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup cheese, grated

1 jar black or Spanish olives, sliced

3-4 stalks of green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup sour cream

1 cup guacamole or 1-2 avocados, diced
1 bunch of cilantro, minced

*I also sprinkle a little chili powder or add jalepeños on top for some spice

1 bag of tortilla chips

In a large casserole dish, lay down a thick slab of refried beans until covering the bottom evenly. Then add the sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, olives, green onions and cheese. Garnish with cilantro and sprinkle chili powder on top. Serve with tortilla chips on the side.

*In Europe it is difficult to find refried beans. SO, you can make your own by heating up 2 cans red kidney beans with 1 Tbsp butter and 1/3 cup salsa, then puree.

Cannellini Bean Dip

adapted from Jenn Cuisine

I have been having a love affair with beans. They taste so good and are so good for you and are so filling! Unfortunately they don't take a very good picture. This bean dip was terrific and very hearty, I served it with toast and salad and it was great. The recipe calls for tuna, but I think it would be better without it. I also think it would be great with some cheese mixed in and maybe even heated up... so experimentation is recommended.

4 cups white cannellini beans, canned (drained and rinsed) or already cooked

1/2 lemon, juiced (about 2-3 Tbsp)

olive oil, as needed (I used a little more than 1/4 cup, taken from the sundried tomatoes)

1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes

1/2 cup canned tuna

1 tsp basil

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp rosemary

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp sage

salt and pepper to taste

Add beans and lemon juice to a food processor, and pulse until it is all smooth. If too thick, slowly pour in olive oil until it is the consistency of scoopable dip. Mix in tomatoes, tuna, herbs salt and pepper. Serve with pita bread or chopped vegetables.