A healthful bean dip or salsa with a variety of colorful raw vegetables is a great way to start a meal. Having a salad or raw vegetables with dip at the beginning of a meal fills you up and prevents overeating. Dips are also great when you are looking for a quick and casual dish to bring to a party.
The versatile sauces in this section can be used to add flavor without the added salt and sweeteners usually found in both homemade and store-bought sauces.
HERE ARE SOME GREAT VEGETABLES TO USE FOR DIPPING:
| RAW VEGETABLES fennel Belgian endives cherry tomatoes radishes broccoli red, orange, or yellow bell peppers zucchini jicama romaine lettuce leaves snow pea pods |
COOKED VEGETABLES green beans mushrooms turnips cauliflower asparagus |
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups cooked black beans* or 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added or low-sodium black beans, drained
1½ cups frozen corn, thawed
4 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
½ medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped (add more or less to your taste preference)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
* Use ½ cup dried beans; see cooking instructions.
DIRECTIONS
Combine beans and corn in a mixing bowl.
Place fresh tomatoes, pepper, onion, garlic, and jalapeños in a food processor and pulse until chopped into small pieces. Add to bean/corn mixture along with remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve with raw vegetables or healthy tortilla chips.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 183; PROTEIN 9g; CARBOHYDRATES 37g; TOTAL FAT 1.8g; SATURATED FAT 0.3g; SODIUM 52mg; FIBER 4.2g; BETA-CAROTENE 569ug; VITAMIN C 20mg; CALCIUM 26mg; IRON 1.9mg; FOLATE 65ug; MAGNESIUM 73mg; ZINC 1.2mg; SELENIUM 5.6ug
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, minced
2 scallions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients.
Serve immediately or refrigerate in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days.
Makes 2 cups
PER SERVING: CALORIES 15; PROTEIN 1g; CARBOHYDRATES 4g; TOTAL FAT 0.1g; SODIUM 4mg; FIBER 0.8g; BETA-CAROTENE 228ug; VITAMIN C 8mg; CALCIUM 12mg; IRON 0.2mg; FOLATE 12ug; MAGNESIUM 7mg; ZINC 0.1mg; SELENIUM 0.2ug
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
2 medium avocados
¼ cup yellow onions, diced
⅔ cup Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced, seeds removed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Dash of black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 132; PROTEIN 3g; CARBOHYDRATES 10g; TOTAL FAT 10.3g; SATURATED FAT 2g; SODIUM 6mg; FIBER 6.3g; BETA-CAROTENE 264ug; VITAMIN C 24mg; CALCIUM 19mg; IRON 0.3mg; FOLATE 43ug; MAGNESIUM 29mg; ZINC 0.5mg; SELENIUM 0.1ug
» Chef Christine Waltermyer
SERVES 5
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups cooked black beans* or 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added or low-sodium black beans, drained
2 teaspoons no-salt-added salsa
¼ cup scallions, minced
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar or Dr. Fuhrman’s Blood Orange Vinegar
No-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste, or 2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman’s MatoZest
2 tablespoons minced red onion
½ cup finely diced mango
¼ cup diced red pepper
1 tablespoon fresh, minced cilantro, for garnish
* Use ½ cup dried beans; see cooking instructions.
DIRECTIONS
Remove ¼ cup of the black beans and set aside.
Place remaining beans in a blender or food processor. Add salsa, scallions, vinegar, and MatoZest or other no-salt seasoning blend. Puree until relatively smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer to a bowl and add the reserved black beans, red onion, mango, and red bell pepper. Mix well and chill for 1 hour. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with raw vegetables.
Makes 2½ cups
PER SERVING: CALORIES 117; PROTEIN 7g; CARBOHYDRATES 23g; TOTAL FAT 0.5g; SATURATED FAT 0.1g; SODIUM 40mg; FIBER 6.5g; BETA-CAROTENE 926ug; VITAMIN C 22mg; CALCIUM 28mg; IRON 1.9mg; FOLATE 109ug; MAGNESIUM 51mg; ZINC 0.8mg; SELENIUM 1ug
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
1 medium eggplant, cut in half, lengthwise
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans* (chickpeas) or 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added or low-sodium garbanzo beans, drained
⅓ cup water
4 tablespoons unhulled raw sesame seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried minced onions
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Dash of paprika
* Use ⅓ cup dried chickpeas; see cooking instructions.
DIRECTIONS
Bake eggplant at 350°F for 45 minutes. Let cool, then remove and discard skin.
Blend all ingredients, including baked, peeled eggplant, in a food processor or high-powered blender until smooth and creamy.
Serve with assorted raw vegetables.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 164; PROTEIN 7g; CARBOHYDRATES 24g; TOTAL FAT 5.8g; SATURATED FAT 0.8g; SODIUM 9mg; FIBER 9g; BETA-CAROTENE 30ug; VITAMIN C 8mg; CALCIUM 133mg; IRON 2.9mg; FOLATE 113ug; MAGNESIUM 74mg; ZINC 1.6mg; SELENIUM 2.9ug
SERVES 5
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups cooked great northern beans* or 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added or low-sodium great northern beans, drained
¼ cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, minced
No-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste, or 1½ tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman’s MatoZest
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or Dr. Fuhrman’s Black Fig Vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh, minced rosemary
¼ cup unsalted, unsulfured, dried tomatoes, soaked in lukewarm water until soft (about 1 to 2 hours), then minced
* Use ½ cup dried beans; see cooking instructions.
DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients, except the dried tomatoes, in a high-powered blender or food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasonings to taste. Stir in the dried tomatoes. Chill for 1 hour before serving.
Serve topped with an extra drizzle of Dr. Fuhrman’s Black Fig Vinegar and a sprinkle of pine nuts. Enjoy with raw vegetables.
Makes 2½ cups.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 127; PROTEIN 6g; CARBOHYDRATES 16g; TOTAL FAT 5.1g; SATURATED FAT 0.4g; SODIUM 71mg; FIBER 4.4g; BETA-CAROTENE 375ug; VITAMIN C 4mg; CALCIUM 45mg; IRON 2mg; FOLATE 59ug; MAGNESIUM 50mg; ZINC 1mg; SELENIUM 2.5ug
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled (1 bulb)
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 cup walnuts
½ cup minced shallots
12 ounces mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or dry sherry
1 carrot, shredded
¼ cup chopped, fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roast unpeeled garlic in a small baking dish for about 20 minutes or until soft. When cool, remove and discard skins.
Combine chia seeds with 1 tablespoon of water and let sit for at least 10 minutes until it forms a gel.
Toast walnuts in a dry pan, stirring constantly until lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
Heat ⅛ cup water in a large pan and water-sauté shallots until slightly softened. Add mushrooms and cook until tender and water has evaporated. Add balsamic vinegar, using it to scrape off any bits from the bottom of pan. Add shredded carrot, parsley, thyme and black pepper and stir to combine. Continue to cook until all liquid is evaporated.
In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until finely chopped; add chia seed gel and continue to process until mixture starts to form a ball. Add mushroom mixture and roasted garlic and puree until smooth.
Pack into several lightly oiled molds or small bowls. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. To serve, loosen edges with a sharp knife and invert onto a plate. Serve with raw veggies.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 251; PROTEIN 8g; CARBOHYDRATES 15g; TOTAL FAT 19.9g; SATURATED FAT 1.9g; SODIUM 21mg; FIBER 4.1g; BETA-CAROTENE 1,474ug; VITAMIN C 12mg; CALCIUM 68mg; IRON 2.2mg; FOLATE 60ug; MAGNESIUM 65mg; ZINC 1.6mg; SELENIUM 10.2ug
» Chef James Rohrbacher
SERVES 8
INGREDIENTS
24 ounces extra firm lite silken tofu, divided
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight
⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon white miso
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
DIRECTIONS
In a food processor, place 18 ounces of the tofu (reserve 1 cup), the cashews (drained), the lemon juice, miso, yeast, and liquid aminos and process until very smooth. Add the remaining tofu and pulse for a few seconds, leaving some texture, similar to fresh goat cheese.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the minced shallot and herbs. Cover and place in a warm spot in your kitchen to “age,” 2 to 4 hours, and then refrigerate.
Makes about 4 cups. Will keep for one week, refrigerated.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 85; PROTEIN 3g; CARBOHYDRATES 9g; TOTAL FAT 4.7g; SATURATED FAT 0.9g; SODIUM 24mg; FIBER 0.3g; BETA-CAROTENE 9ug; VITAMIN C 1mg; CALCIUM 41mg; IRON 1.2mg; FOLATE 18ug; MAGNESIUM 35mg; ZINC 0.7mg; SELENIUM 5.5ug
Great with pesto, guacamole, or hummus.
INGREDIENTS
100% whole-grain tortillas or pita bread
DIRECTIONS
Cut whole-grain tortillas or pitas into small triangles and heat until crisp at a low temperature (250°F) for 15 minutes. One serving is one pita or eight chips.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 65; PROTEIN 3g; CARBOHYDRATES 12g; TOTAL FAT 1g; SATURATED FAT 0.2g; SODIUM 127mg; FIBER 1.7g; CALCIUM 24mg; IRON 0.9mg; FOLATE 31ug; MAGNESIUM 14mg; ZINC 0.3mg; SELENIUM 7.7ug
Can be eaten as a snack or used as a topping for salads or other dishes.
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch kale, tough stems and center ribs removed
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon raw cashew butter
¼ cup water
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 225°F.
Break each kale leaf into two pieces.
Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together. Add kale leaves and massage the mixture into the kale. Spread the kale out on a cookie sheet without overlapping the pieces. Using parchment paper will prevent sticking and make it easier to turn the pieces over.
Bake for 45 minutes or until crispy and dry, tossing occasionally to prevent burning.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 46; PROTEIN 2g; CARBOHYDRATES 6g; TOTAL FAT 2.2g; SATURATED FAT 0.4g; SODIUM 17mg; FIBER 0.9g; BETA-CAROTENE 3,282ug; VITAMIN C 43mg; CALCIUM 52mg; IRON 0.8mg; FOLATE 14ug; MAGNESIUM 24mg; ZINC 0.4mg; SELENIUM 1.1ug
SERVES 8
INGREDIENTS
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced cremini or other mushrooms
3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 cups water
½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
⅛ teaspoon dried sage
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Heat ⅛ cup water in a medium sauté pan, add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté until onions are soft and mushrooms have lost their water. Add the flour, arrowroot powder, nutritional yeast, and aminos. Gradually add the water, stirring constantly. While stirring, bring the gravy to a boil and allow it to thicken. Add vinegar, thyme, sage, and black pepper.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 28; PROTEIN 2g; CARBOHYDRATES 6g; TOTAL FAT 0.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.1mg; SODIUM 99mg; FIBER 0.8g; BETA-CAROTENE 151ug; VITAMIN C 3mg; CALCIUM 11mg; IRON 0.3mg; FOLATE 6ug; MAGNESIUM 8mg; ZINC 0.2mg; SELENIUM 3.5ug
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
1 medium red bell pepper
1 jalapeño pepper
Small amount of olive oil
3 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or packaged in BPA-free cartons
4 unsulfured, unsalted dried tomatoes, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water to cover
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh basil
No-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste, or 1 tablespoon Dr. Fuhrman’s MatoZest
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the broiler. Lightly rub peppers with olive oil. Place peppers on a baking sheet and place on the highest rack in the oven. Brown peppers on all sides, turning as needed. Remove from the oven and place in a tightly sealed container. When peppers are cool, cut in half, remove and discard the skins and seeds, and chop the remaining flesh.
Place the diced tomatoes and dried tomatoes along with soaking water in a blender and puree.
In a medium saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in a few tablespoons of water until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the black pepper, basil, MatoZest or other no-salt seasoning blend, pureed tomatoes, and chopped roasted peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding a little more MatoZest if desired.
Makes 4 cups
PER SERVING: CALORIES 71; PROTEIN 9g; CARBOHYDRATES 16g; TOTAL FAT 0.6g; SATURATED FAT 0.1g; SODIUM 65mg; FIBER 4.1g; BETA-CAROTENE 1,806ug; VITAMIN C 71mg; CALCIUM 37mg; IRON 1.2mg; FOLATE 55ug; MAGNESIUM 36mg; ZINC 0.6mg; SELENIUM 0.5ug
Delicious served with steamed asparagus, brussels sprouts, or cabbage.
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman’s Wild Blueberry Vinegar
¼ teaspoon thyme
½ cup chopped walnuts
DIRECTIONS
Heat 2 tablespoons of water in a skillet and water-sauté shallots and garlic until tender. Add blueberries and cook until soft, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. While cooking, partially break up the blueberries with a spoon.
Stir in vinegar and thyme and simmer until mixture has a saucy consistency, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add chopped walnuts.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 141; PROTEIN 3g; CARBOHYDRATES 12g; TOTAL FAT 10g; SATURATED FAT 0.9g; SODIUM 2mg; FIBER 3.1g; BETA-CAROTENE 25ug; VITAMIN C 3mg; CALCIUM 25mg; IRON 0.8mg; FOLATE 22ug; MAGNESIUM 29mg; ZINC 0.5mg; SELENIUM 0.9ug
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
⅔ cup water
½ cup raw tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon white miso
1 tablespoon finely grated, fresh ginger
2 dates, pitted
1 clove garlic, pressed
Pinch of hot pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS
Blend all the ingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender. Add more water if needed to achieve the desired consistency.
NOTE: Serve with steamed or water-sautéed vegetables. This sauce goes well with bok choy, asparagus, or kale.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 189; PROTEIN 6g; CARBOHYDRATES 13g; TOTAL FAT 14.4g; SATURATED FAT 2g; SODIUM 69mg; FIBER 3.3g; VITAMIN C 4mg; CALCIUM 131mg; IRON 0.9mg; FOLATE 31ug; MAGNESIUM 32mg; ZINC 1.4mg; SELENIUM 0.2ug
» Executive Chef Martin Oswald
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
2 cloves garlic
½ cup walnuts
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
½ cup water
No-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste, or ½ tablespoon Dr. Fuhrman’s VegiZest
½ tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 cups arugula
2 cups spinach
DIRECTIONS
Add the garlic, walnuts, vinegar, water, VegiZest or other no-salt seasoning blend, and nutritional yeast to a high-powered blender and blend at high speed. Turn the blender to low speed and add the arugula and spinach and blend to a chunky consistency.
You can use this pesto as a dip or it can be used to finish soups or any of your favorite dishes.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 84; PROTEIN 2g; CARBOHYDRATES 5g; TOTAL FAT 6.4g; SATURATED FAT 0.6g; SODIUM 16mg; FIBER 1g; BETA-CAROTENE 759ug; VITAMIN C 5mg; CALCIUM 34mg; IRON 0.8mg; FOLATE 35ug; MAGNESIUM 29mg; ZINC 0.4mg; SELENIUM 0.7ug
» Chef James Rohrbacher
This is an all-purpose recipe for pickling juice. It works well with most vegetables and fruits and is enough to cover about ½ pound of whatever you are pickling.
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
1 small hot chili (jalapeño, Serrano, etc.) cut in half and seeded
⅛ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 cups white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar (1 cup of each works well)
1 cup dry white wine
1¼ cups water
DIRECTIONS
Place whatever vegetable or fruit you are pickling in a glass bowl with a lid, along with the halved garlic cloves, the coriander seeds, the halved chili, the peppercorns, and the bay leaf.
Put the vinegar, white wine, and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, pour over your vegetables or fruits in the glass bowl, and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate. Your pickled vegetable or fruit will be ready to eat in 48 hours. Keeps in the refrigerator for three to four weeks.
PER SERVING: CALORIES 95; CARBOHYDRATES 3g; TOTAL FAT 0.1g; SODIUM 13mg; FIBER 0.2g; BETA-CAROTENE 16ug; VITAMIN C 3mg; CALCIUM 22mg; IRON 0.8mg; FOLATE 2ug; MAGNESIUM 8mg; ZINC 0.1mg; SELENIUM 0.3ug