Dips, Spreads, Other Useful Items

Toppings.  Dips.  Sandwich Filler.  Sidecars.  The lifeblood of veganinity.  The bane of my existence when the only lunch option is hommos on bread since then it's probably gluten-contaminated.  Watch for dairy in prepared hommos.  Sentence fragments rock.  P'raps I've been influenced by fragment-speaking Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games.

Pumpkin Pie Dip/Butter

16 ounces plain pumpkin puree

1 cup raw sliced almonds, soaked overnight

1/2 cup pitted dates, soaked overnight

1 teaspoon apple or pumpkin pie spice (or a combination cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, ginger—a few or all of the above)

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Drain the dates and almonds.  In a blender or food processor, process all ingredients until smooth.  If you have a weak or small machine, process the nuts and dates separately with a little water, then stir the ingredients together in a large bowl.  Store in the refrigerator.

Walnut Butter

2 cups walnuts

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

Place walnuts on a baking sheet covered with foil or parchment.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the walnuts inside immediately.  By the time the oven is preheated, the walnuts should be toasted (maximum time it should take is 15 minutes, but check on them at 8 minutes).  Place toasted walnuts in a blender or food processor.  Process until granular, then add the oil and process until smooth.  Scrape into a jar and store in the refrigerator.

Pink hommos.  I imagine a young girl might like some pink hommos for lunch.  My artist child delights in it.

2 16-ounce cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed

juice and zest of 1 small lemon

1-2 cloves garlic (I used roasted garlic)

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup water

Place all ingredients in a blender and let ’er rip.

My hommos recipes are generally thus.

Q's Standard Hommos

2 16-ounce cans of beans, rinsed and drained

1 clove garlic, roasted or raw

juice and zest of 1 lemon or 2 tablespoons vinegar (apple cider, rice, red or white wine, balsamic, white, you get the picture)

up to 2 teaspoons various spices

1/4 cup tahini (or peanut butter or a cup of soaked or roasted nuts)

optional: 1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup or so of water to make it go in the Vitamix or less in a food processor

Blitz it to desired chunkiness or creaminess in the machine of your choice.  The Vitamix tamper is a big help here.