White Bean Dip

White bean dip is all the rage right now, and can have infinite mix in possibilities.  Some that I have found seem to have quite a bit of oil in it to  make it smoother, but I want to avoid that as much as possible.  I have found that this dip is getting me to eat more of my veggies and since I am avoiding my kryptonite of crackers (drool) this is a good thing (my work pants are getting just a little too snug).

So, yes, you may notice that some of those beans don't look like they're all white, and nope, they are not, it's a mix of small white beans and black eyed peas (which always gets My Humps stuck in my head, and now hopefully you share my pain).  This is another case of cleaning out the cupboard and using what I have and being less wasteful.  I have a bad habit of buying things on sale and putting them in the cupboard or fridge and forgetting about them until I wonder where the heck they all came from and why I cant stuff anything else in there (like when I am putting on those pants . . . ).

 

So true to form, I decided to make some modifications and they turned out delicious!  beans are so easy and can easily be neglected and still be fine.  I love food that I can say, "meh, I'll get to it in a day or so . . ."   

 

Yes, my "breakfast" nook is messy. No, I didn't get a picture of it all made up, it made a lot and I pigged out on it!

 

As I often do, I have hints and tips: 

1. Do not neglect soaking the beans . . . this is the DE-GASSING and I do it for about 24 hours before I get back to it. I'm sure that there is a ton of info about this.  You're on the internet, look it up, but me, I'm lazy right now . . . 
2. Drain the soaking liquid and use new water to cook in.
3. Instructions vary, saying cook for 1 to 2 hours depending on desired softness.  Simmer them beans for 2 hours to get them nice and soft for this dip.

I know, it's like geeze, these look like they are going to take FOREVER!  But look, pour the beans in a pot and pour water over them and walk away for 8 to 24 hours.  Do nothing else to them . . .  FOR UP TO A DAY!  Then cook for 2 hours with little to no attention needed.  See how easy!

 

PS you need a food processor for this.

White Bean Dip

1 c white beans

2 large cloves garlic

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 c plain Greek yogurt

1/2 tsp hot smoked paprika

1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

2 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

 

Soak and cook your beans as directed, drain and set aside to cool.

 

With the chopping blade running, drop in 2 cloves of garlic until they are splattered around the edges and not being chopped anymore.  Scrape down the sides and add in the beans and olive oil and puree until well blended and the beans are paste like. 

 

Add in the yogurt and all of the herbs and spices, blend until smooth, this takes a bit and because of the skins on the beans it will not ever be FULLY smooth.  

 

Dip stuff in it, or eat it by the spoonful, you wont regret it!

 

 

 

 

 

The Garden . . .

 

Is coming along nicely!

 

I've planted seven (7!) different tomato plants, because I cannot get enough of them.  I'll eat them morning, noon, and night.  In eggs, in pasta, in quiche, grilled with olive oil and salt, or just a plain old tomato salad with some herb and vinaigrette.  These I picked because of the name, "Bloody Butcher," and are the first to get ripe, even before the "Early Girl" (which are taking their own sweet time).

 

Cauliflower is just starting to come out and the broccoli has been being harvested for the last couple of weeks thanks to the early warm weather we had this year.  12 plants total, six were given to me, with a chuckle, by my (fantastic) mother when her boss said that someone had given him a bunch of cucumber plant.  Um, yeah, does that look like a cuke to you?  I hear that the only thing he grows in the way of edibles is mint for mojitos. 

 

I think I might put in mint next year. . .

 

I put in two types of onions, Walla Walla Sweets and Red Torpedo  My first time for growing onions ever, but I heard they were easy and they definitely are shaping up to be.  Thing is that I should have just stuck with the one pack, not realizing that each pack contained about 100 onion starts.  Nope, not kidding, so I planted half and gave the other half away to a fellow gardening friend.  The red ones are already saying that they are done, but they are MUCH tinier than they should be.  The Sweet are going strong.

Tomatillos have taken over!  This plant is over 5 feet high and about that big around.  It lifted its cage right out of the ground so it is now tied up to the fence. And a rhododendron. And the cage. Ridiculousness!

 

For herbs, I have my faves in.  Cilantro, dill, chives, basil, sage (goes well with the onions!).  DROOL!

 

Of the five different peppers, this one is Czech Black, but there is Thai, Hungarian, Jalapeno and something else that will be a surprise because the tag has gone missing!  Possibly a banana pepper?

 

Just starting to get big are the eggplants, butternut squash, and pole beans.  Soon, I'll seed more peas for late summer and the next round of herbs. Can't wait!

I would say that was it but the peas dies very early after yielding a whole five pods (too little water?), the zucchini seems to be rotting on the ground (too much water maybe?), and the squirrels ate the strawberries.  Who knew?  I now try to glare them down, but I have stuff to do and can't just sit there and protect the garden . . . but that would beat working!