The category for "dips and spreads"

Category for dips and spreads

Cranberry Cherry Relish

Posted on November 15, 2012

I’ve had cranberry sauce on my mind. So I researched cranberry sauce recipes, and found that most have anywhere from ¼ to 1 ¾ cups of sugar. I like a tart cranberry sauce, one that almost makes my mouth pucker, so I developed this stevia and fruit-sweetened cranberry sauce. While it’s nicely tart, the cherries

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Beet Maror

Posted on March 30, 2010

Making maror for your Passover Seder is a cinch (even though it can be just a tad dangerous). Let me explain… While DIY maror is a lot of fun, be sure to proceed with caution. I make my maror in the food processor; danger can arise when you open the lid and the trapped horseradish

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Beet Hummus

Posted on March 5, 2010

This beet hummus recipe comes from Elise over at simplyrecipes.com. She is one of my favorite bloggers and I was lucky enough to hear her speak at the last Blogher Food conference. I myself, would not have ever thought of combining beets into a hummus type dip, so, leave it to Elise. She is the

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Vanilla Almond Butter

Posted on January 22, 2010

The creation of this delicious, homemade vanilla almond butter is hardly my own. One of my favorite readers, Courtney, over at benefityourlife.com, gave me several amazing presents during the holidays and one was a bottle of super tasty vanilla almond butter from the lovely Katie Kearney over at naturallynutty.com. Yum! This is a great product, and

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Marcona Almond Mayonnaise

Posted on January 8, 2010

This vegan mayonnaise has quickly become a family favorite. I based the idea on a recipe I found in an old issue of Martha Stewart Living. I happened upon an interesting recipe for a peanut salad dressing, made several adaptations until I ended up (somewhat accidentally) with this scrumptious gluten free, egg-free vegan mayo which

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Creamy “Ricotta” Dip

Posted on August 14, 2009

Last night I made this delicious vegan “ricotta” dip for my parents who are in town visiting us. The boys and I are having a blast with them, though I am having an especially great time, since I have extra mouths to feed, which means more guinea pigs to test my creations! Luckily, the parents

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Easy Avocado Dip

Posted on August 8, 2009

This is a super easy avocado dip that you can whip up in mere minutes. There is no chopping (of herbs) required, because it is made with spice. When I don’t have a lot of time to make dinner, this is a go to dish. I get one of the boys to do the avocado

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Sesame Dip

Posted on April 21, 2009

Garnish this Sesame Dip starter with pieces of carrot and celery for dipping and you have an instantly satisfying salty and crunchy snack. This dip is a hit at parties and was enjoyed at our Passover Seder (thinned out with a bit of water and) served over roasted asparagus. It’s quite versatile and makes a

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Quick and Easy Gourmet Garlic Oil

Posted on March 13, 2009

Garlic oil? Made in mere minutes? Why yes. This quick and easy gluten free oil recipe can add sophisticated flavor to vegetables, fish or chicken. I’m especially enjoying feeding it to my family during cold season since garlic is a great natural anti-biotic and immune booster. Don’t let the health benefits fool you though, this

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Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Posted on March 3, 2009

Just the week before last, my favorite food writer from the LA Times came up with a brilliant recipe for homemade Nutella. I haven’t had Nutella since I was a student traveling in Europe decades ago with a EuroRail pass, sleeping in youth hostels. Back then we used to eat the chocolate stuff for breakfast.

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Savory Avocado Spread

Posted on January 6, 2009

Last night my friend Deb and I discussed our ideas and hopes for the new year and the incoming president. Deb said she is moved to become a public school teacher. I shared with her that I would like to set up a gardening business for young people. I think it would be great fun

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Vanilla Plum Jam

Posted on September 16, 2008

As fall approaches, my attention is shifting to our fruit trees. A few years back we planted a peach and two apple trees along the perimeter of our packed yard; they are now bursting with fruit, as is our dwarf plum. While we eat the peaches and apples straight off the trees, each fall we

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Horseradish: Make Your Own Maror

Posted on April 6, 2008

As part of the Passover Seder, we eat a bitter herb, to remind us of the bitter times our people have faced. Many use horseradish for this ritual. I grew up eating Manischewitz brand ground horseradish from a jar at our Seders, with no concept whatsoever of where this pungent herb came from. In fact,

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Charoset

Posted on April 2, 2008

Charoset is one of my favorite Passover foods. During the Seder, this sweet, fruity dish holds a special, symbolic place, reminding us of the mortar which the Jews used to bond bricks while enslaved in Egypt. European Jews (Ashkenazi) traditionally use nuts, apples, cinnamon and sweet wine for this dish. Jews of Middle Eastern descent

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Gomasio

Posted on April 20, 2007

Gomasio is healthy, tasty and easy enough for a child to make. One of my favorite gluten free condiments, Gomasio is made of sesame seeds, a healthy food, high in protein and fiber. This nutritious Asian sesame seed condiment is also full of calcium and super tasty. In the photo above, my older son is

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Apricot Butter

Posted on December 10, 2006

My kids were hankering for something sweet the other day. So, I made this delicious sweet apricot butter recipe. It’s not a jam – it’s real butter with dried fruit pureed into it. Great on warm toast. It is one of my younger son’s favorite gluten free snacks. Apricot Butter ½ cup dried apricots ½

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