Category Archives: 4 Dips & Dressings

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing
Makes 3/4 cups
(family size recipe below)

Simply Blend all ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 pinches of both salt and pepper
1/2 tsp of honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

This recipe was inspired by gratitude for my abundant lime tree

Family Size
Makes 1.5 cups

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 T freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 tsp of salt and pepper
1 tsp maple syrup or honey
1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

Sunflower Seed Red Pepper Hummus {Raw}

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Raw Sunflower Seed Red Pepper Hummus

The perfect dip to switch up the classic chickpea hummus, plus it raw! Enjoy with veggie sticks, raw crackers, in wrap or add it to greek night!

Fully Raw Vegan Greek Night Served at Farm of Life featuring tabouli, greek salad, heart of palm “feta” cheese, olives, kraut and of course…the hummus!

Add all ingredients in blender or food processor
2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked for 1 hour
2 garlic cloves
2 red peppers
1 Tbsp lemon juice / or Apple Cider Vinegar
handful parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup water

Olive & Fig Tapenade

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Olive & Fig Tapenade

Try this recipe for your next Italian inspired dinner! Make some extra and bring it in your lunch. Tastes great with your favourite crackers, pita bread, veggie sticks, or as in the photo, with homemade sunflower seed paleo bread!

Ingredients

1.5 cups pitted kalamata olives

6 large dried figs, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

2 small garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup packed mint leaves

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

Method

In a food processor, pulse the olives, figs, capers, garlic, mint, and olive oil until the tapenade is thick and somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the tapenade to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Makes 1.5 cups

Goin Seasonal Week 5: Zucchini Bruschetta {no bread!} + raw hummus

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You won’t miss the bread in zucchini bruschetta! Fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of cheese sits atop the roasted zucchini. Skip the bread for this one!

Last year, I had the honour of being a part of the Dare 2 Dream Sandy Loam Produce first ever Community Support Agriculture (CSA) program in Espanola, Ontario. On a weekly basis, CSA members as well as those of you signed up for the Holistic Lacey newsletter received a flyer filled with delicious recipes, tips and nutritional facts. I have decided to share this deliciousness to inspire, educate and encourage everyone to enjoy eating locally and seasonally, and to feel the difference for yourself.

Week 5: Zucchini

Zucchini Bruschetta + Raw Zucchini Hummus …

Get The Recipes!

Avocado Lover’s Pesto {family size} {oil-free}

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Summer sunshine and warm days are here. You’ll want to add this simple pesto to your weekly repertoire, especially if you 1) love avocados, 2) have a lot of ripe ones on hand or 3) are looking for ways to include more healthy fats into your diet. Enjoy with veggie sticks, raw crackers, on pasta (cooked brown rice pasta or raw, spiralized zucchini noodles), on toast with your favourite sandwich or with corn chips.

I created this recipe for a food demo I offered at Farm of Life in April, and guests were so surprised that there was no oil! I usually add oil to my pestos but with a lot of avocados to use, I had an idea to completely replace the oil with the avos. This pesto is rich, yet still light, creamy and fluffy. Add as much or as little garlic as you like. You can also add a handful or fresh greens like spinach or kale for extra leafy green action!

What you’ll need:

4 avocados

2 bunches of basil

1 cup walnuts or nuts of choice like macadamia, pecans, brazil nuts, cashews

1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

4-6 medium garlic cloves

1 tsp Himalayan pink salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 – 1/2 cup water, to reach desired consistency

1 cup spinach (optional)

In a food processor, add all ingredients, except water and spinach and pulse until well combined. Slowly add water until you reach your desired consistency. Pulse in spinach and combine until smooth or leave slightly chunky. Store in an airtight container or sealed mason jar and refrigerate. Pesto is best if used within a few days, otherwise you can freeze it for several months.

Trusting this will bring a smile to your face and warm your heart!

Sunny Pecan Dill Dip {Raw}

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Vibrant Green Pea Dip {Raw}

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If you’d like to practice patience and shell the snap peas, this dip is worth trying.

This dip is very light yet creamy and delicious with veggies or crackers. You can also experiment with adding 1⁄2 a cup of almonds, hemp seeds, or pistachios for an even creamier dip which will keep you fuller longer!

photo by pamelasalzman.com

Ingredients

3 cups fresh green peas, shelled
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1⁄2 cup water
1⁄2 fresh herbs, mint or parsley is my favourite 1⁄4 tsp of sea salt
1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup nuts or seeds (optional)
Fresh ginger root, grated (optional)

Instructions

If using nuts or seeds, place in food processor and pulse into small pieces. Add peas, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, salt, and 1⁄4 cup of water. Process all ingredients and continuously add remaining water and oil until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste, adding more herbs, salt or ginger root, if desired.

Arugula, Walnut and Garlic Scape Pesto

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Garlic What ???

Down Memory Lane…

I still remember the first time I saw these beautiful wispy spirals that began to grow out from my garlic plants, planted the previous fall. I immediately did some research to learn more and was amazed (and excited!) about what I could do with them in the kitchen. I will also never forget the moment I harvested it and ate it raw…weooo…hello garlic!

“Garlic scapes are the “flower stalks” of hardneck garlic plants, although they do not produce flowers. These stalks start to appear a month or so after the first leaves. They are usually cut off of the plant, since leaving them on only diverts the plant’s strength away from forming a plump bulb.” (source: gardening.about.com)”

Three years ago, I found a recipe that I loved and stuck to it. I was making garlic scape pesto as often as I could. I also preserved some in the freezer by using a food processor for making pestos later on in the summer or fall. Scapes are typically available in the early parts of the season.

Although I do love the pungency of garlic cloves, it is a nice change to enjoy a more mild, almost sweet, flavor. This can be ideal for anyone looking for a more subtle flavor or who doesn’t enjoy (or cannot digest) raw garlic.

This year, I had so many scapes that it was time to get creative! My favorite recipes is still a scape and walnut and with veggies, crackers or a nice homemade bread. But I am also enjoying grilling the scapes on the BBQ, adding them to a bottle of extra virgin olive oil for a homemade infused garlic oil, as well as cooking with them; adding to hummus, soups or stir frys, instead of garlic cloves.

If you really love garlic, or feel your immune system getting low, you may even just bite directly into the scape!

For your Health….scapes can

oxygenate blood
Reduce inflammation
Boosts immunity; high in antioxidant glutathione
lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels
garlic scapes, like cloves, and other alliums are known for their anti cancer qualities
rich in sulfur; important for health and strength of hair, nails, skin and important for synthesis of amino acids.

Recipe

Easy as 1,2, 3!

Once you learn the proportions for pesto, no need to use a recipe. The nuts, herbs and greens are always interchangeable. Walnuts, almonds and pistachios make a really creamy and rich pesto. For something lighter, try sunflower or pumpkin seeds. For the greens play with kale, spinach or arugula and try herbs like parsley, basil or cilantro.

Arugula, Walnut & Garlic Scape Pesto

2 c garlic scapes, cut into bits & the flower head discarded

1 – 2 cups arugula (spinach, kale, chard OR fresh herb of choice)

1/2 c walnuts, or nuts/seeds of choice

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese (optional, try adding nutritional yeast for a dairy free option)

1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon (or more)

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 t cayenne (optional)

Combine the garlic scapes, arugula, walnuts, cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times. Let the machine run and slowly pour in half the amount of oil along with the lemon juice, salt and cayenne. Slowly add the remaining oil until you’ve reached a good consistency. Store in a lidded jar in the fridge for a week or freeze in small jars.

Enjoy!

Almond Basil Pesto {for vegans & cheese lovers alike}

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Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil
⅔ cups almonds (toasted or natural)
½ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
¼ cup water
⅓ cup nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese (optional)
a handful of spinach (optional)

Instructions
In a food processor, pulse the whole almonds and garlic cloves until all are ground well. Add basil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil and pulse together until well incorporated, but don’t over mix. Add optional Parmesan and or spinach. Taste for seasoning. Add additional olive oil if needed.

Creamy Sunflower Seed Dip

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I absolutely love this dip for so many reasons. It’s so easy since all you have to do is throw all the ingredients into a food processor. The dip is so creamy and makes you feel as though you are indulging in your favorite ranch and cream cheese dip..minus the dairy.

This dip is raw so it contains all the enzymes needed for digestion. It’s an easy way to include more raw food into the diet and to switch up the hummus dip typically served with veggies.

I love to eat this dip with flaxseed Foccacia, a recipe and new favorite I learned about from Healthful Pursuit’s “The Keto Beginning.”

Why was this dip included in the detox?

Raw sunflower seeds are a rich source of Vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps the body fight off oxidative stress and free radicals. They also contain tryptophan, an enzyme that produces serotonin and relieves tension and promotes relaxation.

It contains fresh lemon juice which is very important when it comes to detoxing and alkalizing the body, and so are fresh herbs (especially parsley!)

Garlic is an important anti-bacterial which helps to strengthen the immune system, fight off infection as well as delivers important minerals like selenium and manganese…among many other health benefits.

Creamy Sunflower Seed Dip

Makes 2 cups

1 1/2 C raw sunflower seeds (soaked for at least 3 hours)

1/2 lemon, juiced

3/4 C water

1 tbsp fresh dill

1/3 C fresh basil mint

1/3 C fresh parsley

1 green onion (for garnish)

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 C cold pressed olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS : Put all ingredients except the olive oil in a vitamix or high powered blender.

Once the blender is running drizzle the olive oil through the opening in the lid and process until smooth. You may need to stop the blender to scrape down some of the sunflower seeds from the sides. Do that and then just run the blender for another few seconds. Refrigerate the dip for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Post your comments below once you try it!