Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Up until now, I imagine that you have been enjoying my carnilicious dishes in the privacy of your own home. Perhaps you have boldly passed on some of the recipes to your friends. Or perhaps, you have been secretly relishing each tasty morsel and have decided to give the whole vegan thing a go. Then you get a phone call inviting you to a pot-luck supper. With a shaking hand you put down the receiver and ask yourself, “What dish am I going to bring? I can’t bring tofu. Everyone will know I went vegan. I don’t want to turn back to the meaty dark side. But I don’t want anyone to laugh at me because it makes me cry on the inside.”
Have no fear my young vegan Jedi. As Luke Skywalker explains in The Empire Strikes Back, “Yoda! I am ready. I…Ben! I can be a Jedi. Ben, tell him I’m ready.” And unlike Yoda who retorts, “Ready, are you? What know you of ready?” I can see the force is strong in you and I believe you are ready. Ready to go out into the world armed with a delicious vegan dish that anyone can and will enjoy. No light saber is required, just a few pantry items and some spinach and artichokes.
And while I agree with Ben Kenobi who states, “This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the dark side of the force,” I firmly believe the sage words of Yoda who says, “Mind what you have learned. Save you it can.” You see the trick to staying vegan in a world of carnivores is to rely on your training. Using the recipes and making simple ingredient substitutions can prevent you from turning back to the meaty dark side.
Now, I know I said I wouldn’t preach about the horrors of eating animal products. So, I apologize for referring to it as the “meaty dark side.” But how cool would it be to become a Jedi Knight? And how much cooler it would be to become a Vegan Jedi Knight? You can decide for yourself. Meanwhile, fire up your X-Wing Fighter, blast off from Dagobah, and head to the pot-luck with my vegan version of SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP. I promise even Darth Vader would be a convert after getting a taste of this one.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Vegetable Broth
- ½ Cup White Wine
- 2 Tbs. Onion (diced)
- 2 Tbs. Celery (diced)
- 2 Tbs. Carrot (diced)
- 1 15oz. Can of Cannellini Beans (rinsed and drained)
- 4 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
- 6 oz. Baby Spinach
- 1 15oz. Can of Artichoke Hearts (chopped)
- 2 Tbs. Nutritional Yeast
- 2 Tbs. Rice Parmesan Cheese (divided use)
- 1 Tsp. Dried Thyme
- ¼ Cup Vegan Mayonnaise
- ¼ Cup Rice Milk
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Let’s begin your training with the task of boiling water. I know it sounds simple but “crawl you must before run you can” my young student (like my Yoda impersonation?). Fill a large saucepan with water and place it over high heat and bring it to a boil. While the water boils, in a separate saucepan, add your onions, carrots, celery and a ½ cup of the vegetable broth. Bring this mix to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add in your garlic, beans, remaining broth, and wine and simmer until most of the liquid is gone (about 8-10 minutes).
By now the first pot water is boiling, so add your baby spinach to the water. Cook the spinach until it wilts (about 1-2 minutes). Pour out the water and spinach into a sieve and allow the greens to drain and cool. You can run cold water over the spinach to speed up this process. Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze the excess water out of the leaves with your hands. Then, using your light saber or a sharp knife, roughly chop the spinach and artichoke hearts and place them in a mixing bowl.
Take your bean mixture and puree it in a food processor. Add this puree to the mixing bowl along with the nutritional yeast, one tablespoon of the rice parmesan, thyme, mayonnaise, and rice milk. Mix everything together until well combined and season with salt and pepper. You can also add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper if you want to spice things up a bit. Otherwise, place everything in an oven proof dish, sprinkle with remaining parmesan, and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until browned on the top (about 20 minutes).
http://www.grassfedcarnivore.com/spinach-artichoke-dip/
The Main Ingredients
Chips and Dip
Remove from the oven and serve with good thick and hearty chips. I use pita chips but thick-cut tortilla chips work just as well. Now as you head out the door to your pot-luck supper, take a quick look back over your shoulder. You just might see the ghostly figures of Ben Kenobi and Yoda nodding in agreement that you are well on your way to becoming a real vegan Jedi Knight. But, leave the light saber at home because your training is not yet finished. You still have to face your father and the Emperor first. Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
Ok, so this was awesome! I tried it today and what stood out for me was the lightness – no heavy cream. Delicious and creative. Thank you Bob!