Any of these quick dips would be great on their own. But if you put them together, you have something that’s way more than the sum of its parts. Lentils are a fabulous source of vegan protein. Just 1 cup of cooked lentils has a whopping 18 g of protein. Get ready, set, dip!
Game Day Layered Dip
Ingredients
- Refried lentils
- 2 tsp grapeseed oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 14 oz can lentils, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup water
- Cheeze sauce
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup hot water, plus extra as needed
- 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- Pinch of garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chopped chipotle in adobo sauce
- Guacamole
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp hempseeds
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
- Chunky pico de gallo
- 1 cup multicolored cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 Tbsp diced red onion
- 1 Tbsp finely diced serrano or jalapeño chili, seeds removed if desired
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp sliced black olives
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories280
- protein11g
- fat17g
- carbs25g
- sugar4g
- fiber9g
- sodium338mg
Directions
01
Make the refried lentils: In medium frying pan over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in lentils and water. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Transfer to blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Place in bowl and set aside.
Make the cheeze sauce: Place all cheeze sauce ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Sauce should be thick, yet pourable. If desired, thin sauce with a little extra water. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
Make the guacamole: Combine avocado, lime juice, salt, and hempseeds together in clean blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to bowl and stir in cilantro. Set aside.
Make the chunky pico de gallo: In bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, chili, lime juice, cilantro, and salt until combined. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Assemble the dip: Spread refried lentils in a layer over bottom of large bowl or casserole dish. Top with a layer of cheeze sauce, then guacamole and pico de gallo. Scatter green onion and black olives over top. Serve immediately with your favorite baked tortilla chips or vegetables. Dip may be made up to 1 day ahead, covered, and stored in refrigerator.
Tip: Refried redux
Try the refried lentils as a protein-rich filling for tacos, quesadillas, or burritos.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Arugula Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash, Pomegranate Molasses, and Pine Nuts
Oven-roasted delicata squash makes a crispy treat atop this green salad. As its name suggests, this squash has a thin, delicate skin that’s tasty when cooked. Pomegranate molasses, an ingredient common in Lebanese and Middle-Eastern cuisine, brings a sweet and sour flavour to the dressing. No pine nuts? Use squash seeds! Simply collect about 1/4 cup (60 mL) seeds from cleaned squash, rinse, and mix with 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) of the spice mix used to roast the squash and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) olive oil. Roast at 425 F (220 C) on parchment-lined baking sheet for 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Cardamom and Ginger Scented Farro Breakfast Porridge
Look for whole grain farro, which leaves the germ and bran intact, for this satisfying porridge that’s sure to kickstart your day. While the cooking time is longer than for pearled or semi-pearled varieties, you’ll get more nutrition. Take the time to enjoy the delicate scent of cardamom and ginger wafting through your kitchen as you prepare this. Ancient grain Farro (also referred to as emmer or einkorn) is a variety of wheat known as an ancient grain, which means that it hasn’t changed over time through breeding as is the case with many varieties of modern wheat.
Chocolate and Orange Chickpea Pudding
Spanish-inspired flavours of almond and orange and a good punch of protein make this pudding a delicious and nutritious breakfast, snack, or dessert. The tiniest amount of large-flake sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil help bring all the flavours together. Amp up the orange For some additional orange flavour, when cooking chickpeas from dry, add a few strips of orange zest to the cooking water. Tastier toast Take your toast to the next level by using this pudding as a satisfying spread.
Sorghum Tabbouleh with Kale and Navy Beans
Breaking with tradition, think of this as a guise of tabbouleh salad with staying power, thanks to the addition of hearty sorghum and fibre-rich navy beans. It also ages fairly well, so it serves as a make-ahead meal that can keep for up to 3 days. A perfect plant-based option for weekday lunches.