Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip - fear not the dreaded tofu
for my first recipe post, i'm going to make it relevant, and really fun. this coming weekend is the super bowl, and one thing the packers and the steelers (they're the ones playing right?) could agree on is how freakin' delicious this dip is. was that too corny? served warm with whole wheat/grain pita chips, it's a crowd-pleasing snack that's gooey and rich, with a little spicy kick. I also like to spread some on a multigrain Wasa cracker as a snack.
ingredients:
-1/2 yellow onion (average size, don't sweat the exact measurement)
-14oz canned artichoke hearts (quartered, drained)
-12oz frozen spinach (thawed, drained, squeezed dry)
-1tbsp olive oil
-12.3oz firm silken tofu (1 package - available at whole foods or most grocery stores - just ask someone)
-1/2cup "vegan grated topping" (galaxy brand - tastes just like parmesan, available at whole foods - in italian aisle with pasta sauces usually - i go with the one in purple can, though there's also a rice one in a blue can)
-2-3 garlic cloves (they vary a little in size and 3 tend to yield a strong garlic flavor, think about your taste)
-2tbsp apple cider vinegar (if you don't have it, lemon juice works well also)
-1tsp dried basil or oregano (either one works, so use whichever you have)
-1/4tsp cayenne pepper (don't buy it just for this, you could also increase the black pepper a little instead)
-1/2tsp salt (the vegan grated topping lends a salty flavor already so i'm, conservative here, you can always taste it and add more later)
-1/2tsp black pepper (preferably fresh cracked, but i'm no snob)
-optional: 1/2 cup daiya brand vegan mozzarella cheese (also available at whole foods in cheese alternative section, comes in bags, shredded - best tasting cheese substitute, but does add a significant amount of fat, though not saturated)
what to do:
1. get everything out and ready (drained, thawed) and this will go pretty darn quickly
2. preheat your oven to 350F
3. dice your onion and start that sauteing in a pan in that tbsp of olive oil over a medium heat - you don't want them browning, you want them getting translucent - should only take about 3 mins.
4. add spinach and artichokes to translucent onion - let them mingle and saute for about 7-10 mins, stirring occasionally so the stuff on the bottom doesn't brown and so the artichokes break up a little
5. put the tofu, vegan grated topping, garlic, vinegar or lemon juice and seasonings in your food processor - haven't tried it, but a blender would likely work too. blend the mix until it is smooth (the grated topping will stay grainy but the tofu will get to a pudding consistency) taste this mix and see what you think about the salt/pepper. keep in mind the garlic is still raw at this point - it might be offensive.
6. mix the tofu and artichoke/onion/spinach in a bowl
7. empty this deliciousness in a medium-ish baking dish (yeah i said medium-ish, i used a 6x9 inch i think, but a deep enough pie round would work - please don't run out to buy an exact size...unless you don't have ANY)
8. if using the daiya, sprinkle this on top evenly
9. cover with foil, bake for about 25 minutes
10. eat the heck out of this with whole wheat pita chips or toasted whole wheat baguette slices
hints:
-tragically, people are closed minded. i suggest you just make this and serve it, then once everyone's thoroughly enjoying it, you can tell people it's low fat, high in heart healthy soy protein and predominantly TOFU!! if you tell them first, you'll likely get the stink face and people not so demurely declining to even try it. dummies.
-this dip is thick, so it needs a sturdy scooping device - it's really easy to make pita chips/toasted baguettes at home! cut the pita in triangles (I separate the pocket sides so it's 1 ply), or slice your baguette in 1/3 inch thick rounds, lay them out on a baking sheet, quick spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with some salt/pepper and bake for about 10 mins at 325F - flip the baguettes halfway through - the pita doesn't even need it - though keep an eye on the pita, it burns quickly because it's thin! now you've controlled the fat and salt by simply crop dusting with the cooking spray and sparingly using salt - after all, you're dipping with them, they don't need much flavor. you also saved $$$ since a bag of the average pita chip costs $5 and a baguette or bag of whole wheat pitas at Trader Joe's is about $1.99. Booya.
-you can prep this the day before, do everything through step 8 then cover with foil and refrigerate overnight - pull it back out when you want it and bake per instructions, just up it to 30 mins.
-if you are really uncomfortable with the vegan grated topping and the daiya cheese, you can use regular
parmesan and low fat shredded mozzarella, though i entered both recipes in for nutritional info and the vegan version is lower in calories, fat and saturated fat - so take that!
nutritional facts:
this recipe yields around 4-4 1/2 cups of dip, i'm calling 1/2cup a serving, so per serving (vegan, with daiya):
-calories: 126
-fat: 4.4g
saturated fat: .9g
trans fat: 0g
cholesterol: 0mg
sodium: 596mg
carbohydrates: 10.7g
fiber: 1.9g
sugar: 2g
protein: 8.4g
vitamin A: 33% viamtin C: 6% calcium: 14% iron: 8%
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