Food:

Roasted Garlic White Bean Dip

2 c. cooked navy beans

2 heads of roasted garlic (To roast: Cut just very top of a whole garlic clove to expose the raw garlic, drizzle with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Wrap the bulbs in tin foil and roast 45 min @375 degrees. When the garlic has cooled squeeze out the roasted cloves and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.)

1/2c. olive oil

1/2c. fresh parsley leaves

1 organic lemon, zested and juiced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place the beans, garlic, lemon zest and juice, parsley and salt and pepper in the food processor. Pulse until blended.

2. Drizzle in the olive oil. Stop, scrape down sides and blend again until smooth. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed.

3. Refrigerate for a least an hour before serving. Serve with raw veggies.

Nutrition:

Beans:– Legumes, Beans – Basic Cooking Instructions* 1 c. dried beans of choice (yields 2 1/4c. cooked beans) water Thumb-size piece kombu (Sea vegetable that is used to infuse foods with highly alkalizing minerals, iodine and iron. Also known for its ability to tenderize legumes and reduce their gaseous properties.) Pinch of salt

1. Sort through dry legumes and remove any dirt chunks and pebbles. 2. Place legumes in pot with 3 c. water and soak overnight. 3. Drain, rinse, and return to pot with 3 c. fresh water. 4. Cover pot, bring to boil, skim off foam and reduce heat and simmer. Add kombu and salt. 5. Cover and cook until beans are tender (anywhere from 50 min- just over an hour). Test by removing a bean and squeeze between fingers. 6. Drain remaining liquid and store cooked legumes in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

* Canned beans are just fine when you are in a pinch, but making your own is so easy and better for you, and essential for an eating for health lifestyle. Check out this past post about the benefits of beans.

Parsley: High concentration of antioxidants, a blood builder and purifier. It makes a wonderful tea and helps to release retained water from the body.

Garlic: Lowers blood pressure and blood cholesterol, discourages dangerous blood clotting. A good cold medication, it acts as a decongestant, expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent. Boosts immune responses.

Love:

I love beans, they are a huge of my diet and I am always looking for ways to work them into my daily menu. I accidentally bought navy beans when I thought I was buying great northern white beans. Oh well! Find something to do with them!- that’s how this recipe came to be. This dip is so easy, super big on flavor and goes great with carrot sticks. I served it as an afternoon snack with our lunches this week but I would totally take this dip to a party. Enjoy!

Check out this other great dip- Parmesan, Arugula Cottage Cheese Dip