balanced babe
One of my recent favorite healthy recipes that I will be making for the new year is my vegan Zucchini dip. It is chock full of healthy vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C and manganese and the tofu, cashew blend
provides the cheesy flavor sans dairy:
Vegan Zucchini Dip:
1 box of silken tofu
1 ½ cups of raw cashews
¾ cup nutritional yeast
3 medium zucchinis
1 white onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
salt and pepper to season
Instructions:
Soak cashews in water for 3 hours
Drain cashews and blend in a food processor or blender for 2 minutes, add the box of tofu and nutritional yeast and blend for another 5 minutes
In a sauteing pan, add the coconut oil, onions (diced) and garlic cloves (diced)and saute for five minutes until translucent
Chop the zucchini and add to the sauteing pan and cook for five minutes
Fold in the vegan cheese blend and cook until all ingredients are well mixed
Add the seasonings and saute for a final five minutes
Place on a serving dish and enjoy with pita chips or naan bread
Remember that when you are using "fat" alternatives, the baking time will probably be decreased. So check at least ten minutes before the suggested time is up to keep from overbaking or over cooking.
Here are some other great substitutions to help you cut down on fats and keep your heart healthy:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/SmartSubstitutions_UCM_