Vegan French Onion Dip with Dill {Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly} is a healthy, whole food version of the classic appetizer/snack recipe perfect to take and share at any of your summer gatherings.

Who’s excited that it is Memorial Day weekend? Do you have big plans or just relaxing at home? The hubs is working (like always) so there will be no beach or lake for us this holiday weekend. That’s okay though, we will try to make the best of it and fire up the grill over at my parent’s house.

The boys have been on a french onion dip and chips kick recently so I decided to try to make a healthier, whole foods version for them. I came up this Vegan French Onion Dip that is also gluten free and paleo friendly. I am pairing my vegan french onion dip with a much healthier chip too, Jackson’s Honest Purple Heirloom Potato Chips!

What I love about these purple beauties is that they are made with only 3 ingredients: Non-GMO Project Verified domestic potatoes, organic coconut oil and sea salt! Really…that’s it! And another added bonus is that the purple heirloom potatoes have four times the antioxidants as white potatoes! I can feel so good about serving them to my family!

I decided to keep the ingredients for my Vegan French Onion Dip simple and clean to match theJackson’s Honest Purple Heirloom Potato Chips

The sweet Vidalia onions getting tender and caramelized in coconut oil – YUM Keep that heat low to cook them nice and slow to develop that deep caramel color! Did you know that coconut oil is nature’s most saturated fat? It is actually the most nutritionally stable plant-based oil on earth! AND coconut oil is an ancestral superfood that has been consumed for 4000+ years!!

You might not think that avocado would work in a vegan french onion dip recipe (and I was skeptical at first too), but it really does! The avocado gives the dip a nice creamy consistency without having to use any dairy, keeping this dip vegan.

Dill and lemon keep the dip fresh and bright!

The subtle green color of this vegan french onion dip pairs beautifully with the bright, vibrant purple of the Jackson’s Honest Chips, don’t you think? Not only will this dish be a healthful addition to your Memorial Day celebrations but a yummy and pretty one too

Here is your recipe for Vegan French Onion Dip with Dill {Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}:

4.7 from 6 reviews

Vegan French Onion Dip with Dill

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Becky's Best Bites

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 2 large sweet onions (Vidalia), sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• ¼ cup vegetable broth (as needed)
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 avocado
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• 1 tbsp. fresh dill, minced

Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Once hot and oil is melted, add sliced onions and garlic to the pan. Stir to coat the garlic and onions evenly with coconut oil.
3. Cook, stirring frequently, for 30-40 minutes or until the onions have caramelized. Add vegetable broth as needed during the cooking process to ensure that the onions don't get too dry.
4. Once the onions have caramelized, add salt and pepper and apple cider vinegar to the pan. Stir to combine and cook for a minute or two longer.
5. Remove from heat and let onions cool.
6. Add onions to the bowl of a food processor.
7. Add avocado, lemon juice and zest and dill to food processor.
8. Process until smooth and creamy.
9. Adjust salt and pepper, if necessary.
10. Transfer to an airtight container and chill at least 2 hours before serving.
11. Serve chilled with Jackson's Honest Purple Heirloom Potato Chips and additional minced dill as garnish, if desired.

3.5.3226

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jackson’s Honest. The opinions and text are all mine.

Need more healthy snack or appetizer ideas? You might want to check out these recipes too:

• Tropical Cowboy Caviar

• Southwest Black Bean and Corn Salad / Salsa

• Summer Garden Fresh Cantaloupe Salsa

• Cilantro Edamame Hummus {no oil or tahini}

What are your plans this Memorial Day weekend?

The post Vegan French Onion Dip with Dill {Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly} appeared first on Becky's Best Bites.

I can’t believe that it is already May!! I mean, really, when did that happen?!? Yesterday it happened, if I am being quite literal Ha ha!! The past few months have been a whirlwind with having a newborn and all that entails. I do have to say that we are very blessed with our baby girl. She is a good sleeper, rarely fussy (unless she is hungry, just like her daddy and me) and has a very sweet disposition I really can’t believe that she nearly 2 1/2 months old!!

But it is May and Cinco de Mayo is this Friday, so I thought it would be fun to create a new recipe to celebrate!  We love Cowboy Caviar and I have shared my go-to recipe for it with you HERE on the blog. It is a more traditional version but would be equally delicious for your Cinco de Mayo celebrations…maybe with an ice cold margarita This Tropical Cowboy Caviar is a little bit sweet thanks to the tropical fruits, a little spicy thanks to the jalapeños and cilantro, creamy thanks to the avocado and all kinds of savory thanks to these lovely little Orca beans!

Aren’t they cute? And the name is perfect because their black and white coloring really does remind me of an Orca’s! Maybe they should call them “Shamu beans” but they are actually also known as Calypso beans All joking aside, I had never heard of Orca beans until I happened to notice them on the clearance table at the grocery store. They caught my attention because of the gorgeous colors but also because they were half off (being the frugal, aka cheap, girl that I am). I picked them up and learned from the packaging that they are heirloom beans grown in the Pacific Northwest, that they are high in fiber and iron and contain 10 grams of protein per serving. Yay!! I bought this brand (NOT an affiliate link) and they were very good.

Sadly I had forgotten about these little babies…they were lost in the depths of my pantry, but I happened upon them yesterday and decided to put them to good use in this Tropical Cowboy Caviar. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am (there is still a bowl of it in my frig that I am munching on)

Here is your recipe for Tropical Cowboy Caviar:

5.0 from 1 reviews

Tropical Cowboy Caviar

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

Author: Becky's Best Bites

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups Orca Beans
• 4 cups Water
• 8 oz. pineapple chunks
• 8 oz. mandarin orange pieces
• 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 avocado, pit, skin removed and chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• Zest and juice of one lime
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Sort and rinse beans.
2. Place beans in a medium saucepan and cover with water.
3. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, approximately 1 hour. Be sure to check the water level throughout the cooking process and add additional water if needed to keep the beans covered.
5. Drain and rinse with cold water.
6. Chill until completely cooled.
7. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked beans, pineapple, mandarin oranges, jalapeno, avocado, cilantro, lime zest and juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
8. Serve chilled with tortilla chips, as a topping for tacos, burritos, fajitas, etc. or eat alone for a great snack!

3.5.3226

The post Tropical Cowboy Caviar appeared first on Becky's Best Bites.

Sweet Corn and Spring Vegetable Pasta is a healthy vegetarian main dish or hearty side dish that pairs perfectly with grilled meats. Bright, colorful and packed with vitamins and nutrients from all those veggies, this pasta salad is a real winner! #SunshineSweetcorn #IC #ad

Most of y’all know that I live in Southern Georgia, less than 30 miles from the Florida border in fact. We live on land where my great grandparents farmed and raised chickens before I was born. It is not a working farm any longer, but we usually do plant a small garden. I love everything about living in the south!! The heat and humidity does get a little extreme in summer, but I would take that anyday over snow and ice. And as the weather warms and we get into April, I start keeping a lookout at the grocery store for my fav spring/summer veggie, CORN!!

I remember picking ears right out of the garden when I was a child. We would fill up buckets of corn and then head to my granny’s porch, sit down in her rocking chairs, shuck the corn and cream the corn! That fresh creamed corn was the best thing that I ever tasted!! We don’t grow corn anymore, but luckily right down the road in Florida, Sunshine Sweet Corn is grown, so I can enjoy corn NOW and not have to wait until summer! This makes it an easy addition to my spring meals!! And that makes me one happy girl

I love that I can trust Sunshine Sweet Corn since it is non-GMO, extra tender, and regulated for quality control. It really is the cream of the crop!! When you are purchasing corn in April and May, it really is your best choice for delicious, sweet tasting corn – once you taste it, you will be hooked!!

Have you tried this trick for cutting corn kernels off the cob? It makes it so much easier and a lot less messier Who else has ended up with more corn on the floor when trying to cut it off the cob? Try this method next time: place a smaller bowl upside down inside of a larger bowl. Place the ear of corn on the smaller bowl and cut off the kernels. The kernels will fall nicely into the larger bowl.

You should have seen the smile on my face the other day when I saw fresh corn in the produce section of my local grocer for the first time this season I immediately grabbed a bunch of ears and headed home to find a recipe to make with my corn. I jumped on the Sunshine Sweet Corn website and was drawn to this Sweet Corn and Spring Vegetable Pasta. I loved all the fresh veggies that were included and that it would make perfect lunches for me but also work well has a side dish to go along side of whatever the hubs is throwing on the grill for dinner.

Here is your recipe for Sweet Corn and Spring Vegetable Pasta:

Sweet Corn and Spring Vegetable Pasta

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Becky's Best Bites

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8 oz. whole wheat rotini pasta (or other short pasta of choice)
• 3 ears Sunshine Sweet Corn, husked
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz. cremini or white mushrooms, sliced or chopped
• 1 large shallot, chopped (3 cloves garlic can be substituted)
• 1 lb. (approximately 6 spears) asparagus, sliced at an angle into 1 inch pieces
• ¾ cup green peas, fresh or frozen
• ¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot, reserving ½ cup of the starchy cooking water once pasta is tender. Drain and set aside.
2. While pasta is cooking, cut corn kernels off the cob and set aside.
3. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat until bubbly.
4. Add mushrooms and shallots or garlic to the pan and saute for about 3 minutes or until the mushrooms have browned and give off their juices.
5. Add the asparagus, peas and corn to the pan and continue to cook until heated through and crisp tender, approximately 3 minutes.
6. Add cooked veggies and cheese to the cooked pasta.
7. Stir to combine and slowly add the starchy cooking water, as needed, to create a creamy sauce.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Pour into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with thyme.

3.5.3226

This post was sponsored by Sunshine Sweet Corn as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

The post Sweet Corn and Spring Vegetable Pasta appeared first on Becky's Best Bites.

These little babies weren’t supposed to be a stand-alone post. I actually made them to top my Albacore Tuna Kale Salad with a Simple Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette but realized that they were still sitting on top of the stove AFTER I had already photographed the salad. Duh!! Talk about Mommy brain I was happy with how the pictures of the salad turned out so I thought to myself, “Let me just quickly style them for a few pictures and go ahead and share them in another post.

Chickpeas are little nutritional powerhouse nuggets that could support your weight loss plan (which is great for this new mama that is working on getting her “pre-baby” body back)! Not only are they full of protein and fiber but they are also a good source of magnesium, potassium and iron. They are a great swap for chips or other salty snacks or when you just need something crunchy.

Not only do I like to add these easy roasted chickpeas to my salads, but I will throw a small zip top bag of them in my diaper bag so that I am prepared when hunger strikes and we are out and about. That way I am not tempted to make a less healthier choice.

Here is your recipe for Easy Oven Roasted Chickpeas:

Easy Roasted Chickpeas

 

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Author: Becky's Best Bites

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, more or less as desired
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
2. Gently dry the chickpeas with paper or kitchen towel
3. Place the chickpeas in a small bowl. Add olive oil and seasonings.
4. Toss to combine.
5. Spread the chickpeas on a baking sheet in one layer.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy.
7. Watch them carefully in the last few minute as they will burn quickly.
8. Remove from oven and let cool.

3.5.3226

The post Easy Oven Roasted Chickpeas appeared first on Becky's Best Bites.

What do you usually make for New Year’s Day? Do you buy into the traditions or superstitions of New Year’s? I have always figured that it is better to safe than sorry, so I typically do eat a traditional New Year’s Day meal to start the year off on a good foot Here in the south, that is black-eyed peas and greens! I came up with this recipe for New Year’s Pork, Black-Eyed Peas and Greens and it has been our go to ever since. It contains pork, which is also considered lucky (pork for prosperity) and typically added into the New Year’s meal in the south. A lot of southerners use a ham hock or something similar but I always used lean, boneless pork chops to keep the meal healthier. This year, Dad decided that he wanted to cook steaks instead of having pork so I developed this recipe for Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas with Kale and Garlic.

Now this recipe can be cooked for New Year’s Day and complements just about any grilled meat quite nicely, but it is also vegan, hearty and very filling so it is perfect for a vegetarian/vegan main dish! If you are focusing on healthy eating, getting more vegetables, fiber, vitamins and nutrients in your’s or your family’s’ diets, then this recipe is a must-try!! It would be great for a Meatless Monday and I would beat that even the biggest meat lover’s in your group would be satisfied with this dish! The robust flavors of the kale, garlic, onion and balsamic vinegar paired with the filling, fiber-packed black-eyed peas will ensure that they don’t miss the meat

I love making slow cooker black-eyed peas or any other beans/legumes for that matter! It really takes the hassle out of cooking dried beans. You can use the bowl of the slow cooker to soak your beans overnight, then rinse and let them cook low and slow throughout the day! All you need is about 10 minutes of prep to get everything ready, the slow cooker does all the work and about 8 hours later you have a delicious and healthy meal for your family! So here is to a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!! 2017 is going to kick some butt and take some names

Here is your recipe for Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas with Kale and Garlic:

Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas with Kale and Garlic

 

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

8 hours

Total time

8 hours 10 mins

 

Author: Becky's Best Bites

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz.) package dried black-eyed peas
• 1 large, yellow/sweet onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 16 oz. chopped kale, rinsed and drained
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp. ancho chili powder
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup reduced - sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flake, more or less depending on taste. Can be omitted altogether for less spice.

Instructions

1. Beginning the night before you want to enjoy this recipe, place the dried black-eyed peas in the bowl of a slow cooker, cover with water by at least an inch. Soak overnight.
2. In the morning, drain and rinse the black-eyed peas. Rinse and dry the slow cooker bowl.
3. Spray the slow cooker liner with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker bowl.
5. Add soaked beans and chopped kale.
6. Top with chili powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder, ancho chili powder, salt and pepper, then pour balsamic vinegar and broth over the top of everything.
7. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours or until beans are tender.
8. Add crushed red pepper flakes, if desired and enjoy!

Notes

To save time on overnight soaking of dried black-eyed peas, presoaked beans can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores.
Quick-soaking dried black-eyed peas --> http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/to-quick-soak-dried-black-eyed-peas-14716
Canned black-eyed peas, can be used as a substitute, just reduce the overall cooking time to 4 hours or beans will turn out too mushy.

3.5.3226

The post Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas with Kale and Garlic appeared first on Becky's Best Bites.