Edamame Avocado Dip

This recipe originated at the Blum Center for Health where I worked as a kitchen assistant discovering, among other things, that delicious food and nourishing food are not mutually exclusive. This was a bit of a revelation coming from the French Culinary Institute where butter was your best friend. 

 A super healthful option to serve with cut up veggies or crackers, this flavorful dip is packed with fiber, protein, heart healthy fats and a load of essential vitamins. Edamame and avocado are satisfying and nutritious ingredients on their own; pulse them together with refreshing cucumber, spicy jalapeno, herbaceous cilantro and tangy citrus and the results are luscious and highly addictive!

Make sure you use a ripe avocado that yields to some gentle pressure. If the avocado is firm to the touch, it’s not ready. I often buy firm avocados and let them ripen on the counter, and then keep them in the fridge until I'm ready to use them. And don't forget to keep that lemon and lime at your side; you’re going to need them along with a pinch more salt to bring out all the flavors!

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

½ cup shelled Edamame (if frozen, blanche first)

½ cup of cucumber peeled, seeded and diced

2 TB red onion, diced

1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp)

½ small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced (about 1 TB)

¼ cup cilantro leaves

1 TB fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

1 TB fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

1 TB olive oil

2 TB  water

½ tsp salt, plus more to taste

 Directions

Blend all ingredients in a mini food processor or blender, scraping down the sides once or twice. Taste and add more lemon juice, lime juice or salt as desired, and add a few drops more water or lemon juice if dip is too chunky. 

To prevent the dip from turning brown, store in the fridge with a piece of plastic wrap pressed to the surface.

Makes about 1½ cups.

 Adapted from The Blue Center for Health