dip Archives - The Flavorful Elimination Diet

I’ve mentioned before my love of dips. I honestly think dipping something crunchy into something soft is the best snacking experience. Many people limit their dipping to parties but with this ultra healthy superfood edamame protein dip recipe you can treat yourself completely guilt free at home any time. Keep in mind that this is not a phase one elimination diet recipe!

This recipe does contain edamame, a soy product as well as a legume. It’s a great way to test soy in your elimination diet without having to make an entire tofu dish. Many soy products can be a healthy addition to any diet. Especially because they pack a ton of protein into a small package. Edamame can be a welcome change from traditional bean dips and they also contain as much fiber as the other legumes would.

I used both frozen edamame and broccoli for this recipe. I like to buy the shelled edamame, also known as mukimame, and take some of the effort out of the preparation but it does make this edamame protein dip just slightly more expensive than buying the soy peas in the shells. Frozen broccoli cuts and florets are fairly cheap and this is a great way to use them since it’s normally not as appetizing to eat the cut chunks by themselves as a side.

Green tea adds an extra antioxidant boost with a mild earthy flavor. I can assure you that this snack is unlike other dips you’ve tried. When you bring it to a party and people as “what’s the recipe” please send them to my site 😉

I found the inspiration for this recipe in a cookbook that billed this as a low fat guacamole. I changed quite a few things but I would never tell you that edamame and broccoli could ever disguise themselves as avocados. Avocados are magic and unique and even though I’m allergic to limes I will never give up guacamole. This is not guacamole. This is, however, a delicious dip in its own right that is packed with vitamins, fiber, and protein. Someone get the health nuts together and tell them to stop naming things after better things that already exist!

Speaking of guacamole, try my nightshade and citrus free version of pineapple guacamole.

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Edamame FAQ

What is edamame?

Edamame is whole, young, green soybeans. Typically it is served in the pod.

Is edamame a vegetable?

Yes. Edamame is a vegetable and is even referred to a vegetable soybeans as an alternative title.

Is edamame keto?

Not exactly. As a legume they are typically excluded from keto diets. However, the high fiber carbon offsets a high percentage of the carbohydrates making its net carbs relatively low. A strict keto diet will eliminate edamame but a more casual one could allow it.

Can you eat edamame pods?

No. The outer shells are not edible.

Can dogs eat edamame?

Yes. Edamame is safe for dogs to eat but should not make up a substantial portion of their diet.

Ingredients

1 cup shelled edamame
1 cup broccoli (florets and pieces)
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup fresh parsley (stems and leaves)
2 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
up to ½ cup steeped green tea (room temperature)

Instructions

Cook the edamame and broccoli, either steam for 5-7 minutes or microwave from frozen for about 3 ½ minutes. They should be soft but not cooked pale.
place all ingredients except green tea in blender or food processor
blend until the vegetables are getting quite small
slowly add green tea and blend between additions until desired consistency is achieved
chill for at least 1 hour and serve cold

Edamame Protein Dip

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Prep Time 15

Course Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup shelled edamame

1 cup broccoli (florets and pieces)

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup fresh parsley (stems and leaves)

2 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

up to ½ cup steeped green tea (room temperature)

Instructions

Cook the edamame and broccoli, either steam for 5-7 minutes or microwave from frozen for about 3 ½ minutes, they should be soft but not cooked pale

place all ingredients except green tea in blender or food processor

blend until the vegetables are getting quite small

slowly add green tea and blend between additions until desired consistency is achieved

chill for at least 1 hour and serve cold

Keyword citrus free, legume free, nut free

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May 24, 2023May 24, 2023

Amanja2 Comments

Vegan Onion Dip

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I absolutely love a good dip. Onion dip has always been one of my favorites. You know the one, sour cream mixed with instant soup powder. It’s really terrible for you, so much dairy and salt and not much of anything else. This vegan onion dip recipe packs a ton of flavor without half the guilt as the traditional dip. However, this recipe is still not okay for phase one of an elimination diet. Only use it to reintroduce tree nuts or once you know tree nuts are safe for you!

Using real caramelized onions makes this dip feel decadent and special. It’s so indulgent to be able to gorge on this savory treat. You can always add even more onions if you’re like me and just cannot get enough of them! Just always make sure to take your time cooking them. Caramelized onions happen slowly, that’s what brings out the natural sweetness of the onions and creates that wonderfully deep flavor.

Soaking raw cashews makes them easier and creamier to blend. If you can’t find raw cashews you can use roasted and salted cashews just cut back on the added salt. You can still soak roasted cashews; it just won’t have as striking of an effect. I’ve found that roasted cashews are also typically cheaper than raw cashews. Don’t break your bank over a dip. Especially because you’re probably going to eat this whole recipe at once.

Serve this vegan onion dip with anything that you would normally dip in onion dip. Sweet potato chips and baby carrots are my favorite partners for this caramelized vegan onion dip. The little bit of sweetness pairs really well with the natural sweetness brought out while caramelizing the onions. The saltiness of the dip is also an addictive addition to the sweetness of the dippers. You’ll have to be careful not to eat this entire batch in one sitting!

This appetizer or snack will last about 1 week in the refrigerator. You can freeze it if you need to save some for a later date. Simply remove from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature overnight before serving.

Tips for caramelizing onions

Start with the right onion! Yellow onions are standard in my house for almost all uses but sweet vidalia onions will give even more sweetness to the caramelizing process without adding extra sugar. Don’t use red or white, they have a higher water content and you’ll never reach the desired texture.
Use the right pan! You want a pan that’s big enough for all of the onion slices to be in contact with the pan at all time. Having a big pile of onions in an undersized pan won’t cook evenly. I use my large cast iron, check out the one featured at the bottom of this list.
Slice thinly but not too thin! Slice your onion about 1/2 cm thick. If you slice it too thin, like so thin that you can see through it, the onion will cook to quickly and be more likely to stick and burn. Too thick and it’ll take hours to reach your desired color.
Use a lower heat! I set my burner at about a 3 (out of 10) when making the onions for this vegan onion dip. Every burner is different, but you want to aim for the low end of medium low.
Don’t use too much oil! You want just enough oil to cover the pan. Remember, you’re not making fried onions, the slices don’t need to be submerged in oil.
Don’t stir too much! At the beginning of the process you’ll want to stir very little. Maybe two times in the first 20 minutes. If the onions are really starting to stick, add a little water and stir, but then leave it alone again. You’ll stir a bit more toward the 40 minute mark but just trust the process and let the onions do their thing.
Add sugar if you’re short on time. I don’t like adding sugar to my caramelized onions, I prefer to take the slow route. However, if you’re in a rush, add about 1 tbsp sugar to two sliced onions after they’ve been cooking for about 25 minutes. This will cheat the process and make them look and taste more caramelized in less time.

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour
2 small yellow onions, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar (can substitute plain or apple cider vinegar as well)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp black pepper
up to ¼ cup water
extra olive oil for cooking onions

Instructions

heat a skillet over medium low, drizzle with olive oil
add sliced onions and saute for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, stirring infrequently, until a nice caramelized color is reached
add minced garlic and saute 1 minute longer
add all ingredients except caramelized onions, garlic, and water to a food processor or blender and blend
mixture should be creamy, add water until desired consistency is reached
add 1/2 cup of the caramelized onions and pulse to incorporate onions without destroying them, top with any extra
chill for at least one hour and serve cold

Vegan Onion Dip

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Course Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour

2 small yellow onions, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp black pepper

up to ¼ cup water

extra olive oil for cooking onions

Instructions

heat a skillet over medium low, drizzle with olive oil

add sliced onions and saute for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, stirring infrequently, until a nice caramelized color is reached

add minced garlic and saute 1 minute longer

add all ingredients except caramelized onions, garlic, and water to a food processor or blender and blend, mixture should be creamy, add water until desired consistency is reached

add 1/2 cup of the caramelized onions and pulse to incorporate onions without destroying them, top with any extra

chill for at least one hour and serve cold

Keyword citrus free, gluten free, vegan

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May 11, 2023May 11, 2023

Amanja3 Comments

Pineapple Guacamole (Citrus Free)

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Pineapple guacamole is a great alternative to traditional guacamole when your elimination diet excludes citrus and nightshades. Normally, guacamole would be made with fresh lime juice but this recipe exchanges the lime for pineapple and apple cider vinegar. There is absolutely no reason for you to not enjoy delicious avocados while on a strict elimination diet. Fresh pineapple is always great but you can also used canned for this recipe and you’ll barely notice the difference.

I actually used this pineapple guacamole recently for burgers. Anyone who has been following me will know that I’m allergic to citrus and tomatoes. Good grief I miss ketchup so much! But I still was craving a burger and didn’t feel like making a whole batch of cherry ketchup or bbq sauce for an impulse meal so I needed a new topping. Guacamole is always delicious and goes on so many things! This is a wonderful citrus free version that everyone can have!

You could substitute white vinegar for the apple cider vinegar if that’s all you have but I find that it’s best to just keep a gallon jug of both around at all times. Vinegar has so many uses I would feel like my house was empty without it! In this recipe it provides the acid that would normally be supplied by the lime. It also helps keep the avocados from browning quite as quickly. It is also very important to always remember to salt anything that you make with avocados. They cry out for it and just a little salt elevates the whole recipe to the next level every single time.

Guacamole also goes great with tacos!

Does citric acid cause an allergic reaction to someone with a citrus allergy?

No! Citric acid is not the allergen in citrus fruits and is safe to eat for many individuals with a citrus allergy. Citric acid is often used in commercial cooking as a preservative and flavor enhancer. It is available to everyone so you could even cook with it at home to replace a citrus flavor.

Citrus allergies are rare but typically caused by a cross reaction pollen allergy or by the component limonene, found in citrus peels. It is important to determine if you’re allergic to the juice or the rind and then also if you are able to eat cooked citrus instead of raw. Everybody is different and these types of allergies require experimentation. But if you’re avoiding citrus in all forms just try some delicious pineapple guacamole.

Buy food grade citric acid

Buy vinegar

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados
¼ cup diced pineapple
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
½-1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
⅛ tsp garlic powder
⅛ tsp onion powder

Instructions

fork mash the avocado until smooth
mix in remaining ingredients
serve right away

Pineapple Guacamole

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Prep Time 5

Course Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados

¼ cup diced pineapple

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

½-1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

⅛ tsp garlic powder

⅛ tsp onion powder

Instructions

fork mash the avocado until smooth

mix in remaining ingredients

serve right away

Keyword citrus free, corn free, nightshade free recipes

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January 21, 2022June 1, 2023

Amanja1 Comment

Sweet Potato Hummus

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I love sweet potatoes. I also love dips. Any good dip that I can use for veggies, chips, anything crunchy that I can put in something smooth. So good! The full elimination diet does not allow for traditional hummus made with chickpeas. Legumes and beans of all kinds are out of the picture for several phases of an extreme elimination diet. So how can we dip?!

This recipe replaces the chickpeas with roasted sweet potatoes. When cooked sweet potatoes are blended they create a completely different texture. Never use a food processor or blender for mashed potatoes, you’ll end up with gluey potatoes. However, when you use it for a dip the result is a silky smooth hummus that doesn’t make you feel like you’re dipping a celery stick into mashed potatoes.

The smoked paprika in this recipe is totally optional. If you are not yet to a phase of an elimination diet that allows nightshades please leave it out. However, if you’ve already passed that phase the smoked paprika will give a nice depth of flavor to compliment the sweet potatoes. If you still want some smokiness without the nightshades you can consider using liquid smoke, a tiny tiny little dash will do. Even better, use a smoked salt! I think it’s a noticeable enough flavor to keep a bag of it in my pantry. Or, you could even smoke the sweet potatoes instead of roasting them. If you’re one of the lucky few who has an in-home smoker please do this and let me know how it turned out!

For dipping purposes you can always stick with the classic carrot and celery sticks. I also found that some brands of sweet potato or root vegetable chips are elimination diet safe. Check the ingredients closely to make sure there are no nightshades and nothing with gluten, corn, or any other common offenders.

What is tahini?

Tahini is a sauce made from toasted and hulled sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are a somewhat common food allergen so your specific elimination diet may eliminate them. Talk to your doctor about whether or not this ingredient needs to be included in your elimination diet. If you are eliminating sesame products simply exchange the tahini in this recipe for sunbutter. Aka sunflower seed butter. It will give the same texture and a similar flavor profile as well as provide some of the necessary fat that will make this sweet potato hummus extra rich and creamy.

Ingredients

3 small sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), chopped
3 tbsp tahini (use sunflower butter if avoiding sesame)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp white wine vinegar
¼ tsp smoked paprika or smoked salt (optional)
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ cup vegetable broth
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tbsp pepitas (optional for topping)

Instructions

preheat oven to 450 degrees F
on a foil lined baking tray drizzle chopped sweet potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper
roast sweet potatoes for 25-30 minutes, stirring once about halfway, until browned on the outside, and soft on the inside
let potatoes cool for a few minutes before transferring to a food processor or blender
combine all ingredients and blend until smooth
serve warm or cold topped with pepitas (optional) with vegetable chips or chopped fresh veggies

Sweet Potato Hummus

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

3 small sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), chopped

3 tbsp tahini (use sunflower butter if avoiding sesame)

1 tbsp + 1 tsp white wine vinegar¼ tsp smoked paprika or smoked salt (optional)

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried parsley½ tsp salt, or to taste

¼ cup vegetable broth

olive oil

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsp pepitas (optional for topping)

Instructions

preheat oven to 450 degrees F

on a foil lined baking tray drizzle chopped sweet potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper

roast sweet potatoes for 25-30 minutes, stirring once about halfway, until browned on the outside, and soft on the inside

let potatoes cool for a few minutes before transferring to a food processor or blender

combine all ingredients and blend until smooth

serve warm or cold topped with pepitas (optional) with vegetable chips or chopped fresh veggies

Keyword citrus free, legume free, nut free

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September 28, 2021May 2, 2023

Amanja1 Comment

Nightshade Free Salsa Verde

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I was worried about calling this dip a salsa when I was first making it. Typically, I get disappointed when something claims to be something it clearly is not. This nightshade free salsa verde has no tomatoes, no peppers, and no lime. But oh my goodness it’s still salsa! I was chowing down with some corn chips all afternoon and didn’t even miss the jalapeno burn.

The apple cider vinegar adds a nice acidity that more than makes up for the lime. Getting a deep roast on the vegetables and garlic is the biggest key though. This dip has a ton of flavor! I had never roasted a cucumber before and now I think I’ve really been missing out my whole life. I’m certain roasted cucumbers will be a new addition to many salads and entrees I’ll create in the future.

You can use this nightshade free salsa verde any way you would traditional salsa. Within an elimination diet you are not going to have tortillas or chips but any sort of burrito bowl is a great alternative. A good brown rice easily makes up for the missing starches.

I’ve made this salsa two ways. In the air fryer and in the oven. It took way longer in the oven. The air fryer does a much better job of dealing with the high liquid content in the onions and cuccumbers so it acheived a char in half the time. If you have an air fryer I recommend setting it to 375 F for about 15 minutes, stir once halfway through. If you don’t have an air fryer check out this affordable option for roasting veggies without overheating your kitchen:

this is the one I use at home

Ingredients

1 large cucumber, peeled
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
½ tsp cumin
2 tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup fresh cilantro
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
olive oil

Instructions

preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper
chop the cucumber and onion into large pieces
place the cucumber, onion, and whole garlic cloves on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt
roast the vegetables for 25-30 minutes, you want a deep brown on the garlic and some charred parts on the onions, stir once or twice during this time
remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes
place vegetables and all seasonings into food processor and pulse to chop until desired consistency is reached
serve room temperature or chilled

Nightshade Free Salsa Verde

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Course dip

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

1 large cucumber peeled
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
½ tsp cumin
2 tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup fresh cilantro
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
olive oil

Instructions

preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper
chop the cucumber and onion into large pieces
place the cucumber, onion, and whole garlic cloves on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt
roast the vegetables for 25-30 minutes, you want a deep brown on the garlic and some charred parts on the onions, stir once or twice during this time
remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes
place vegetables and all seasonings into food processor and pulse to chop until desired consistency is reached
serve room temperature or chilled

Keyword citrus free, nightshade free recipes, nut free

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