Hors d'oeuvres · Snacks · Vegetables
Crudités with Hummus, Ranch Dip, Sesame Dip and Eggplant Dip
Makes 8–10 servingsPosted February 14, 2013
With a busy household having many friends and teens coming in and out, I always try to have appealing, nutritious food for everyone's eyes and stomachs to feast on. Today I made an assortment of crudités with hummus, ranch dressing, sesame dip and eggplant dip.
Directions
- Crudités: Arrange the vegetables on a platter and serve with any or all of the dips below, or any of your favorite dips.
- Hummus: Blend the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and tahini in a blender or food processor. Add the chickpeas and blend to the preferred consistency, blending more for a purée texture and less for a chunky texture. Season with salt and pepper.
- Ranch Dip: Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar and sugar together. Sprinkle the parsley on top, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Depending upon your diet, adjust the ingredients to create a fat-free, low-fat or full-fat dressing.
- Sesame Dip: Combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds and mix to a smooth texture. Depending upon your diet, adjust the ingredients to create a fat-free, low-fat or full-fat dip.
- Roasted Eggplant Dip: Prick the eggplant and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 45 minutes. Purée the eggplant flesh, olives and roasted pepper. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil, then mix with the eggplant mixture and stir in the capers, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours. Serve at room temperature alongside pita chips and crudités.
℞ M.D. Notes
- This assortment of vegetables is filled with rich sources of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
- The Dirty Dozen, the 12 most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables in 2013 according to the EWG (Environmental Working Group): apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches, spinach, bell peppers, nectarines, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes and hot peppers. The "Dirty Dozen Plus" highlights two more crops, domestically grown summer squash and leafy greens (kale and collards), which did not meet the traditional criteria but are commonly contaminated with pesticides.
- The Clean 15, the fruits and vegetables with the least pesticide contamination according to the EWG in 2013: corn (non-GMO), onions, pineapples, avocado, cabbage, sweet peas, papayas, mango, asparagus, eggplant, kiwi, grapefruit, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes and mushrooms.
