Delectable Antioxidant Bursting Dip

By Noor H. Salem, contributing columnist

Last week, we covered seven of an innumerable foods overflowing with antioxidants, and the health benefits of each. As mentioned, below is the delicious dip bursting with a variety of antioxidants, all with one goal: to grant you better health. In this recipe, I’d highly recommend you soak the beans overnight, or at least several hours if possible. Adding spices like ginger, ground mustard seed, and red pepper all aid in better digestion. Mustard seed and ginger are also wonderful in that they carry anti-inflammatory benefits. The avocados and extra virgin olive oil fill this snack with healthy fats- granting you satiety and heart health benefits. This dip is bursting with four remarkable foods mentioned in my book, Sunnah Superfoods: ginger, garlic, onions, and extra virgin olive oil. Ginger adds a unique flavor to this dip, while providing you with better digestion (perfect for this bean dip!), heart health benefits, and much more. Garlic gives an even stronger taste, and carries remarkable anti-bacterial cleansing aid, and is wonderful for your heart. Extra virgin olive oil is the star of the night, remarkably healthy for so many organs in your body. It grants you satiety, and balances blood sugar after meals. Onions, like garlic, carry natural anti-bacterial benefits, and are full of unique antioxidants and nutrients.

This dip is bursting with antioxidants, and makes a perfect choice at your next gathering, or even your family dinner tonight. It’s undoubtedly a better snack choice than chips and crackers full of ingredient and additives even the wisest can’t pronounce. Try this dip, and you’ll find that it easily becomes a family favorite. I enjoy swapping the black beans with other beans, changing up the spices, and adding new herbs like dill and cilantro for a trivial change.

Ingredients:

Protein Bursting-Beans layer:

2 cups black or pinto beans (soaked overnight if possible)

1 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

½ teaspoon ginger, ground

1 teaspoon garlic, ground

½ teaspoon rosemary, ground

1 teaspoon mustard seed, ground

½ teaspoon red pepper, ground

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Antioxidant Avocado Layer:

2 avocadoes, ripen

1/3 cup lemon or lime juice, freshly squeezed

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon ginger, ground

½ teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

1 small red onion, peeled

Garnish:
1 tomato, diced

¼ cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook the beans in a small skillet with ¾ cup water (add more if necessary). Add salt and remaining spices. Allow the beans to cook about 5-7 minutes, or just until they’re tender. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil, and mash them with a fork. Transfer to a serving platter, and flatten using the back of a spoon.
2. In your blender, place the avocadoes, lime/lemon juice, cilantro, onion, and spices and pulse until smooth and creamy. Place an avocado layer atop the beans, and use a spatula to even it out.
3. Sprinkle the diced tomatoes and garnish with the chopped parsley.
4. For optimum taste, place the dip (covered) in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Serve it with fresh cut vegetables or organic crackers (check the ingredients!). 

Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, Sunnah Superfoods, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.