It's taken me awhile but here I am to talk to you about the cucumber bites and Dill Dip. They both turned out super delicious and were a huge hit. My non-vegan friends couldn't get enough of them but I had to limit what I allowed everyone to eat because it only made a small batch. Next time I know to go large!
It started on Tuesday July 3rd with the preparations for the party. I had to run to the parents and obtain tables so that we would have enough space for everyone to sit. Once that was accomplished, it was time to go to the grocery and get the items that I needed for my dishes that I was creating. It seemed like the evening would never slow down but with the help of my roommate, we were able to get everything that needed to be prepped and cleaned completed and able to enjoy a dip in the pool. That night, I made the pico so that it could have enough time to soak up all the spices and be just perfect for the dipping or the topping. I say topping since one party guest brought a batch of homemade vegan chili. It was delicious and made for some great chili dogs. I also decided that I was going to make a batch of my pasta salad for everyone to enjoy. So, that needed to be chilled overnight, as well. I cut up some carrots, celery, green and red peppers, zucchini (fresh out of the garden), yellow squash (fresh out of the garden), radishes, onion, cilantro, dill, parsley and some vegan pepperoni. Once I added my vinegar and oil mixture it was time for the staple spices of garlic, salt and pepper. I stuck it in the fridge and let it chill out overnight. (I could kick myself for not taking a picture of this becaus it did end up being a hit of the party!) To complete the dish, I added pine nuts and roated almonds, fresh garlic glove, daiya cheddar and sliced tomatoes.
Upon waking bright and early the next morning, it was time to start on the dips and the cucumber bites. First thing was first, make the "sour cream." This was not a hard thing to do but it did take a lot of patience since it involved pureeing cashews. Once the sour cream was made, into the fridge it went to chill out and gain consistency. Meanwhile, I chopped up my carrots, sundried tomatoes, red bell pepper and spinach and stuck them in the oven to dehydrate, which I found takes just about an hour on the lowest setting.
While this was going on it was time to yoga and relax myself because the time was drawing near and I still had so much to do... After a quick set it was time to cut the cucumber and hollow out the insides. Key note is to make sure to leave a little bottom so the dip has a place to rest.
Let the mixing begin... you take your "sour cream" and mix the dehydrated veggies and then fill the your cucumber. I place some fresh dill on top and it made for a delightful presentation and one that people couldn't resist. My non-vegan friends wanted 2nd's and 3rd's and it goes without saying that my vegan friends wanted more and more.
This was a definite party pleaser and one that I will do again time and time again.
The dill dip turned out just as good and would even make a great spread on your bread. You use the "sour cream" that you made and add lots of fresh dill and let chill for a few hours. When it's time for the party... it's nice and cold and ready to be eaten. It goes nicely with veggies of any sort.![]()
Seeing that I veganized several different foods this week, there will be more blogging to come. We have the almost perfect vegan mariachi beef pizza from Donato's coming up and a tantilizing Quinoa Burrito. So, put on your bibs and get ready to dig in.
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