I’m pretty confident you’ve never had a dip like this before.
It gets its smoothness from Greek yogurt which undergoes extra straining to get as much of the whey (the milky liquid part) out resulting in a thick ultra-smooth, protein-packed yogurt.
Blended cashews take it to the next level.
This can be used as an appetizer with veggies, crackers, toasted baguette, or as a sandwich spread or on top of bagels.
I’d even eat it as a side to my lunch or dinner but that’s me; it makes for a great protein punch too for your favourite salad.
Cashews
Cashews are technically a fruit and not a nut. Cashews get grouped in with tree nuts but they are the seeds of the cashew apple.
The fruit grows on trees native to Brazil but is now cultivated around the world.
Cashews are very popular and with good reason. They’re highly nutritious, delicious and versatile like they are with this recipe!
They have a slightly sweet flavour, satisfying crunch but soft enough that they blend well if added to smoothies or easily added to stir-fries – cashew chicken anyone?
They’re also enjoyable to eat with a buttery, creaming texture.
The key nutrients in cashews are magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. One-ounce (28 g) has:
- 155 calories
- 9 g carb
- 1 fiber
- 8 g net carbs
- 12 g fat
- 5 g protein
- 82 mg magnesium
- 166 mg phosphorus
- 185 mg potassium
Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is nothing more than regular yogurt that’s gone through extra straining. This removes more of the liquid (whey) and concentrates that milk solids resulting in a product that has more protein and other nutrients per serving.
Key nutrients found in Greek yogurt are protein, carbohydrate, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin B2/riboflavin, and vitamin B5/pantothenate.
Some brands may have added probiotics.
There is about 17 g of protein in 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt making it a great option for those on a lacto, or ovo-lacto vegetarian diet or for anyone who’s looking to get more protein (and other nutrients) to support healthy aging.
Higher protein intakes, couple with weight-resistance exercise, helps to slow down age-related muscle loss or sarcopenia, as well as, preserves muscle during weight (fat) loss.
Higher protein intakes can help to achieve and maintain healthy body weight.
The potassium in Greek yogurt can help with high blood pressure and diseases associated with high blood pressure such as kidney disease. Potassium also helps to slow bone loss and supports osteoporosis treatment.
If the brand of Greek yogurt contains adequate amounts of active probiotic cultures will support gut and digestive health.
Chia seeds
What can I say about chia seeds? 🙂
These little seeds hit the market in the early 2000s. I remember writing about them in my nutrition column in the Toronto Star.
Chia seeds are highly nutritious and are also very versatile. They have lots of nutrients like all seeds do but their real power is their phytonutrient content.
They contain health-promoting compounds such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin and kaempferol.
To get the most of chia seeds, they need to be ground like flax seeds.
This zesty cheese-like spread is sweet, crunchy and sports a bit of spiciness for an interesting appetizer offering.
This spread provides bone-loving calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and protein among other awesome health-promoting ingredients; just one of the many amazing recipes from my book 175 Best Superfood Blender Recipes Using Your NutriBullet.
Pineapple, Cashew, and Chili Pepper Spread
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup 63 ml raw unsalted cashews
- 1 tbsp 15 ml lime juice
- 3 green onions cut into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces
- 1/2 green bell pepper, halved cored and seeded
- 3 tbsp 45 ml chia seeds
- Pinch ground cayenne pepper
- 1-1/4 cups 300 ml Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup 125 ml fresh or drained canned pineapple chunks
- Red chili pepper flakes optional
Instructions
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Use small cup
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Add cashews and lime juice to the small cup. Twist the extractor blade onto the cup to seal. Turn the cup upside down and press and turn cup into the power base and pulse 3 to 4 times until finely chopped. Set aside.
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Add yogurt, chia seeds, onions, cayenne pepper and pineapple juice to the tall cup. Twist the extractor blade onto the cup to seal. Turn the cup upside down and press and turn cup into the power base for 20 seconds, or until smooth.
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Remove the cup from the power base and twist off the extractor blade. Add pineapple chunks and reset cup on power base. Pulse 3 to 4 times or until coarsely combined.
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Remove the cup from the power base and twist off the extractor blade. Stir in cashews. Cover cup and refrigerate for 8 hours and up to 7 days. Garnish with chili pepper flakes, if using, before serving
Recipe Notes
TIPS
- Serve dip with vegetables or crackers. If using a fresh pineapple with the skin on, for a decorative presentation you can use the pineapple shell to serve your dip in.
- Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and carefully cut out the flesh from the shell. Use 1/2 of the shell as your serving bowl. You may want to spritz the inside of the shell with lemon juice to prevent it from darkening. An average size, about 5 lbs (2.5 kg) pineapple will yield about 7 cups of pineapple chunks.
- Store the unused pineapple covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The remaining chunks can be eaten alone or used in other smoothies and dips.
175 Best Superfood Blender Recipes Using Your NutriBullet will be available in Chapters and Indigo in Canada, and Barnes & Noble in the US, and will be available in Costco Canada too. Of course you can also order it on Amazon.ca or Amazon.com today!!
Doug Cook RDN is a Toronto based integrative and functional nutritionist and dietitian with a focus on digestive, gut, and mental health. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.