Game Night: Delicious 4 Layer Dip

This four-layer bean dip is so delicious!  This is the second recipe I’ll be sharing this week that is healthy and perfect to bring to a playoff or World Series party! This is an appetizer that you will want to bring to any pot luck, house warming, picnic, or any occasion – it really is that good! The best part about this dip is that it takes no time at all!  If you’re in a rush and need a last minute idea for something to bring to a party, this is a great recipe for that.  There are only a few steps and a handful of ingredients you probably have on hand!  

Whenever I go to sporting events, the food is fried or fried with cheese and I always leave with a stomachache.  This dip may be the healthy outlier but it's filled with delicious flavors and textures!  The warm black beans have been cooked in garlic to elicit even more flavor, the avocados are creamed in lime juice, while the fresh tomatoes adds a refreshing sweetness to the dip.  Although, the best layer is the creamy cashew cheese!  Cashews are the perfect nut to whip into a cream as they are mild tasting and become soft when soaked.  This along with the cheesy protein-packed nutritional yeast, slight tang from apple cider vinegar and garlic cloves creates a beautiful silky, creamy cheese!  I know this may sound a little strange but its just another example of how creative you can be in the kitchen and how even the most know ingredients can be reworked into something special and healthy!

  Each ingredient in this dip fills a nutritional purpose and is loaded with healthy fats, protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied!  Avocados are a wonderful skin food.  Avocados contain monounsaturated fats, which are known to improve skin tone and maintain moisture levels, keeping your skin soft and healthy!  Avocados are a great source of fiber with 8g per cup, which is essential for feeling full and for regular bowl movements.  Black beans are a powerhouse ingredient coming from the legume family.  Just one cup contains over half your daily intake of fiber at 15g!  I’ve heard many concerns from people who think that if you’re only eating plant-based foods you’ll never get enough protein each day and thankfully this widely thought assumption is just not true.  Protein can be found everywhere, especially in nuts, beans and certain vegetables.  Cooked black beans alone have 15g per cup of protein - that’s already 1/3 of your daily intake!

This really is a fantastic appetizer.  It’s great when enjoyed with any vegetable for dipping, mixed into a salad or with quinoa/black bean chips.  Cheers!

Serves: Many

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 7 minutes | Soak Time: 4 hours

Ingredients for the Bean dip:

- 2 cans of organic black beans

- 2 garlic cloves

- 3 avocados

- 1 lime

- 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes

- chili flakes (optional)

- ½ small onion

- olive oil

- salt to taste

Ingredients for the Cashew Cheese:

- 1 cup soaked cashews

- 1/3 cup water

- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

- 2 garlic cloves

- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

- salt to taste

Instructions for the Cashew Cheese:

Start by soaking the cashews in a bowl of water for at least 4 hours – this helps to soften any nut.  Now drain and rinse the cashews and pour into a high-speed blender along with the rest of the ingredients.  Blend well until it turns into a creamy, silky cheese! 

Instructions for the Black Bean Layer:

Start by preparing the black beans by chopping the garlic into small pieces.  In a small saucepan on medium heat, warm the garlic and olive oil.  Once warmed, add the black beans and let it cook for 5-7 minutes and add a few splashed of water and salt to taste.

Instructions for the Guacamole Layer:

Simply mash the avocados together, forming a creamy texture and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lime, a few pinches of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.  Add chili flakes if you would like a little heat!

Instructions for the Salsa Layer:

Simply dice the red onion and tomatoes.  Smash some of the tomatoes to release the juices.  Then sprinkle on a little salt, olive oil, and the juice of ½ a lime. 

Layering Instructions:

First layer the black beans, then add a few dollops of cashew cheese as the second layer, now spread the guacamole and finish off with a layer of fresh salsa.  Enjoy!