To Try Tuesday - Roasted Garlic Bean Dip

Tuesday has rolled around again so quickly and it is officially To Try Tuesday.  Lucky for me I just discovered a new blog ¡Comida es mi vida y mi vida es comida! by Hester.  Her blog is filled with all sort of goodies but the one that immediately caught my eye was the Garlic Bean Dip.  Who wouldn't love a recipe that can be easily made and is good for you too?  It immediately went to the top of my To Try list.

Lucky for me I had most of the ingredients already in my cupboard and fridge.  I only had to pick up some fresh parsley this morning and I was ready to go.  This is the kind of dip that you could whip up at a moments notice and be eating in a few hours.

I decided that I wanted to roast the garlic before adding it to the other ingredients.  I love how roasting brings out the sweetness of the garlic and it is so easy to do.  All you have to do is take off some of the outer skin and cut a small portion off the top to expose the cloves.  Put the head of garlic in a small oven-proof container and pour a little olive oil over the top.  Place the container in an oven preheated to 400F and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until it is golden and soft.  Wait for it to be cool enough to handle and then just squeeze the cloves out as needed.

Roasted Garlic Bean Dip
(adapted from a recipe by Hester Chang)

Ingredients 

• 1 (15-ounce) can of cannellini beans/white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (20-ounce) can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt
• juice of one lemon
• zest from half a lemon
• 5 to 6 garlic roasted garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large handful of parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Place all the ingredients into a blender or a food processor and whirl them all together until a smooth consistency is achieved.
2. Taste the dip and if need be, add some more salt/pepper/lemon juice/yogurt.  Blend it again.
3. Put it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a good two hours to let the flavors meld. 
4. Serve with your favorite ingredients used for dipping such as crackers, pretzels, pita chips, carrots, celery, etc.

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