I love dips. 

I love hummus (only the homemade kind though :). 

I love guacamole and I love yummy spreads that can be put into wraps.  Oh and I love pesto.

So I thought why now make of blend of all these delicious things into one incredible veggie dip!  The creaminess of the avocado and the flavor of the toasted walnuts make a divine combination.  There is a mildness to white beans that I absolutely love and what would any dip be without garlic!  Yum!

Best Basil Bean Dip

1 can of white beans (any variety will work), rinsed and drained

1 large avocado

1/3 cup of  toasted walnuts (just toasted them in a frying pan over medium heat until browned)

3 gloves of garlic

juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1 1/2 TBS)

1/4 cup of fresh basil

2 TBS olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

Combine all of the ingredients into a food processor or high-powered blender.  Simply pulse until it is smooth.

Serve with veggies (carrots, jicama and red peppers shown here), your favorite chips or crackers.

Well let me start by quoting my daughter....."Wo Mom, this stuff tastes waaaay better than it looks!"

Haha, I must agree.  Taking a decent picture of a gelatonous mess was a little tricky.

This recipe comes straight out of The Cancer Survivor's Guide that I use to teach The Cancer Project Classes.

This is a treat that my kids love and wish I would make more often...although they only like it when it's fresh and not when it's leftover....picky kids :)

Tapioca Pudding

Makes about 4 servings

Tapioca is a starch derived from the root of the cassava plant. It may be ground into flour for baked goods, or used as a thickener in jellies and pie fillings, though it’s most perfect use may be in this delicious pudding. Using non-dairy ingredients is important since the consumption of dairy foods has been linked to cancers of the prostate, breast, and ovary.

¹/₄ cup instant tapioca **
¹/₄ cup sugar (preferably turbinado)
¹/₄ teaspoon salt
2 cups soy- or other non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

** If you want to save money, you can buy the tapioca pearls instead of the instant tapioca.  You will simply need to cook the pudding longer (think instant oatmeal versus the thick cut oats for example).  Cook time is about 15 minutes with the tapioca pearls.  I found them in the bulk section at Winco.

Combine tapioca, sugar, salt, and non-dairy milk in a saucepan and stir to mix. Let stand 5 minutes, then place over medium heat and bring to a full boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes. The pudding will thicken as it cools. Stir in vanilla. Serve warm or chilled.

Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover Tapioca Pudding will keep for up to 3 days.

Per serving

• Calories: 150
• Fat: 2 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
• Calories from Fat: 12%
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Protein: 4.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 28.9 g
• Sugar: 15.1 g
• Fiber: 1.4 g
• Sodium: 222 mg
• Calcium: 163 mg
• Iron: 1.6 mg
• Vitamin C: 0.4 mg
• Beta Carotene: 1 mcg
• Vitamin E: 1.7 mg

Source: The Survivor’s Handbook: Eating Right for Cancer Survival by Neal D. Barnard, M.D. and Jennifer Reilly, R.D.