I haven’t done a test kitchen post in a while so I thought it was time to experiment in the kitchen again. This time using an eggless alternative to create rich, luscious recipes that work as dips, dressings, and spreads. You know how I like it :P
In this edition of test kitchen you will find a whipped avocado and wheatgrass spread, and a za’atar, fresh garlic, and lemon dressing with some sautéed winter greens. There’s even some pickled beets involved. Cray cray? Perhaps, but I was very pleased with the results! Especially with the whipped avo + wheatgrass mix, which by the way, was inspired by a restaurant in Copenhagen that served whipped butter with wheat grass juice (I kinda died for a bit because it was delicious and because I’m latcose haha).
Come play in the kitchen with me and see the full recipes after the jump!
So first thing’s first: for this test kitchen I partnered up with the buds from Hellmann’s to use their new Carefully Crafted spread (which happens to be made with non-gmo sourced ingredients). I like finding ingredients that add a rich texture to dishes without having to always resource to coconut alternatives. I love coconut, but it sometimes tends to hijack the flavours in the recipe, especially when you use a few simple ingredients.
I must say it’s super fun to test recipes with new products and document the results. I am sure I am not the only one with a sticky, messy, gross, notepad full of scribbles and notes from recipe testing, right?! If you think of it, it’s like a scratch and sniff (and taste?) notepad haha EW, ok I’ll stop, let’s get back to the recipes.
Whipped avocado and wheatgrass spread
As I mentioned, this recipe was inspired by my recent trip to Denmark and a marvelous dinner experience at Host where I tried whipped butter with wheatgrass juice. My god that was good. I used the same wheatgrass concept but added it into the avocado, sort of like adding parsley or cilantro into guacamole. I didn’t use juice because it would’ve made the spread too watery, just make sure to use a high speed blender OR blend it longer than usual so you don’t have stringy bits in it.
The result: a velvety, citrusy spread that’s perfect for any kind of sandwiches or even to use with chips. The wheatgrass adds a very slight touch of sweetness that’s super yummy. Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients:
– 1/4 cup Carefully Crafted spread
– 2 ripe avocados
– 1 handful fresh wheatgrass, chopped (you can buy it fresh at most health food stores or juice shops)
– 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
– 1 tablespoon lemon juice
– 1 teaspoon ground coriander
– Salt and pepper to taste
FYI: Hellmann’s Carefully Crafted spread is already seasoned and has a tangy/salty finish, try it before seasoning so you don’t over do it.
Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. You want to make sure there aren’t huge chunks of wheatgrass in there.
2. Taste for seasoning. If it’s too rich for your taste, add an extra splash of lemon juice.
This one is a bit of a Lebanese twist on caesar dressing. Call it an update if you will. The principles for the recipe remain simple, but the flavours are quite intense! If you can’t find za’atar, you can mix some oregano, thyme, and sesame seeds for a variation of it, though, the original one tastes awesome.
Ingredients:
– 1/4 cup Carefully Crafted spread
– 1 clove of garlic, minced
– 1 tablespoon za’atar
– 1/4 cup cashews (soaked in warm water for 1 hour)
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 tablespoon lemon juice
– Pepper to taste
– 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (leave it out if you don’t want heat in it)
Instructions:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
Voila! That’s it. You can use it as a dressing OR my fave is as a veggie dip (charred broccoli tastes amaze with this). For this recipe I used charred radicchio, wilted kale, and tomatoes. Pretty good, yes?
Well, that’s it for this messy edition of test kitchen. Hope you get to try either or both of these recipes and let me know if you like them.
Post created in partnership with Hellmann’s Carefully Crafted. All views my own.