Vegan Buffalo Chickpea Dip

When you need to bring a dish for a family event or a social gathering with friends, it’s important to always consider if someone has a dietary restriction or a food allergy.  Veganism is a common diet people choose to follow that restricts the consumption of all meat, dairy and egg products. Dairy is also one of the top 8 most common food allergies in our country. In order to accommodate everyone's dietary needs, finding a recipe that's dairy free is a great option.

Another common dietary restriction is gluten. People who have Celiac Disease follow a gluten free diet to help eliminate foods that contains gluten. Barley, wheat and rye all contain gluten and the consumption of these products should be avoided. Wheat is also one of the top 8 most common food allergies in this country. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge if anyone has a sensitivity to gluten or wheat and try to find a recipe that is free of these products. Here is a great recipe that allows people who are vegan, gluten free, or have a sensitivity to dairy or wheat to consume with no worries.

The following recipe is gluten free, dairy free, vegan/vegetarian friendly.  Check out the recipe at "The Leaves of Kale" website: http://www.leavesofkale.com/2014/11/buffalo-chickpea-dip/

Prep Time= 15 mins

Cook time= 35 mins

Total time= 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1 15-oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup raw cashews
• ¾ cup original Frank’s Red Hot sauce
• ½ cup unflavored, unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond milk)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
• 1 rounded tablespoon nutritional yeast
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Ground black pepper
• Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh, finely-chopped parsley (optional)
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped chives (optional)
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup Daiya cheddar-style cheese, divided (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add the beans and cashews to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse several times to break them up a bit. Add the hot sauce, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of black pepper. Process until the mixture is entirely smooth (this will take several minutes), stopping to scrape down the bowl as necessary. Adjust salt to taste.
3. Scrape the bean mixture into a bowl and stir in the parsley and chives (optional) to evenly distribute. Stir in the chickpeas and ¾ cup of the Daiya. (cheese is optional)
4. Transfer the dip to a 9×9-inch square baking dish and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of Daiya on top. (Note: Dip can be made up to this point a day or two ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to heat and serve.) Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until warmed through. If the Daiya isn't fully melted, set the dish under the broiler for a minute or two to melt; this isn't necessary but looks nice.
5. Serve with tortilla chips and veggies for dipping

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http://www.leavesofkale.com/2014/11/buffalo-chickpea-dip/