I’ve finally been trying some new things out with my Vita-Mix.  I’ve had it for years, and known all that’s it’s capable of, but I’ve just been using it for smoothies.  Recently, I had some basil that I needed to use up, and I was looking for a way to pack some nutrients into my food, so I made a basil-garlic white bean dip. Cannellini beans are a great source of protein, fiber, iron, and folate so they make a wonderfully healthy base for a dip.  I’ve been using the dip on crackers and homemade rolls, as a spread on sandwiches and wraps, and as a veggie dip. If you want to turn it into a delicious pasta sauce, you can add some more olive oil.

Combine the following in your Vita-Mix or blender:

1 can cannellini beans, drained

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (more if you’re making a sauce, just add until it’s the desired consistency)

1 cup of fresh basil

1 clove of garlic (use less if you don’t need to keep the vampires away, I love garlic!)

Himalayan sea salt and pepper (I used lemon pepper) to taste.

Turn on the blender, let it run until you’ve got a beautiful, smooth, protein packed dip (about a minute in the Vita-Mix, time may vary depending on blender).

Enjoy!