This recipe comes from the Recipe Box at www.bariatriceating.com. Bariatric Eating is a web site created by Susan Maria Leach, the author of Before & After… Living & Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery with 100 Low Carb, High Protein Recipes for a Healthier, Happier, and Slimmer You. I reviewed this web site in a prior blog post. It is a nice resource for bariatric friendly recipes.

I made this recipe for my bariatric support group holiday party. It turned out quite well. I think it very much resembles hummus. I liked the taste but am considering playing with it in the future.

It is a nice base recipe to build on. I think it would be dynamite to add some feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives for a nice Greek dip.

It would make a nice spread for a bruschetta. Spread a little on thinly sliced toasted hearty Italian bread brushed with olive oil and rubbed with garlic. Then top the spread with finely diced tomatoes drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar.

At work my cafeteria serves a Mediterranean sandwich that has toasted ciabatta bread topped with a spread similar to this; zucchini, eggplant and peppers grilled brushed with garlic and olive oil; and finished with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It is a dynamite sandwich. I have to skip the bread but love the insides.

Tuscan White Bean Dip

¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, or great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon red wine or cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Kosher salt (use kosher salt in the kitchen as the flakes have great flavor)
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium low heat. Slowly cook the onions and garlic for 5 to 6 minutes until soft, stirring constantly. Add the rosemary and smoked paprika and cook an additional minute.  In a food processor, blend the cannellini beans, sautéed onion mixture, vinegar, red pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt until smooth. Slowly add the remaining olive oil. Add additional salt and lots of black pepper to taste.

Transfer to covered bowl and chill to allow flavors to blend.  Bring the dip to room temperature before serving – about twenty minutes – so the flavors of the ingredients come out.

This dip is also crazy delicious when baked in a medium oven proof dish at 325 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes, until bubbling around the edges.

Makes 2 cups.

1/4 cup portion: Calories 59, fat 2g, carbs 6r, protein 2.5g