So many of the dips that I find at parties are full of unhealthy ingredients.  These two are full of healthy ingredients, chemical free, sugar free, dairy free, gluten free….and very delicious,

What I like about this raw avocado dip is that it is full of vegetables; adding the celery makes it crunchy and not so rich…healthier.

AVOCADO VEGETABLE DIP

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado, peeled & pitted
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1 – 2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tomato, chopped
Spike Salt to taste

Directions:
1.    Mash avocado.
2.    Add celery and lemon juice and mix in well.
3.    Gently mix in chopped tomato.
4.    Season with Spike salt to taste.
5.    Place in serving bowl on a plate surround with cucumber rounds, slices of radishes and corn chips.

This is a creamy dip that is also dairy free.

BUTTER BEAN DIP

Ingredients:
1 cup Butter beans (cooked)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
Salt to taste
A few sprigs of fresh Parsley chopped
Olives & Watercress or Parsley for garnish

Directions:
1.    Mash butter beans until smooth and creamy.*
2.    Add rest of ingredients.
3.    Mix together until well blended.
4.    Adjust seasoning to taste (salt, Lemon juice, olive oil, garlic)
5.    Put into a decorative bowl and garnish with olives & watercress.
6.    Serve with corn chips or whole meal crackers.
* you could use a blender, when I developed this recipe I did not have one by choice!

Copyright © Diana Herrington  You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com  or the direct link to this post.

Healthy recipes for picnics

In the past few weeks I have been on a couple of picnics in which I brought all of the food as a thank you to a couple of my friends for all that they have done for me. It is so much fun to sit out on the grass amongst nature eating real food.

Here are a couple of the recipes from my picnics and ones that will be in my first e-book.

AVOCADO VEGETABLE DIP

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado, peeled & pitted
1 tsp. onion, finely minced
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1 – 2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tomato, chopped
Nori & Dsulse seaweed flakes to taste

Directions:
1. Mash avocado.
2. Add onion, celery and lemon juice and mix in well.
3. Gently mix in chopped tomato.
4. Serve with corn chips or slices of vegetables.

HEALTHY POTATO SALAD

Ingredients:
3 potatoes (cooked and diced)
2 stalks of celery or ½ green pepper (finely chopped)
1 carrot, chopped
Chives or chopped green onions to taste
Hand full of fresh parsley or dill weed
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tsp mustard
3 tsp lemon juice 

Directions:
1. Once sliced keep aside as well as some parsley.
2. Mix mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice together to make the dressing.
3. Mix all ingredients together with dressing.
4. Decorate the top with parsley.

Have you been on any picnics lately and what kinds of healthy foods do you put in your picnic basket???