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NEXT MAIN MENU PREVIOUS Onion-Dill Dip Perfect for the party season but also great any time of year, this luscious dip provides an exceptional reason to eat more celery and carrot sticks, and, well, you can even stick some potato chips in it and I won’t tell. Soy- and oil-free, this Onion-Dill Dip relies on cashews and beans for its creaminess and while it’s quite a bit lighter than most similar dips – even vegan ones – there is no sacrifice of flavor or indulgent texture. With great salty-sour and onion-y notes, this will probably not be a dip you’ll want to eat right before kissing under the mistletoe but it will have your officemates at the company holiday party wondering how the heck a vegan did this. Explain your sorcery, herbivore! Smile and hand them the recipe. If you don’t mind the calories and you want to make it taste a bit more like a traditional onion dip, substitute one of the excellent vegan mayos on the market for the beans. Don’t let the long list of ingredients alarm you: most are pantry items and easy to buy in small amounts in the bulk section of a natural foods store. It is also something you can make with a minimum of effort. A high-speed blender works best for creating a smooth cashew base but you can achieve this with a regular blender or even food processor and a bit of patience.   Onion-Dill Dip 1 heaping cup raw cashews*, soaked for 4 hours or more and drained ½ cup water ½ cup white beans (I used Great Northern, but navy or cannellini would also be great), drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons plain, unsweetened vegan milk (I used almond) 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice 1 – 2 teaspoons tamari 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast 2 tablespoons dried dill 1 1/2 tablespoons dried minced onion 1 teaspoon garlic granules 1 teaspoon onion granules Salt and pepper to taste 1 – 2 tablespoons minced chives   Place your drained cashews in a blender along with ½ cup of water. Blend, using your tamper, until smooth, about a minute. Add your beans, milk, apple cider vinegar, tamari and nutritional yeast. Blend until it is smooth and creamy. Pulse in the rest of your ingredients, not including the chives. Stir with a spoon, transfer to the bowl you will be serving this in, and sprinkle the minced chives on top. Cover and allow to chill for two or more hours before serving. *I recommend using cashew pieces, as they tend to be less expensive than whole ones and they will be ground up anyway. © 2015, Vegan Street