Now that summer is officially upon us, it is the perfect time to think about party food. Barbecues and pool parties create the most relaxed backdrop for finger foods such as sliced watermelon, chips, guacamole and hummus.

When you’re an “allergy mom” and accept an invitation to a party, gone are the days of responding as a passive guest. Our new normal includes a thoughtful, interactive process of planning food items with the host.

You request that your child’s allergens not be used in any dishes, especially if the child is contact allergic. You bring/make food that is safe to eat. There is almost always a potluck table. And even though you’ve already spoken to the host about not serving allergens nor is your child going to eat any of the food due to cross contamination, the table is still scanned for any potential “threats”( no offense to the hosts or guests).  It’s like being in the FBI but without a badge or the privileges 😁😎.  This mission is accomplished with a smile on your face and an outward sense of calm masking the fact that inside your head is spinning.

Luckily, we have a supportive group of family and friends who are willing to accommodate our needs and keep our daughter safe. Even though it has been a few years since our daughter’s food allergy diagnosis, a small part of me still feels badly for asking people to refrain from serving hummus. Before her diagnosis, we used to love eating hummus. But since she is contact allergic and anaphylactic to sesame seeds and tahini, we had to give up eating it as a family. I have been experimenting with various alternatives without the use of tahini but with mediocre results until now.

A few weekends ago, we were invited to a friend’s birthday party. I was wondering what to bring and found this Cannellini Bean Dip recipe from Jacques Pepin’s new book, “Heart and Soul”. I decided to give it a try.

It was very easy to make with simple ingredients. And since we used canned beans, it took only about twenty minutes to prepare.

The cannellini beans impart a mild earthy flavor similar to garbanzo beans used in traditional hummus. I added extra water and yogurt to create a smooth, creamy texture. A generous squeeze of lemon tie all the flavors together.  Pepin’s recipe also uses bread as a thickener which adds a great deal of depth to this dish. If you use crusty fresh bread, make sure the crusts are cut off and only use the soft parts. This will make it easier to blend together unless you have a very high powered blender.  If you cannot eat gluten or dairy, I’ve included options for making it without these ingredients. I’m very happy to report that the dip tastes just as flavorful as the original version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I was milling around the serving table,  I overheard a few women talking about my dip. They were commenting that it was good. And they were wondering if it was homemade?  I chimed in and confessed that it was mine and “yes, it was homemade”. “Is this really hummus?”, one of the mom’s asked me? “No, I replied, it’s bean dip”. ” It tastes so similar but I like it better than hummus!”, she replied back. And with that exclamation, I thanked them both and walked away with a smile which warmed my heart.

You see the funny thing about food is that it is powerful in the way that it connects all of us.  Flavors and smells can jog a memory or create a new one. There are certain foods such as sesame and hummus that have negative associations for my family.  However, sometimes, a stranger can say something as kind as “I like it better than hummus” and a negative association is turned into something positive. You can, in that moment, feel hopeful that there are other options out there that taste just as good.

Happy Summer!

Cannellini Bean Dip

Adapted from : Jacques Pepin, “Heart and Soul”

Serves 6

Free from: eggs, soy, tree nuts, peanut, sesame. Top 8 Free Option- *See Notes 

For the dip:

• 2 cans (15.5) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained. Reserve and set aside 1/3 cup of the beans.
• 2 small garlic cloves (about 1/4 teaspoon), crushed
• 1 cup diced bread, packed (about 2 ounces), crusts removed. *For gluten free options- see notes  
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon full fat yogurt  *For dairy free option- see notes
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon or to taste
• 2 tablespoons water

Garnishes:

• 1/3 cup reserved beans (see above)
• 2 teaspoons good quality extra-virgin olive oil ( a few good glugs)
• ¼ teaspoon paprika( or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon parsley and/or cilantro, finely chopped
• sunflower seeds

Reserve 1/3 cup of the beans for garnish. Put remaining beans in a food processor or blender. Add all remaining ingredients, and process until very smooth, for at least one minute, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula a few times to help combine ingredients.  The dip should be creamy.

Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt, if desired. Pulse until mixed.

Transfer and smooth dip to a shallow medium size round serving dish.  Refrigerate dip for one hour – it will thicken once set. Let dip come to room temperature and garnish before serving.

For the garnishes, place reserved beans along the curve of the bowl or in the center. Next, add the cilantro/parsley and a sprinkling of paprika. Add sunflower seeds.

Drizzle with a few good glugs of high quality extra-virgin olive oil.

Serve with a platter of cut vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, crackers and pita.

*Notes-

• Make this dish up to a day before serving. See instructions above.
• For Top 8 Free options:  To make gluten free: Replace 1:1 with a gluten free bread. To make dairy free- omit yogurt and replace with extra 1 tablespoon of water for a total of 3 tablespoons water.