I think about blogging a fair amount of the time. I love writing, and I love this outlet. I try to share information that is helpful…information that would have helped me at an earlier stage in my life. But I really don’t share a ton of what my life is really like. (So let me tell you: it is chaotic and crazy and wonderful and perfect and imperfect and sleepy and inspired and frustrated and on and on.)
But there are a few key themes that bring me so much joy, they help define who I am. There is running, there is hiking, there is warm weather. There is photography. There is art.
And there is our yearly CSA (community supported agriculture). I love, love, love the farmer’s market (the farmer’s market and Hamilton are all of the good stuff of life). I love supporting local farmers, good environmental practices, healthy food, community. I also am completely present at the market–no fighting to feel mindful. I just am. (I will actually cry tears of joy at the farmer’s market. It is so perfect–it is how I wish life could be all the time.)
At any rate, all of this carries over to my CSA. Visiting “our farm” (Aspen Moon in Hygiene, Colorado) every week is such a pleasant experience. My oldest and I drive a few miles down a beautiful country road to the farm. We get to see animals (this week it was a mini horse and its ram friend and young cats). And, of course, we get to see where our food is grown.
Once berry season starts, we buy a pint of freshly picked strawberries and eat it while watching people pick up their food. And, again, I am so present because there really is no other place I’d rather be. There is really nothing else I would rather be doing than sitting on a farm eating the sweetest strawberries with my children. This is the stuff of a good life.
Last Tuesday was our first CSA pick-up of the year. I filled my bag with spinach, lettuce, bok choi, thyme, turnips, radishes, and green garlic. And when I got home, I realized it is time to pay more attention to cooking and using this delicious food. And for some reason, radish dip was on my mind. And so yesterday I made a delicious batch of radish dip.
Keep reading for the quick, easy, vegan radish recipe.
RADISH RECIPE: QUICK, EASY, RAW, VEGAN RADISH DIP
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of cashews (soaked in water for 30+ minutes if you are planning ahead)
1 bunch of roughly chopped radishes (I used our week’s supply from our CSA)
Chopped green garlic (I used to “sticks” from our CSA)
Juice from half of a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Water as needed
EASY VEGAN RADISH DIP INSTRUCTIONS
- Prep the ingredients (soak, chop, etc.)
- Add the cashews, radishes, green garlic, and lemon juice, salt/pepper to a blender.
- Blend.
- Add water to achieve desired consistency.
- Start dipping and spreading! I liked this radish dip even more after storing it in the fridge for a couple hours.
RADISH RECIPE NOTES
**I used my Vitamix blender to mix these ingredients. Since it sits on my counter all the time, it was easier to use than my food processor. (And clean up was super fast and easy.)
**I will experiment with this dip. In the future, I would use less cashews (maybe 1/2 cup) to see how it impacts the flavor of the dip.
**Although this is a vegan dip, I immediately spread it all over left-over grilled steak. It was so good. It was also delicious with crackers and carrots.
RADISH NOTES
**To store my radishes (if I am not ready to use them immediately), I cut off the tops/greens. I then place the radishes in a plastic bag, along with a paper towel. I leave the plastic bag open and put it in the fridge.
**To store radish greens, I also throw them in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel and place in the fridge.
**Radishes make a great addition to salads, of course.
