Substituting Your "Bad" Habits with "Healthy"

When you are trying to be healthy, it is very frustrating when you "slip up."  You know veggies are the best for you, so you cut some up to make a delicious crudite, and then pour the ranch dressing from your refrigerator into a bowl.  Later on, you glance at the dressing ingredients, and lo and behold, the main ingredient is sugar, followed by a zillion other ingredients you cannot pronounce. Aargh! Did that negate all the good vegetables you just slaved over?  Not exactly, but it is definitely better to be prepared so this doesn't happen next time.

Part of what makes this work is advance preparation.  For me, Sundays are my day of thinking ahead about what food will be in the fridge all week.  I usually soak some rice, make some almond milk, make a salad dressing, and making some of this delicious dip to have on hand is great, too.  In the evenings, when you are preparing dinner, instead of grabbing for crackers and cheese, you can simply set out the dip and get some yummy vegetables on a plate.  Then you are filling your hunger pangs with absolute health, and tons of enzymes, too, since this dip is raw.

Nutty Pesto Dip

1/2 cup pine nuts or cashews, soaked for 1-2 hours, then drained
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic
1/2 Tbsp. basil
1/2 Tbsp. oregano
zest from one lemon
juice of one lemon
1/8 cup water (can add more water if you want it thinner)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Puree together in Cuisinart.

Serve with cut up vegetables of your choice.

This could also be a wonderful gift to drop off for a friend who has cancer, if you don't have time to prepare a whole meal.  She may be very grateful to have some "snacky" food.  You aren't always in the mood for a full meal, and this will allow her to be healthy and well-fed in between meals.