This is a new family favorite recipe in our household.  For years my husband has made a crowd pleasing spinach artichoke dip that is a hit at parties…it includes mayo and cream cheese.  So I made this spinach artichoke dip (found at Paleo Spirit) and had him taste test it to see how it measured up…after 1/2 the batch was gone before I could get it out of the pan, we both concluded that this is our new favorite dip recipe.  It yields a creamy but dairy free version of our original recipe…

How is that possible? That was my initial question and until I tasted it I was doubtful.  The secret is cashew cream.  Cashew cream is very easy to make at home and the Paleo Spirit website is also where I found the simple recipe. They key here is to make sure you start the cashew’s soaking in water a day before you want to make the dip.

Raw Cashew Cream (recipe from Paleo Spirit):

• 1 cup raw, whole cashews (make sure they are not salted or roasted)
• fresh, filtered water

1. Rinse your cashews, put them in a bowl and cover them with water and allow to soak at least 2 hours but preferably over night.
2. Drain cashews, rinse and put them in a food processor with 1 cup of filtered water.
3. Blend on high for a couple of minutes until you have a creamy texture

Makes 1 1/2 – 2 cups of cashew cream…perfect because that is exactly what the spinach artichoke dip calls for.

Spinach Artichoke Dip (recipe from Paleo Spirit):

• 2, 10 ounce boxes of frozen, chopped spinach
• 2, 14 ounce cans or jars of artichoke hearts (I prefer jars and ones that have a bit of spice added)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups cashew cream from above recipe

1. Defrost spinach and squeeze out extra water
2. Drain and chop artichokes
3. Saute onion in olive oil for about 10 minutes and then add garlic and cook for another minute
4. Stir in the artichokes, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper and let them heat
5. Add in the spinach and lemon juice and let them heat
6. Now stir in your cashew cream

It is best served warm – use sliced cucumbers, red bell peppers, blue corn tortilla chips or any type of cracker for scooping and enjoying this amazing and healthy dish!  It would make an excellent March Madness treat…