Sweet Potato "Rotel" Dip & Game Day Recipes!

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    [post_date] => 2017-01-23 10:49:25
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    [post_title] => Sweet Potato "Rotel" Dip & Game Day Recipes!
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01.23

It is truly a remarkable thing.

A rectangular block of neon orange cheese, with the disturbing texture of overly-firm jello, and a sheen only attributable to industrial production, meets heat, pressure, and a can of salty smushed tomatoes...

And the result is an addictingly delicious dip with a regular place in America's game day snacking rotation!!! VELVEETA + ROTEL, people. The magic is real.

The only problem with this iconic combination? Well, just about everything else. I want to applaud whoever successfully marketed Velveeta as a cheese, considering that "cheese culture" is the LAST ingredient in a very long list of man-made and dubious others. I'm actually not even sure where we first got the idea that cheese is orange, since as far as I can tell, no creature's milk comes out in any similar shade.

Details aside, Velveeta has no place in a healthy, balanced kitchen. Rotel ingredients are less offensive, but I don't need citric acid and calcium chloride in my snacks when I can avoid it, thank you very much.

You know what I do need, though? THIS LL Balanced version of said traditional Rotel 'Queso' Dip!

I refused to have this classic flavor combination sidelined completely, so I decided to make one myself. And oh goodness, is it delicious!!!

Sweet potatoes replace the slightly sweet flavor and creaminess of Velveeta, and cauliflower adds bulk and nutrition without a lot of calories. Nutritional yeast and miso paste provide cheesiness and umami, as does roasting and caramelizing the veggies. Instead of Rotel, I stir in a whole-foods ingredient salsa that is low in sodium.

As I mention in the instructions, if you want to add chorizo or bacon or chicken you totally can, or you could add diced tomatoes or green peppers for a little more texture. However you serve it, this will be a welcome addition to the game day table, especially for those who've missed their Rotel Dip!

Want some other healthy Game Day recipes? Here are some favorites from the LL Balanced archives!

Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Buffalo Tempeh Nachos

5 Ingredient PB&J Energy Bites

Gooey Chocolate Chip-Pea Blondies

Shake Shack LL Balanced Style

Taco Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Casserole

TOTAL TIME :45minutes15minutes

8-10servings

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sweet potato
1 head cauliflower
5 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 medium yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock (sub vegetable for vegan)
1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons mild white miso
1 15-16 ounce jar salsa (whatever kind you like best)

DIRECTIONS

PREP

Preheat oven to 375 and line two baking sheets with nonstick parchment paper.
Peel and chop sweet potato into 1 inch pieces and add to one baking sheet (you want to pieces to equal approximately 2 cups). Remove cauliflower base and leaves and chop into 2 inch florets. Place on remaining baking sheet.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper over sweet potatoes. Toss to coat. Drizzle 2 teaspoons olive oil, remaining salt (a little less than 1/2 teaspoon) and a pinch of black pepper. Toss to coat. Roast veggie for 35 minutes, turning halfway through to brown evenly on both sides (start checking at 30 minutes, might need a little less or more, you want the sweet potatoes to be fork-tender).

COOK

While veggie are roasting, chop the onion half into 1/4 inch pieces and minced garlic. Heat a small saute pan to medium-low heat and add remaining teaspoon olive oil. When oil moves easily around the pan, add onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes. You can add splashes of water to prevent burning/sticking. Turn heat to its lowest setting and add garlic. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant and softened, around a minute. Set pan aside to cool.
In a high-powered blender or food processor, combine stock, coconut milk, nutritional yeast and miso paste. Puree until smooth. When onion mixture has cooled at least 5 minutes, add to blender/processor and puree until smooth.
When the sweet potatoes & cauliflower have roasted and cooled at least 5 minutes, add all of the sweet potatoes and 2 cups of the cauliflower to the blender/processor*. Puree until completely smooth.
Add your "cheesy" mixture to a large sauce pot and turn to medium-low heat. Cook, stirring continuously, until mixture has thickened and darkened slightly in color, around 10 minutes. It is important to stir constantly, or it will tend to splatter.
*I like to roast the whole head of cauliflower so I have leftovers for the week. If you'd prefer, you can pre-measure 2 cups raw cauliflower and just roast that. If so, you will only need 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Stir in salsa and taste for more salt. Add accordingly. You can serve dip immediately, but it reheats well on the stove. Feel free to stir in cooked chorizo or other sausage, pulled chicken or chopped bacon. Green onions would also be nice on top.