Fresh veggies and dip ~ the spring edit!

what can I bring? crudité is the new charcuterie!

I always hope they say appetizers because a beautiful plate of veggies (sometimes a few quick pickled vegetables too) and a fabulous dip is what I love to bring most. Sometimes I go all out, like with my Rainbow Crudités with Fire Feta and my Grand Aioli, both inspired by the sunny Mediterranean. But more often than not I’ll pick one crisp seasonal vegetable ~ like spring radishes ~ and pair them with a special homemade dip. I’m always amazed at how people respond, I think they’re starved for healthy appetizer options!

fresh veggie platters get a bad rap

It’s because they’re often served with a thin tasteless yogurt dip, or an unappealing bottled ranch dressing. But guess what? When you ground them with a delicious dip they become as irresistible as a bowl of chips.

prep raw veggies for entertaining or snacking*

Even if you’re not throwing a party, I love to pack prepped veggies like this with the dip for healthy snacks. Packed in small storage containers, covered with a damp paper towel, they’ll keep for days in the fridge.

*Trimmed and cut veggies keep surprisingly well in the refrigerator with only one exception ~ tomatoes! Never refrigerate tomatoes, they become mushy.

baby spring vegetables make the best crudité

Raw veggies and dip is a year round appetizer, but it really shines in the spring. Take a look around your produce section, or hit the the first farmers market of the season for young spring veggies like baby carrots, French beans, radishes, or the baby turnips, below. They taste especially good right now when we’re coming off a winter’s worth of comfort food and we’re naturally craving something fresh and crunchy.

whipped basil ricotta veggie dip

A great cheesy dip makes all those healthy veggies even more enticing, and it really helps those who need a little convincing when it comes to purple cauliflower and radishes. For this whipped basil ricotta I mix two of my favorite things: soft creamy ricotta and a zesty homemade pesto sauce. The result is creamy, herby, and so good. (So good you’ll want to use it in other ways, too, like as a dip for warm bread, or as a quick pasta sauce.)

ricotta cheese makes a great sub for mayo in dips

I buy the best full fat ricotta for this recipe, but of course if you have the time you can make your own homemade ricotta, recipe here. It only takes minutes!

veggies by the numbers

Of course you’ll choose what you love and what looks best in your produce section, here’s what I ended up with:

1. yellow bell pepper (cut into strips)

2. watermelon radish (don’t peel and slice into very thin rounds, then cut in half moons)

3. baby carrots (peel and leave 1/4 inch of the greens attached)

4. cucumber (don’t peel, and slice into sticks)

5. radish (leave 1/4 inch of the greens attached, cut larger radishes in half or in wedges)

6. golden beets ~ yes you can eat them raw! (peel, slice into very thin rounds, then cut in half moons)

7. jicama (peel and slice into match sticks)

8. spring onion (trim and slice into the green part with the tip of a knife so they fan out)

9. red bell pepper (cut into strips)

10. purple cauliflower (separate into small florets or slices)

11. French green beans (leave whole)

12. cherry tomatoes (leave whole and provide toothpicks)

13. baby turnips (halve and leave 1/4 inch of greens attached)

14. baby yellow carrots (peel and leave a 1/4 inch of greens attached)