Walnut feta cheese dip

As we approach the Christmas season, it’s great to have an arsenal of easy, healthy appetizers to bring with you to parties or to entertain your own guests. It’s been awhile since I’ve featured anything from Mollie Katzen, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to write about one of our favorite dips from her awesome cookbook, "Moosewood Cookbook."

We make Mollie’s Walnut Feta Dip anytime of the year but it especially comes in handy during the holiday season. There’s really only three ingredients that you’ll need to have on hand to make this and they’re pretty basic one’s at that. Walnuts, feta, and parsley make up the core of this tasty little dip. I say dip loosely because it can also be served as a vegetarian pate.

I like to keep this baby around the house because it’s loaded with healthy fat and protein and keep us satiated through afternoon snack attacks. Move over hummus, you got a relative in town and she’s staying for a while.

Walnut Feta Cheese Dip
Adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

1 cup  chopped walnuts
Handful of fresh parsley
1 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup water
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon Spanish hot paprika
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Olive oil
Fresh oregano for garnish

Place the walnuts and parsley into a food processor and blend in short spurts until the nuts are chopped. Add the feta, water, garlic clove, paprika, and lemon juice. Blend until it reaches desired consistency.

Option one is to leave it chunky as seen in the picture above, or blend it until it smooth. This dip can also be packed into a form and served as a pate. A mini loaf pan lined with plastic wrap works well for this. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh oregano.

Related post: Yogurt Cheese Snack