Black Bean Dip is quick and easy to make using store bought salsa. Beans are an excellent source of fibre and protein making them a good choice for anyone on a gluten free diet (but really a good choice for everyone). The trick is finding the beans you like best then learning to prepare dishes you love that feature beans. This Black Bean Dip and a similar Black Bean Soup are two recipes I’ve been making for years.

Of course this dip can be made year round but in October it’s fun to serve in an orange bell pepper and serve with orange nachos. There’s no end to Halloween candy and sugary treats so it’s smart to offer some healthier food combinations. If you have some plastic spiders and bugs in your Halloween box be sure to use them too.

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Orange, Black and White Food

You don’t need to buy new dishes to do this. Look around the house for anything orange, black or white and get creative. Whether you’re serving snacks or dinner you’d be surprised what you can come up with when you think outside the box. Here are some foods to consider.

• Baby carrots, purple carrots or jicama sticks served on a black plate or bowl.
• Black bean dip with orange coloured or plain nacho chips.
• Vegetable chips in various shapes and colours.
• Roasted carrot hummus or Lemony Hummus with blue corn nacho chips.
• Red, orange, yellow and black bell peppers cut in strips.
• Red, orange, yellow and black bell peppers hollowed out and carved like a pumpkin.
• Small orange or white pumpkins in different sizes filled with dips or vegetables.
• I wonder what a version of my Easy Bean Salad would look like using black and white beans with a sprinkling of red lentils?
• Dark bread (faux pumpernickel or the new gluten free charcoal bread from Queen Street Bakery) served with cream cheese and smoked salmon.
• Buckwheat blini would look great!

Jicama

Do you buy jicama? The letter j is silent like in jalapeno so it’s pronounced HEE-kah-ma. Jicama is an edible root used in Latin American dishes that can be eaten raw or cooked. In Mexico street vendors sell raw jicama sticks seasoned with lime juice and chili powder. It’s crunchy and refreshing but it’s availability is hit and miss where I live. It’s a fall vegetable so keep your eye open and buy it when it looks fresh. Check out my Instagram video to see how I cut it up.

Peeling jicama on Instagram

A Well Stocked Pantry

Canned beans are a good item to store in your pantry and seeing them there might inspire you to make this Black Bean Dip. Black beans are commonly used in southern cooking and many Latin American cuisines so look for more ways to use them.

Both dried and canned beans are easy to find at the grocery store. Bean aficionados insist soaking dry beans give the best texture but for me the convenience of canned beans wins so that’s what I have in my pantry.

Get The Tools

Every cook needs tools so work toward collecting the ones you like the best. Tools that get used wear out over time so replace your favourites with a higher quality of the same item and it will last longer. You can make silky smooth soups and purees with any of these.

• An inexpensive Hand blender or the popular Magic Bullet work just fine.
• I like my Cuisinart food processor because I can do something else while it’s running.

Let me know in the comments below if you created something with an orange and black theme. Better yet show me a picture.

More Recipes with Legumes

Click on the text on the image(s) to go to the recipe/blog post.

• Homemade Halloween Treats
• Teal Pumpkin Project