Three Kid Friendly Dipping Sauces

Try these three, kid friendly dipping sauces the next time your picky eater says he won't eat veggies. Use a variety of raw, sliced vegetables. My kids like broccoli, carrots, celery, sweet bell peppers and jicama. You can try blanched green beans or snap peas. Cherry or grape tomatoes also work well. The sauces are low in fat and healthier than ranch dressing.

Almond-Miso Dip

You'll need:

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of white miso paste.

1/2 cup warm, 100 percent apple juice.

1/2 cup organic almond butter.

Dissolve the white miso paste in the warm apple juice. Combine with almond butter and mix until completely blended. If the mixture is too thick, add more apple juice. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Creamy Tofu Dip

You'll need:

1 cup silken tofu.

6 ounce container of Greek style yogurt.

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill.

Salt and white pepper to taste.

Paprika for garnish.

Puree the yogurt and tofu in a blender until smooth. Add dill, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for one hour or ideally overnight to allow for flavors to blend. Garnish with paprika before serving.

White Bean Dip

You'll need:

15 ounce can of white beans, rinsed and drained. Eden Organic has BPA free cans.

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.

1/4 cup olive oil.

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley.

3 chopped scallions, white parts only.

Salt and black pepper to taste.

Combine beans, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth. Add parsley and scallions. Blend until smooth. Chill before serving to allow flavors to blend.

Other options for kid friendly dipping sauces include hummus and guacamole. Organic, all natural peanut butter or cashew butter can be substituted for almond butter. The recipes are based on dip recipes found in Vegetarian Times magazine.

--Lynda