Between scary Sandy, dropping temps and more time in sweaters, boots and yoga pants I don’t know about you but I’m craving warm and zesty eats.

Warm foods with a little kick are so ideal for this time of year I’ve been playing around in the kitchen with some slightly spicy dishes. This vegan buffalo dip is a keeper.

I used to be a big sissy when it came to spicy foods but over the past few years I’ve started to add a bit in at a time to develop a tolerance. Little things like making the switch from wimpy mild salsa to medium helped. Sure enough I can now tolerate a bit of hot sauce and spicy bloody mary’s (winning!)

You can control the heat to suit your taste buds. This vegan buffalo dip is easy to make, plus it doesn’t scream “quirky vegan” – making it very carnivore friendly. I plan to whip this up quite a few times this football and holiday season. Next time you need a crowd pleasing appetizer give it a try!

Vegan Buffalo Dip Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 package vegan chik’n strips
• 4 tbsp veganaise (To me veganaise tastes better than mayo ever did!)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
• 1 tsp EVO
• 2-3 tbsp fresh dill
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 tsp paprika
• Hot sauce, tabasco or siriacha to taste
• Dippers: I like celery or carrot sticks if I’m in a veggie mood. Toasted pita chips or any cracker with a bit of weight to it also pair well.
• Optional: broccoli sprouts (found at Whole Foods)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Prepare chik’n according to package instructions, chop into 1.5 inch cubes
• Grab a medium-size bowl and mix vegainase, balsamic and EVO
• Add chik’n and mix well
• Add hot sauce – starting with 1 tbsp and adjusting as you like (Hint: If it’s too spicy add a little more EVO and balsamic)
• Place in oven safe dish and heat for about 10 minutes
• Garnish with paprika, dill, parsley and broccoli sprouts

Enjoy!

Readers, will you be making the vegan buffalo dip at your next party?

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Beth is a Health and Wellness expert who believes sustainability goes hand-in-hand with self care. She’s the girl whipping up kombucha cocktails at parties, and extolling the benefits of canning vegetables to anyone who will listen. View all posts by Beth Funari