Spinach Artichoke Dip
- 8 ounces firm tofu, drained (drained)
- 1 cup chopped canned artichokes, drained, reserve 2 tablespoons canned juices
- ½ 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place tofu, artichokes, artichoke juice, and spinach in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Stir in basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Heat oil in a small skillet, and cook onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Remove from heat, and stir into spinach artichoke mixture.
Place in a 3-cup glass or ceramic baking dish that has been rubbed with olive oil. Bake 20 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Serve warm.
- Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about ¼ cup)
Hi Kristen!
Is it ok to eat Just Mayo from Hampton Creek since its vegan friendly?
Hi, Maggie. I looked up the ingredients for Just Mayo: Non-GMO expeller-pressed canola oil, filtered water, lemon juice, white vinegar, 2% or less of the following: organic sugar, salt, pea protein, spices, modified food starch (from corn), beta-carotene. Unfortunately, it contains ingredients that aren’t Daniel Fast friendly, including vinegar and sugar. Thanks for your question!
What are good Daniel fast friendly dipping options for this one?
You can use it with Flatbread, fresh veggies, as a topping on pizza (Flatbread Pizza), on a corn tortilla, and mixed with brown rice to make a main dish recipe. These ideas are just a few of the ways you can enjoy this recipe!
So I’m making this and doing the best I can to follow the recipe. The 1 tsp of salt really makes a salty dish. Is the salt more like a preservative in this dish? I’d like to cut back on this the next time I make it but want to be sure the salt isn’t serving a special purpose. Thanks!
Hi, Julie! You can use less salt than is listed without negatively affecting the outcome. I don’t like a lot of salt in recipes, so I usually try to use a minimal amount. Thanks for your question!
Hi Kristen,
I want to try this recipe but it requires canned artichoke. I went to trader joes and all the Canned artichokes have citric acid and vinegar. Do you purchase yours from a particular store?
Hi, Dominique! I believe Reese artichokes don’t contain vinegar. That’s what I use, but I’m sure there are many others that are Daniel Fast friendly. On the Daniel Fast you should avoid additives, chemicals, and preservatives as much as possible. However, there are some ingredients in canned foods that are considered “natural” preservatives. Examples are salt, lemon juice, and citric acid. Citric acid is a weak organic acid that occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables and is used to preserve foods.
Hi,
I notices tofu has a long list of ingredients (almost all of which I am unfamiliar with).
Are these not restricted ingredients?
Hi, Sandie! Great question. Tofu is included as an acceptable food because it’s a good source of protein. Some people choose to include it on their fast; others do not. It’s completely up to you. Not all tofu contains a long list of ingredients, which means there are higher quality products available. For example, Nasoya Organic Firm Tofu is made of Water, Organic Whole Soybeans, Calcium Sulfate (a calcium salt), and Nigari (Sea Water Extract). If you’re uncomfortable using tofu on your fast, that’s OK. There will be some variations on the Daniel Fast, as far as each person’s personal convictions. The whole idea of the Daniel Fast is to abstain from some foods as an act of sacrifice and worship, not to get hung up on what to eat and what not to eat. I hope this explanation helps clarify the issue. May God bless you abundantly as you seek Him!
Thanks, that definitely clarifies the issue. 🙂 Looks like I just need to find a more pure form.
Blessings!
You’re welcome!
Very good substitute! Thank you for all of your hard work in putting these recipes together. This is a great snack.
I’m glad you liked it!
Hi Kristen
I hate to be the person to say this but I made this dip and it was horrible. I have used tofu a few times while fasting. in this recipe, the tofu was overpowering. My husband tried it also and said there was “something wrong with the dip”. I bought the tofu today so it wasnt bad. Sorry, this one just didn’t do it for us. I made the dip to use on the pizza but wont be doing that.
Hi! It’s OK. Not everyone is going to like every recipe. I appreciate your honest feedback. I’m just sorry you were disappointed. Thanks for your comments!
Kristen, I am so sorry! Deepest apologies! I just realized i put 18 ounces of tofu in the recipe instead of 8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its no wonder the tofu was overpowering!
A friend from church made it and loves it. I will take what I made and adjust ingredients accordingly and give it a second chance.
Well, no wonder! 🙂 Let me know what you think the second time around.
I do not like the tofu, is there a substitute that I can use?
Hmmm. Not sure anything else would work in this recipe to hold it together. I haven’t tried anything else. The only thing that comes to mind is mashed potatoes! But, I don’t think you would get the same “dip” consistency.
Good morning Kristen,
I was wondering since the Daniel’s Fast is basically vegan based can you use Earth Balance as a butter substitute? By the way your recipes are awesome!!!!! Thank you
Thank you so much for your encouragement! Yes, the Daniel Fast guidelines are vegan, but there are a few more restrictions than a regular vegan “diet.” I checked the ingredients list for the Earth Balance Buttery Spread, and I don’t see any food listed that’s restricted. Whether to use it or not is a personal decision. May God bless you abundantly as you seek Him!
Your recipes have been a life saver during our fast. You have taken a lot of the guess work out of thus process. I will say in order for us to be successful during this fast is to plan our meals. Thank you
Hi, Sherry! Thanks for your kind words and feedback. Yes, preparation is key. 🙂 May God bless you abundantly as you seek Him!
Can we have peanut butter?
Yes, as long as it’s unsweetened. Check the ingredients to be sure.
Hi, Kristen. If someone has celiac, do you have a recipe for a type of flatbread for pizza or any kind of crust? Also can you use GF rolled oats for your oatmeal cookie recipe?
Hi, Sherry! Yes, you can use gluten-free rolled oats. And, I don’t have a gluten-free flatbread recipe (yet). However, I have tried a cauliflower pizza crust recipe that tasted pretty good. I just did a Google search and found it online. I’m sorry that I don’t have those recipes for you here! I’m working on adding more. 😉
Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome! 😉
How long does the spinach artichoke dip stay good in the refrigerator? Can you reheat it and eat it again?
Hi, Allyson! The dip should be good in the refrigerator for up to a week. And, yes, you can always reheat it.
Thx so much. This website has been such a blessing to me and very helpful.
You’re welcome, Allyson! I appreciate your encouragement. May God fill you with His power and peace as you trust in Him!
I am wondering if green olives are acceptable on the fast. I dos see black olives listed in some of your recipes but I love green olives as a snack.
Yes, green olives are allowed.
Blessings Kristin,
Which oil is acceptable to substitute for olive oil?
I have grown to distrust olive oil and no longer consume it.
I use Ghee, Peanut Oil and Coconut Oil the most, but will not be using Ghee during the Daniel Fast.
My fast begins on Jan 5
You can use coconut oil or sesame oil, depending upon the flavor you want to have. You can also use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or walnut oil. Those are the ones I recommend.
I was looking at purchasing some dried fruit today but mostly everything I found had sugar in the ingredients???
Yes, you really have to check the labels. Raisins are usually fine. Cranberries are usually not (because of the added sugar). The health food section of the grocery store is where you’re most likely to find dried fruit that doesn’t have sugar in the ingredients list.
Can I use smart balance spread made with extra virgin olive oil? It says that it’s dairy free and non GMO
Hi, Erika. Good question. Processed foods should be avoided as much as possible on the Daniel Fast. I checked the ingredients list, too, and, surprisingly, Smart Balance contains fish oils, and animal products aren’t a part of the fast. It’s not a recommended food.
Can you use silken tofu?
You sure can!
I LOVE spinach artichoke dip. However I am terrified of TOFU! How close does this taste to the real thing? BTW thank you for all the amazing recipes!
Terrified, huh? Well, the good thing about tofu is that it doesn’t really have a taste. It takes on the flavor of the food it’s mixed with. Since the Daniel Fast recipe doesn’t contain any cheese or butter, it’s not the same. But, for a Daniel Fast “cheese” dip, it’s good. I challenge you to give it a try! 🙂
What can I use instead of the tofu?
Hmmm. I’m not really sure because the tofu is a substitute for cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Parmesan cheese. I can’t think of another food that’s Daniel Fast friendly that will produce the same texture.The only thing I can think of is pureed great northern beans or chickpeas. Maybe someone else has an idea?
Soaked raw cashews are a great cheese substitute and could probably be used in place of the tofu in this recipe. May have to add some water or non-dairy milk to get it the right consistency. If you have a NutriBullet though, stir the spinach and artichoke in last or else it will be pulverized!
Glad you said put the spinach in the Nutribullet in last. I have one of these and it always say to put the vegetables at the bottom.
Also I see smoothies for Daniel Fast breakfast ideas. I could’ve sworn water is the only thing to drink on this.
I did this the first time and complained everyday. Now I’m going to do it again with no complaints. I made it through the 21 days but I felt so lousy afterwards due to my complaining.
Thanks for your comments. Yes, you are correct about water being the main beverage on the fast. But, it’s acceptable to use 100% fruit and/or vegetable juices in recipes and as a meal replacement (if you also want to incorporate a juice fast within your Daniel Fast). Does that make sense? May the Lord give you strength as you seek Him through prayer and fasting!
If a label reads organic sugar cane under ingredients but under the daily value list it says 0 sugars….what exactly does that mean? Can we eat this on a Daniel Fast?
I’m not sure how it can say 0 sugars when it contains sugar cane. What is the product? Perhaps it’s less than 1g of sugar, so it’s not enough to be more than zero. However, if it has sugar, it’s technically not a part of the Daniel Fast.
Can anyone recommend some brands that sell unleavened whole grain breads? I can’t seem to find anything in the stores. Thank you!
Kristen has an easy unleavened bread recipe on this website under snacks called Flatbread. It’s really good.
Joseph’s brand of flat breads and lavosh…just read the ingredient list. Some of his products might have sugar, but many do not!
If we wanted to use fresh spinach would it still be the 10oz?
No, it would be less, but I’m not sure exactly what the amount would be without making it to see. I recommend adding as much as you prefer. It’s really a matter of your own taste and how much spinach you like!
Can we really have pita bread on the “Daniel’s Fast” with the Spinach-Artichoke dip?
Only whole grain bread products are allowed, and they cannot contain yeast. Only unleavened bread can be eaten on the Daniel Fast. So, yes, you can have bread with the dip, but it must be unleavened and made from whole grain flour.
Thank you so much. Didn’t want to eat anything I wasn’t supposed. Really appreciate your recipes.
Ms. Kristen can I have whole wheat tortillas?
Yes, whole grain products are allowed, as long as they don’t contain sugar or any other restricted ingredients!
What is nutritional yeast vs yeast? Or yeast is yeast in any form. I ask because some websites have nutritional yeast in the recipe
That’s a great question. Please refer to my FAQ page (see #1 and #2). http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/ultimate-daniel-fast-food-guidelines/faq/