Level Up Your Lunches With This Ultimate Guide To Making Delicious Protein Dips

Whether you’re looking for a between-meal snack, a healthy dose of lunchtime sustenance, or even a post-workout refuel, you can’t go far wrong with a versatile protein dip.

When it comes to plant-based dips most bowls will have either a carbohydrate or a fat base as their main ingredient. Hummus, for example, uses chickpeas, a complex carb, while in guacamole we use avocado, a nutritious and healthy fat.

Adding a pure source of protein, like our Pureblend protein powder, is useful in balancing out the macronutrient profile of the dish though while making you feel fuller for longer. Here, we break down some top tips for making your own delicious protein dips at home, including two must-try recipes for you to have a go at making yourself.

How To Make Protein Dips: 5 Top Tips

Spice It Up

Adding herbs, smoked paprika or garam masala is the easiest way to completely transform the taste and personality of your dips. Having a ‘go-to’ base and then simply changing how you dress up it will allow you to bring new colours and a variety of flavours to the dish. It’s a tiny teaspoon that can make a world of a difference.

Creamy Consistency

A combination of a powerful food processor with large blades and patience will bring a moreish texture to your dip. It’s important to blend the ingredients well, so no lumps are left. Blending for longer than your urge to devour your dip will ensure you have a velvety texture as the process of allowing air to be combined into the ingredients makes them lighter and creates more volume.

Good ingredients

We all know that good ingredients are the backbone of any great dish, but the less ingredients you use, like in a simple protein dip, the better those ingredients should be. If you are using beans for the base for example, buy them fresh and cook it yourself or choose organic and well-sourced tinned products. The same thing applies to using nuts for your pesto. Investing in high quality pine nuts or cashew nuts makes a huge difference in taste. It’s definitely worth it.

Italian Flavours Work Well

My granny was from Italy so I love playing with strong Italian flavours such as garlic, olives, artichoke, sun dried tomatoes. Mixing nuts into a soft base is also a great option and will give your dip a more interesting and satisfying texture. This sun-dried tomato, Puy lentils and walnut dip is the perfect example.

Easy On The Powder

It’s important to understand that the protein powder is not the star of the show. It’s just there as a supporting act to enhance the macronutrient profile, not flavour or texture. If you overdo it, it won’t taste great and the dip will be dry. To avoid making this mistake add the protein powder gradually after you mixed all the other ingredients, then taste it as you go.

If feel you’ve added a bit too much protein powder, you can adjust the recipe by pouring more liquid (extra virgin olive oil or lemon juice) or spices into the mix.

How To Make Artichoke Dip

This artichoke dip is good for reducing the level of toxins in your system and improving your liver health. Two antioxidants found in artichokes – cynarin and silymarin – have been shown to reduce the presence of toxins and facilitate their elimination from the liver.

Serves: 4
Ready in: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup drained grilled artichoke hearts
• 1 cup drained butter beans
• 1 tbsp Form Pureblend protein powder
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Put the artichoke hearts and butter beans in a food processor and blend until smooth, then add the Pureblend, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, a pinch of sea salt and blend again until smooth.
2. Slowly add in the olive oil while the machine is still blending.
3. Keep in the fridge and eat within 5 days.

Notes: Have as a dip and serve with crackers for a snack, or in your gluten-free pasta for lunch or dinner.

How To Make Beetroot Hummus

Good for beating high blood pressure, beetroots have a high concentration of nitrates shown to have a blood pressure-lowering effect. This may lead to a reduced risk of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes.

Serves: 4

Ready in: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 raw beetroots
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 1 tsp shaved ginger
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ lemon
• 1 tbsp Form Pureblend protein powder
• 100ml olive oil
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander

Method

1. Peel and grate the beetroots.
2. Put the chickpeas and tahini in a food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Next, add the fresh ginger, cayenne pepper, beets, lemon juice, Pureblend, and a pinch of sea salt and blend again until smooth, slowly adding in the olive oil.
4. The final step is to gently mix in the chopped coriander with a spoon.
5. Keep in the fridge and eat within 5 days.

Notes: Have it as a dip and serve with crackers and crudités for a healthy snack, or tucked in your sandwich for a wholesome lunch.