Friday Recipe: White Bean Basil Dip and #guest D.C. McMillen @mcmillendc

Kristabel has informed me that Fridays are dedicated to food on her blog. I F*@#ing love food and I F@*#ing love Kristabel’s blog so I jumped at the chance to guest today. (Blushes, thanks, D.C.!)

As much as I love all kinds of food, I’ve been on a bit of a health kick for the last year and a half. Ever since my mom so delicately informed me that I had too much junk in my trunk (the 90’s called, Mom. They want their slang back). Plus, I made the mistake of sausaging myself into a bikini in the middle of winter on an impromptu vacation. I felt like a beached whale lying on that beach.

Of course, I immediately cast blame where most appropriate; my boyfriend. “Why didn’t you tell me my ass got so big?” I demanded.  He just shrugged and told me he thought I still looked beautiful. Now, to the untrained ear, that sounds like a sweet response. But let’s say it again while paying a bit more attention this time: “Honey, I think you still look beautiful.” Still? Still! If a compliment needs to be qualified with the word still, I am in trouble. 

So, a diet ensued. It took me an entire year but I managed to lose forty pounds and, while I haven’t lost that last ten yet, I’ve at least managed to keep the weight off.  I did not completely cut out the junk food. If I did that, my brain and stomach would have teamed up against me in a spectacular rebellion. Instead I tried eating healthier most of the time and always in smaller portions. One of my favourite healthy recipes, one that I will share with you today, is not really a recipe at all. In fact it is so stupid easy and delicious, you will probably want to rush to your food processor right away. Of course this is regardless of the fact that you are perfect the way you are and do not need to lose any weight like me.

This recipe is both a dip and a spread. I usually make a batch on Sunday and keep it in the fridge. I then use it as a high protein, low fat dip for veggies and as a spread for sandwiches, in place of mayonnaise or other junk-trunk inducing spreads. This happens to be the recipe most requested by my friends and family, which is awesome because they have no idea how healthy or easy it is to make

White Bean Basil Dip/Spread

• One can white beans, rinsed and drained
• Handful fresh basil, rinsed and patted dry (I’m sure you could use cilantro or dill instead although I haven’t tried it)
• Squeeze of fresh lemon, if desired
• Extra virgin olive oil

1. Place beans and basil in your food processor then squeeze a small amount of lemon over mixture. If you don’t have lemon, that’s okay too. I just find it adds a bit of freshness. 
2. Begin processing while slowly adding olive oil. Stop adding oil when the mixture is creamy and smooth.
3. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate up to about four days. 

Yeah, that’s pretty much it. How easy is that?

Now that I’ve offered up my favourite and most easy healthy recipe, I’d like to take advantage of your undivided attention to peddle my newest erotic release, which is called The Wedding. 

The Wedding

Karen is not the type to attend a wedding with a guy she’s only slept with once but, in a rare display of empathy, she agrees to accompany her new landlord Allen to this sure-to-be-boring function. Fortunately, Karen knows how to have a good time, and she’s pretty sure she and Allen can make their own fun...even if they have to do it in the outdoors just steps away from a couple hundred stuffy wedding guests.

The Wedding, mini-excerpt:

The car rumbled to life and he pulled from the roundabout into traffic. He seemed at ease, his hand alternately resting on my thigh and the shifter. As we neared our destination, however, his comfort steadily dissipated. His fingers tapped against the wheel and he smoothed his other hand along the thigh of his dress pants. Jesus, I hope he’s not going to act like this all night. There better be an open bar.

“So, uh, like I said,” he said finally. “My ex-best friend and his wife won’t be there.”

“Uh huh,” I said, distracted. Who doesn’t have an open bar at a wedding these days? No one, that’s who. God, I hope the champagne is good. I need an overflowing glass of expensive champagne, like, ten minutes ago. Since when does Karen Valentine go to weddings as someone’s date?

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D.C. McMillen enjoys writing about dirty sex in questionable places but has been known to write about other subjects, on special occasions. She is featured in MuseItHot’s Short & Spicy line up with The Rental, The Wedding and A Decent December. D.C.’s short stories and flash fiction can be found in several anthologies and other print and online publications. She is obsessed with Twitter and invites you to look her up at @mcmillendc, on her blog, or Facebook.