I love holiday party season mainly for the food, especially the cookies! Good thing it’s not the alcohol because I’m obviously not drinking any this year. I usually like to bring something that is either a healthy counterbalance to all the fatty dips and sugary dessert or a dessert I love and can’t bring myself to bake without a party because I know I’ll eat the whole batch before I can share.

Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite cheap and clean appetizer recipes, Chive White Bean Dip that can be served on crostini, with crackers or crudites. I opted for the least photogenic colored vegetable, jicama for the shoot. Yes, I regret this decision and blame the baby.

Chive White Bean Dip with Thrive™ Algae Oil

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Cannelini or Northern Beans
• 3 tbsp Thrive Algae Oil – or other cooking oil like olive
• 3 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 chopped cloved Garlic
• 1 tbsp chopped Chives
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Optional – top with Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a food processor. Blend together until consistent throughout.

Benefits of Thrive Algae Oil

During my last visit in LA, I stopped by the Thrive House for a little tasting and was amazed at how light and delicious the flavors of the culinary algae oil really were. What was even more impressive however were the nutritional benefits and price point of the bottle!

Among cooking oils, algae oil has the highest amount of monounsaturated fats – the good fats. Just one tablespoon has 13g, the same amount you would find in an entire avocado. Heart healthy fats help maintain heart health, balance blood sugar levels and maintain healthy blood pressure.

It has 75% less saturated fats than olive oil.

Also, it has a very light and delicate flavor allowing the flavors of your dish to really stand out without overpowering them, making algae oil great for baking, cooking and salad dressings.

One of my favorite highlights is that Thrive Algae Oil has a smoke point of 485 degrees Fahrenheit. Olive oil is just 375 and canola is 400 making it great for pan searing chicken or fish and getting veggies crispy in the oven. If you aren’t sure what a smoke point is, it is the point at which the oil begins to smoke, generating toxic fumes and harmful free radicals.

If you pride yourself on a diet that is not just healthy for you but also the planet. Algae is one of the planet’s most sustainable food sources.

You probably are expecting this to cost $20+ for a bottle of cooking oil but it actually is only $11.99 for a 16.9 fl oz bottle. The olive oil I used to buy at Trader Joe’s isn’t much less and this product is so much more versatile.

Thrive™ Culinary Algae Oil is the first—and only—culinary oil to unlock the power of algae. It’s an everyday cooking oil with a light, delicate flavor that lets the taste of your food shine through. I promise too that it really is light and mild.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Thrive Algae Oil, but you already knew that 🙂 I love the product and know you will too! Makes cooking on an unreliable stove top so much less stressful and my dishes more delicious. Try it and see for yourself!