This Minty Spring Pea Dip is a fun variation on classic hummus you have to try if you love traditional hummus.
If you’re looking for a quick, simple, delicious, and light dip to make on the weekends, this is a great one to add to your spring rotation.
Peas, like many fruits and vegetables, are thriving in the spring.
We always make a point to plant as many herbs as we can throughout the year and love grabbing a little inspiration from the things that we harvest. That philosophy is where this fun recipe was born. We have a mini-garden with fresh mint and delicious spring peas in the garden, what more can you ask for!
This Minty Spring Pea Dip was born from having way too much mint than we knew what to do with! In addition, hummus can sometimes get a little boring for us so why not switch it up with a protein-rich pea dip as well?
Using the Foundational Five System to Create a Healthy Snack With This Minty Pea Dip
A Foundational Five Nourish Meal is any meal that contains all 5 elements within our Foundational Five system: non-starchy carbohydrates, starchy carbohydrates, healthy fat, protein, and the Flavor Factor.
The Foundational Five supports you in nourishing your physical body so you can learn what to eat, which is the first step in mindful eating. The remainder is knowing how to eat and to experience your food positively.
By including these 5 elements in your meal, you’re supporting your physical body on a cellular level, ensuring you’re consuming the nutrients you need to have a sharp focus, calm digestion, lasting energy, sound sleep, and vibrant long-term health.
For snacks, we always recommend pairing at least 2 of the elements together, not including the Flavor Factor. This ensures you have a well-balanced snack that will keep you full until your next meal and won’t spike your blood sugar.
Here are the Foundational Five elements in this Minty Spring Pea Dip:
1 • Non-starchy Carbohydrates
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Green peppers
- Other non-starchy veggies for dipping
2 • Starchy or Sugary Carbohydrates
3 • Healthy Fat
4 • Protein
5 • Flavor Factor
- Mint
- Shallots
- Sage
- Lemon
- Salt
- Pepper
Peas
Just 1 cup of peas contains about 4 grams of fiber, which is pretty good for just a side dish and in the grand scheme of your day, it’s about 8% of your daily needs of fiber (based on 35g / day which is “standard”, some folks need more, some need less).
Peas are loaded with vitamin K, B vitamins, minerals, and plant-based protein, so much quality protein that plant-based protein powder companies have more recently started incorporating peas into their powder mixes.
Just 1 cup of peas yields a 8g of protein, which is high for a vegetable!
Mint
Studies have also shown that peppermint can help relieve digestive issues, such as an upset stomach, bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Mint has an array of antioxidants and phytonutrients that can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.
Fresh Or Frozen?
Fresh peas might have a bit more nutrition to offer and a sweeter flavor, but frozen peas are super convenient and affordable. The additional ingredients you’ll need in this recipe are herbs, lemon, and a few things you probably already have in your kitchen.
When you’re purchasing frozen peas or any fruit or vegetable for that matter, always get the one that has the whole food as the single ingredient. For example, get the bag of frozen peas that lists only peas as the ingredient. You don’t need anything else!
Pea Dip is Great On the Go
This Minty Spring Pea Dip is actually a lot more versatile than you may think. It’s wonderful to store in the fridge and grab for a quick snack with some veggies or gluten-free crackers or served hot as a side dish for dinner or lunch.
Another way to use this Minty Spring Pea Dip is to spread it onto a sandwich for a bright lemony and minty flavor or add a few dollops to pasta or grains of your choice and toss with a little extra virgin olive oil. The pea hummus will transform into a delicious sauce that can coat the pasta or grains of your choice.
However you choose to enjoy this recipe, we know you will love it just as much as we do!