Eric and I just got back from Maui and while we were there we ate at this awesome Mediterranean style restaurant called Pita Paradise. We had the best falafel, best humus, best olive tapenade, best pita of our lives! There was also the yummy chicken kebab with rice and grilled vegetables, the sun dried tomato and lamb penne, and the ginger hibiscus margarita. So good! If you are ever in Wailea we totally recommend it!

We didn’t have much to eat when we got back to Cali, but we did have a couple bags of pita chips and I just got a brand new food processor! So with the recent Pita Paradise in Maui experience, the idea was to make humus, but upon raiding my kitchen cabinets I found only black beans. That gave me an idea to make black bean dip. I’ve never done it before, so I looked up internet recipes for inspiration. Some were complicated and I prefer very simple dips. Also, a lot of the recipes I looked up called for vinegar.

I love vinegary things, but when I tried Trader Joe’s Black Bean Dip I couldn’t get past the first bite. It was the worst vinegar flavor I’ve ever tasted. Since then I haven’t bought black bean dip and probably never will again. I understand potatoes and vinegar, cucumbers and vinegar, oil and vinegar, but I just don’t get black beans and vinegar. So here is a simple vacation inspired recipe I made with ingredients I found in my kitchen, minus the vinegar.

Ingredients:

1 can no salt added black beans, almost completely drained
1/2 small onion, about 1/4 cup chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add onions and black pepper and saute for about five minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for no more than 30 seconds.

2. In a food processor or blender, combine all remaining ingredients with sautéed onions and garlic. You want just a little bit of liquid from the can of black beans. Pulse food processor 10-15 times and then hold in for 20 seconds. Your dip should be smooth. Let it chill in the fridge for a half hour so the flavors blend together–if you are patient. We just ate it!