Summer Cilantro and Sunflower Seed Picnic Dip

Picnics make me so happy:) I love eating outside, connected to nature. Where all our healing and delicious food comes from.

One of my favourites to bring along is a super versatile pesto style dip. It’s quick to whip up, the combinations are endless, and you don’t need to worry about having it sit at room temperature for a while. It’s also versatile because you can use it in so many different ways, like pizza topping, dip for veggies and crackers, salad topper, or in wraps and sandwiches as a major flavour booster.

Cilantro and coriander (the root of cilantro) are SO flavourful, but also have so many health benefits, including:

• Has carminative properties which help to enhance digestion and reduces flatulence
• Helps to detoxify by binding to toxins, like heavy metals, in the body
• Source of antioxidant vitamins  A and C to boost the immune system
• Stimulates the secretion of insulin to lower blood sugar
• Help to lower levels of total and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), while actually increasing levels of HDL (the “good” cholesterol)
• Have antimicrobial properties

Cilantro can be used so many ways (beyond guacamole!) by adding it to salads, dressings, and as a nutritional booster to your soups and stir-fry.

In the recipe below, I used a pretty powerful combination of nature’s superfoods, including black garlic (fermented to enhance the beneficial components), lemon, and the most delicious olive oil (from All of Oils). I used sunflower seeds in the recipe, which are rich in vitamin E, but you can substitute any nut or seed.

Serve it up with some colourful veggies like radishes, asparagus, and endives.

Photo credit: Judith Laurel Photography