People suffering from food allergies or lactose intolerance will find this spinach artichoke dip recipe ideal, because although it doesn’t contain any real cheese, it’s still very tasty and consistent and it makes an excellent starter dish. It's also suitable for parties, when you are not sure your guests aren't allergic to dairy products and you want to be on the safe side with the foods you intend to offer them.

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces spinach, thawed, chopped, well-drained
• 1 can marinated artichoke hearts, chopped but not very small
• 8 ounces tofu cream cheese
• 1 cup vegan Parmesan (if you can find it; if not, try some vegan mozzarella cheese instead)
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (check the label so you make sure it doesn’t have any dairy ingredients)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 8

How to cook it:

Like most dip recipes, this one also implies mixing all ingredients in a large bowl and blending them until you get an even mixture. If you wish, you can use a food processor, but in this case your dip will be creamy. If you still want to feel the artichoke pieces, either blend it for a very short time or use a spoon. Pour the mixture in a crockpot, set it on high in the beginning, then, after the dip gets hot, change the crockpot setting to lowest.

Serve the dip hot with toasted pita bread, tortilla chips or sliced celery or carrots. When served with bread or chips, you can add some diced tomatoes for a nice touch of color and taste.