What a busy time of year it is!

This past weekend was the Mushroom Festival – one of my favorite weekends as a Kennett Square native. Celebrating an industry that my family has deep roots in is fun to see – and as my family got bigger and evolved, there were even more connections to the mushroom industry.

I ran the Painted Mushroom tent with my mom and sister – it was a lot of fun, and a lot of work! Between a silent auction, a raffle and a popularity vote to manage, there were tickets galore to oversee. My mom painted the raffle mushroom, and my sister painted one of the other entries up for bid. I did my best to channel my innermost annoying mall kiosk salesperson and made sure not one person passed me without getting a ticket to vote. Interestingly enough, I have a newfound respect for the confidence that those people have, because while I was aggressively hounding all festival patrons to take a ticket, I couldn’t help but remember that on the other side I am definitely one of those people who would rather slink away unnoticed without taking a ticket or making any small talk… with anyone. However, it was worth the fun. My aunt Kim won the Giant Mushroom Raffle, and my sister’s mushroom raised the top contribution of $400 for local charities, so it was a great time.

Some excitement is in store for this weekend – I am working the tent/bake sale at the Radnor Fall Festival for my volunteer group, The Saturday Club! Proceeds go to the Kisses for Kyle organization, so if you’re in the area, stop in and say hello! The Kisses for Kyle Foundation offers a variety of services to families fighting childhood cancer in the Delaware Valley. They provide financial assistance to help with bills, travel expenses, wigs, and food throughout the treatment and recovery journey. Kids at the festival are welcome!

Tomorrow also marks the next new moon, in Virgo. New moons are typically seen as a time for new beginnings, and planning, innovation, and Virgo’s meticulous energy really drives the point home.

Virgo is an earth sign known for its organization and practicality, but during this new moon, it’s important let go of the overthinking. Create a vision board or document in a journal to get your thoughts together on what you want to organize and prepare. Tie up loose ends, and see what you need to make clearer in your life, but as with any new moon – be kind with yourself and patient on your newly drafted desires.

I was going back and forth on what to post since I have a few things to share, and once the weather starts to get cooler… I will be making a ton of really good fall recipes, both paleo/vegan, and unrestricted! For now, please enjoy this delicious dip that you can bring to Sunday Football, a tailgate, or on the deck to enjoy a nice hot toddy before dinner.

Lemon Dill White Bean Dip (Gluten-free, Vegan!)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: n/a

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp tahini
• Juice and zest from 1 lemon
• Small handful of fresh dill, plus more for garnish
• 2-3 large cloves of garlic
• ¼ cup loosely chopped red or yellow onion (it’ll get smashed up – just need a small bit of onion)
• Sea salt, to taste (I put in about 1/2 tsp)
• 1 tbsp quality olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 1-2 tbsp of water, as needed
• Optional, omit if vegan – 2 tbsp of crumbled feta, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. In a food processor, add your beans along with tahini, salt, lemon juice and zest, onion, garlic and olive oil.  Blend until creamy – you may need to use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides down to ensure everything is blended to your desired texture.
2. Once blended, add your herbs and feta, and pulse to combine. I like my texture to be thick and creamy, like hummus – if yours is too thick however, add some water to thin it out.
3. Adjust your flavors as needed – dill, garlic, salt, lemon etc. like a lot of dips, when this sits, it mellows out a bit – so I like to add more salt than I think I might need if I’m not eating it right away.
4. Enjoy right away, or let chill in the fridge to get thicker before serving. You can garnish with olive oil, more dill or more feta if desired.

Enjoy!

-S