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Sometimes cooking can seem like such a chore. Blogging about my kitchen adventures holds me accountable though. Just when I think, “I can stop blogging and no one will notice,” I get 
oodles of positive comments and feedback. It’s your inspiration and encouragement that keeps me creative in the kitchen.
This blog is about my continued experiment with gluten-free recipes. I’ve been doing this more out of curiosity and a quest for eating better rather than a necessity. I have no plans to omit gluten from my diet completely. Last week, I needed to bring a vegetarian, gluten-free appetizer to a friend’s house. After some research, I settled on this Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip.
You will need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Steam and drain your spinach, or thaw and drain it if you’re using frozen. Drain and roughly chop the artichoke 
hearts.
In a bowl mix the spinach, artichoke hearts, veganaise, sour cream and about ¾ cup of mozzarella cheese. Combine the ingredients well and put the mixture in a casserole dish or pie dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake the dip for about 25-40 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.
Cool and serve on crackers. Don’t expect this to taste just like the real deal. The vegan sour cream had a peculiar flavor and an even stranger smell when cooked, but it tasted fine. We actually tried the dip on a regular baguette and to be honest, it went better with the gluten free crackers.
If you’re not a vegan, I would recommend you just make this dip with regular mayonnaise and 
dairy-based sour cream and mozzarella cheese, but if you’ve got a friend or family member who’s vegan, gluten-free, or eating a heart-healthy diet, you could possibly make their day by whipping up this appetizer for your next get together with them. Warning, the cost of all the ingredients totaled close to $30. I never said eating healthy was cheap!
Diariesofafoodie is equal parts journalist and line chef, a dash of public relations, topped with a passion for keeping you inspired in the kitchen. Author Amy Cavalier has been living, eating and writing in Rochester, New York since 2003.
