When you’re eating raw vegan, you need recipes that are: a) delicious, and b) filling. Eating a rib or two of celery is not going to fill you up, but enjoying this sunflower seed spread on cucumber slices will. The healthy fats and fiber from the sunflower seeds help you feel full, but make sure not to consume the entire dip. Why, do you ask? Well, eating the entire bowl of the sunflower seed dip will rack up some serious calories.

What makes this dip so flavorful? Aside from the long list of spices, this dip contains sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, green onion, jalapeño, and more. The tahini enhances the creaminess and adds a subtle nutty flavor. Now, if you are sensitive to spice, you can omit the jalapeño, but with all the other seasonings, herbs, and addition of maple syrup, you should be fine. This dip won’t cause you to breathe fire, but you’ll feel the kick. The refreshing cucumber slices also help tame the spice.

When it comes to blending the ingredients, we strongly encourage the use of a food processor. If you want to make the blending process easier, you can soak the sunflower seeds and sun-dried tomatoes in water (separately) for an hour or so before blending. Soaking will help soften these ingredients and ease the blending process. A good food processor can easily handle ingredients that you don’t soak, though. Finally, the spread should be a little chunky and not like a smooth sauce. Blend it to your desired consistency and then enjoy when ready!