- Hide menu

Vinegar and Dill Broccoli Nibblers

LoadingFavoriteAdd to favorites

over head shot of raw vegan Vinegar and Dill Broccoli Nibblers

~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

I know, I know, I can see all the wrinkled noses already. Dehydrated broccoli?!!  Go ahead and make a funny face, but as my great-grandmother used to warn me,  “Your face may stay that way!”  haha  Now, on a serious note, these nibblers are so wonderful.

I have been making them for several years now and just realized that I haven’t shared many of my nibbler recipes with you.  What is wrong with me?!  :)  I have made these for parties, fed them to kids, to SAD foodies…basically a wide variety of people, and so far everyone has loved them.  Some even say, more so than kale chips.  GASP!  :)

Dill is one of my all-time favorite herbs.  If I ever see a large container of it at the grocery store, you will find my nose buried deep in it.  I think it is the only time I stop to take a deep breath!

Dill is a unique plant in that both its leaves and seeds are used as seasonings.  The green leaves are wispy and fernlike and have a soft, sweet taste.  Dried dill seeds are light brown in color and oval in shape, featuring one flat side and one convex ridged side. The seeds are similar in taste to caraway, featuring a flavor that is aromatic, sweet, and citrusy, but also slightly bitter.  I just learned that dill is an anti-bacterial spice.

The oil portion of dill has been studied for its ability to prevent bacterial overgrowth. In this respect, dill shares the stage with garlic, which has also been shown to have “bacteriostatic” or bacteria-regulating effects. I find this fascinating.  I am still learning so much about spices, not only does it tickle me that I am learning to use them in so many ways, but it also fascinates me to learn just how healthy so many of them can be.  In years past I only really gave thought to the nutrients contained in whole foods.  I never even entertained the idea that a pinch of spice could enhance the health benefits of a dish.  Call me a late bloomer, but none the less, I am getting there. :)

So, please make these little nibblers.  I want you to trust me on this…. you will love them!

close up over head shot of raw vegan Vinegar and Dill Broccoli NibblersIngredients:

yields 3 cups sauce

Preparation:

  1. Prepare the broccoli.  Break it into medium-sized florets.  Snack-size.  They will shrink a little bit during the drying process.  Set aside.
  2. Using a high-speed blender, combine the following ingredients in this order:  water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, cashews, dill, chives, black pepper, and salt.
  3. Blend until it creates a very smooth and creamy sauce.  This can take up to 5 minutes, depending on the blender.  Stop the blender every so often and scrape the sides down.  To test the creaminess, rub some of the sauce between your thumb and forefinger.  If you feel grit, continue blending.
  4. Measure out 2 cups of sauce.   Store the remaining sauce in an air-tight container in the fridge.  It will last up to 5 days. Great for dipping veggies or flax crackers in!
  5. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and gently massage in the sauce, making sure everything is well coated.
  6. Place the broccoli on the teflex sheets that comes with the dehydrator.  You can place it on the mesh screen, but for ease of clean up, I recommend the teflex sheets.
  7. Sprinkle the broccoli with salt.
  8. Dehydrate the broccoli with the temperature set to 115 degrees (F) on the dehydrator for 6-8 hours, or until dry.
  9. Store in an air-tight container on the counter.

Culinary Explanations:

15 thoughts on “Vinegar and Dill Broccoli Nibblers

  1. mari says:

    Looks so yummy! Can you confirm the ingredients? The steps call for a few items not listed in the ingredient list. Thanks!

    • amie-sue says:

      Oh wow, thank you. I was having some issues when saving my edited post… I guess it didn’t save my changes and I didn’t even caught it. Shew. I got it all straightened out. amie sue

  2. ben says:

    Do you have a recipe for jalapeno poppers?

  3. Barbara says:

    This looks great! I love kale chips and I am a huuuge fan of Broccoli so can’t wait to try this out! Thanks for sharing.. :))

    One question: did you cook the broccoli? Or did you steam it? Or is it fully raw..?

    Lots of love!

    • amie-sue says:

      HI Barbara – these are delicious! You will enjoy them for sure. The broccoli is RAW, no cooking or steaming. :) Enjoy. amie sue

  4. ben says:

    This is part of next week’s menu. Thanks.

  5. Kim says:

    i tried this too!

    i’m not sure why but i’m on hour 15 of trying to get them crispy. they’re also very bitter. should I try blanching next time?

    thanks so much!

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Kim, it could be that the broccoli was picked before it was actually ripe. That can cause some bitterness. Each stem of broccoli differs in taste. I am not sure where you are in the dry time now, but you can remove a piece or two and let them cool. Often times foods crisp up once they cool. Test this and see how it goes. Have a great evening Kim. amie sue

      • Kim says:

        interesting! thanks for the tip. there’s a lot more science to this than one would initially imagine. there will be some experimenting going on here for sure over the next few weeks.

        I also tried making green beans and they took forever and finally turned out like leather (inedible).

        off to the grocery store to restock and experiment :)

        have a great day!

        • amie-sue says:

          That is the major difference when dealing with fresh, whole foods, vrs. canned or packaged. When using canned tomatoes, and you find your favorite brand, you can always depend on each can to taste the same. The “beauty?” of processed foods? BUT with fresh produce, each piece will taste differently and this can effect every recipe. That is why it is so important to buy the best quality, organic and ripe fruits and veggies. Taste testing each recipe as you go is also vital. I wrote a post on this very thing if interested. https://nouveauraw.com/raw-recipe-templates-and-development/the-value-of-tasting-as-you-go/

          Have a happy day! amie sue

  6. Taylar says:

    I am allergic to cashews, is there anything I can use as a replacement?

  7. mari says:

    Happy Friday to all – these vinegar & dill broccoli nibblers will turn a hater into a fan. Recipe is easy and yes blending did take about 5 minutes. Dehydrated for 6 hours, and promptly sampled half of the batch! What was left went into a Tupperware container. This morning tho they looked like they had just been steamed. Help Amie.

    • amie-sue says:

      Good afternoon Mari,

      It sounds like they didn’t get dry enough. Also, did you let them cool down before putting in a container and putting the lid on? Go ahead and put them back and dehydrator until they are dry again, let cool, then store. Let me know if that helps. Blessings, amie sue

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *