Our front porch has been a focal point lately for sitting and enjoying this beautiful weather while we still can on these lovely spring nights.  Gary and I love to open a bottle of white when he gets home from work and talk about the crazy events of the day.  Always the hostess, even when it is just the two of us, I whipped up a few tasty spreads the other night for us to enjoy with our glass of wine, a lovely floral, citrus and herb filled Sauvignon Blanc from Veramonte in Chile.

Recipes:

Spiced Carrot Spread
Ingredients:
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into large cubes
1/2 cup raw almonds
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, rough chop
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, rough chop

The spice rack….we used healthy dashes of:
Cinnamon
Ground cumin
Sweet paprika
Ginger
Cayenne
Turmeric
Gram Masala
Coriander
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
Fill a small sauce pan with water, add the carrots and bring to a low boil for 10 minutes, until the carrots are nice and soft.  Add the almonds to a large saute pan  and toast over low heat until you start to smell the almonds, about 5 minutes.  Let cool.  When the carrots have cooked add the carrots, about 4 tablespoons of the water the carrots were cooked in (reserve remaining water in case you need more,) the herbs, lemon juice and spices to a food processor and chop together until well blended.  The consistency is almost like a humus, just without the oil.   Delicious as a dip with raw radishes, zucchini, tomatoes, celery and cauliflower.

Creamy Herb and Spring Onion Spread
ingredients:
8 oz fat free plain Greek Yogurt
3 oz low fat cream cheese, room temp
1 spring onion, dark green tops and end removed and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced fine
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon low fat milk or half and half
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
In a medium size bowl combine all ingredients and stir to incorporate.  Using room temperature cream cheese will help with this, otherwise it will be difficult to blend together.  Season with salt and pepper to your taste.  Serve with raw salted radishes, blanched asparagus, carrots and slices of baguette.