A trio of summer dips

I've called Canadian cookbook author Dreena Burton the "Queen of Hummus" but now I need to up that to the "Goddess of All Dips, Spreads, and Sauces." Here's a trio of fast, delicious, and versatile recipes that I've made from the July VegCookbook Club pick: Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan. (The poll for August's club cookbook is already here.)

Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
Another great hummus recipe, this time with tahini instead of raw nuts. Although the tahini amount is a controlled single tablespoon. This imparts some flavor but doesn't drown the main attractions. The real stars in this hummus are the olives and sun-dried tomatoes. It's a good excuse to visit your grocery's olive bar. And it's sure to win "The Battle of the Hummus" at your next summer potluck.  

Smoky Avocado Sauce
What a beautiful, silky smooth sauce! Two types of citrus and a little liquid smoke are the surprise notes to the creamy avocado. I'm going to make this every time I want to class up burritos. It'd be an impressive addition to a savory brunch too.

Warm & Cheesy White Bean Dip
This is the only recipe that required heating and only briefly on the stovetop. I would rename it "Noochy" instead of "Cheesy" dip because the nutritional yeast flavor is its own thing. Cashews give this cannellini dip extra richness. I used almond milk rather than rice milk and doubled the garlic (natch). The dip worked great drizzled on pizza, as Dreena Burton suggests. Makes loads of leftovers.