Healthy Ranch Dip

I decided that I wanted to make my kids baked chicken fingers with ranch dip.  Not the greasy, cholesterol-heavy version you find in a restaurant (as my son says, "Mommy!  We do NOT like Old MacDonald's."  I'll let you determine what he actually means...)  Anyway, we don't drive through, not ever.  My kids don't crave that kind of food, and I don't want them too.  That doesn't mean baked chicken fingers with ranch dip aren't delicious when done right.

Given that I am not a fan of mayo, and given that I have boxes and boxes of silken tofu in my pantry, I thought I would see if I could create a healthy alternative to the traditional ranch dip.  It came out great.

1 box silken tofu

3 T. buttermilk

juice of 1 large lemon

2 tsp. fermented garlic paste (or 1-2 garlic cloved, mashed)

2 tsp. dried parsley

2 tsp. dried chives

1 1/2 tsp. dried onion

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Blend together however you wish and refrigerate to let the flavors meld.  I used an immersion blender in a blender cup.

NOTE:  I did not set out to make this vegan, obviously, given the use of buttermilk.  I'm sure it would be just as tasty veganized.

ANOTHER NOTE:  I used dried herbs in this version due to the astronomical cost and middling quality of herbs in the dead of winter.  I'll try this again in the summer when I can pick the herbs fresh from the garden.