Nick and I love visiting national parks. We went to the Grand Canyon on our very first trip together, toyed with the idea of getting married at Yosemite and are planning an ambitious road trip to Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier national parks. These wonderful parks have such spectacular views and open spaces that offer a nice break from our desk job/couch potato routine.

I stumbled upon a neat national park cookbook on my recent trip to Utah. “Western National Parks’ Lodges Cookbook” by Kathleen Bryant has information on everything from the architecture to the history of 15 lodges at national parks in the western states. The book also includes signature recipes from restaurants at these lodges.

This recipe came from the Ahwahnee Hotel at Yosemite National Park. The Ahwahnee is an upscale hotel that has accommodated guests such as Walt Disney and Judy Garland. Its unique architecture is a blend of Gothic, Tudor and Art Deco. I learned from the book that the hotel became a convalescent hospital for the U.S. Navy during World War II.

This recipe comes together really easily. You basically throw everything into a food processor and blend. Spread it over crackers and toasted bread, or use it as a dip for cherry tomatoes and celery sticks. The key is to serve it quickly as the spread darkens after about an hour.

The creaminess from the white beans is brightened by flavors from several fresh herbs. It has the fennel/anise bite from tarragon, as well as the citrus taste from thyme. This is a healthy and elegant substitute to your usual cheesy artichoke dip.

I hope this spread will inspire you to get out of the house and visit a national park. You will be impressed with the beautiful landscape and amazing wildlife. And don’t forget to check out the food at the parks’ restaurants.