Sid And Lisas Creamy Balsamic
Probably the most common salad dressing out there, and typically vegan, the balsamic is a go-to of mine at restaurants. But what if you could make a healthier version at home?
Health Made Simple co-creator Sid Garza-Hillman and his wife Lisa created their own oil-free version, replacing the oil with cashews to keep the fats up and add an extra creaminess.
How to Use It:
This goes well with just about any standard salad, but really pops with your traditional Italian flavors. But really, you cant go wrong to have it on hand for whatever ends up on your salad plate.
The Recipe:
- 1 1/2 cup water
Blend all ingredients until creamy. Add additional salt/pepper to taste.
Raw Unfiltered Cider Vinegar Vs Filtered
- It seems boutique unfiltered cider vinegar from smaller producers has been popping up everywhere lately. For years now I have been buying it in small quantities from Shelburne Orchards. But now I am seeing a whole new crop of locally produced boutique apple cider vinegars on the shelves. One of the most common nationally available brands is Braggs.
- The difference between the cloudy unfiltered vinegars and the clear commercially produced vinegar, is the former isnt heat treated or pasteurized and filtered. That means raw unfiltered vinegar has active enzymes from the fermentation process.
- Another difference between the two is that in the initial fermentation phase commercial processors add yeast, whereas smaller micro-batch producers use natural airborn yeasts.
What Is Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made from apple cider which has been fermented.
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A Good Salad Starts With The Dressing
A few years ago I wrote a post about my familys Sauce System how we often start with whatever sauce sounds the most appealing, and build our meals around that.
Today, I want to share a similar technique for building salads, only with healthy, homemade, oil-free dressings instead of sauces.
The technique goes, if you learn a few simple dressing recipes, then you can shape nearly anything in your kitchen into a delicious salad of your choosing.
But before we get to the recipes, lets talk about why Im going oil free with these seven staple recipes.
Sweet Soy Ginger Dressing
This sweet soy ginger dressing is delicious as a poke bowl sauce, as a dipping sauce for veggie sushi, as an oil-free dressing on salads or rice bowls. Soy sauce , rice vinegar and sweetener combine with ginger, wasabi and toasted sesame seeds to make this flavorful dressing.
Ready in under 5 minutes, you’ll love this sweet and tangy oil-free, vegan salad dressing. Toss it with a green salad, drizzle it over watermelon or strawberries. It’s also delicious as a dressing for burrito bowls!
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The Chipotle Or Buffalo Ranch Variation
I just looked it up and no joke Hidden Valley sells 12 variations of their ranch dressing.
Thats the beauty of a creamy ranch! Throw in a few spices and it completely transforms the experience.
Chipotle and Buffalo ranch are two of my favorite variations, both of which make it into the regular with my family.
How to Use It:
These variations are great for throwing on a Mexican-style salad or used as dipping sauces.
The Recipe:
Use the same ranch recipe from #2 above, only add in additional flavors:
Chipotle:
- In the blender, add
Buffalo:
- After blending, stir in 1-3 tsp of Franks Red Hot sauce. Amount will vary depending on your taste.
I Cant Believe Its Cashew Ranch Dressing
Just when you thought youd never get to enjoy ranch dressing without a bunch of a processed substitutes!
Another Sid and Lisa creation, this one will even impress your omnivore friends and leave them shaking their heads, saying, I cant believe its cashew. Hence the clever name.
How to Use It:
I think everyone knows how to use a Ranch dressing, but I love to throw this on big salads with roasted veggies, chickpeas, and tomatoes, and toss in some pumpkin seeds for crunch.
We also use it as a dipping sauce for veggies.
The Recipe:
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper or, to taste
- Optional: 1 tsp hot sauce
Blend all ingredients till creamy and smooth. Make sure not to blend so long that it gets hot. If too thick, add more water.
This dressing thickens in fridge, so add a little water as needed to thin before using.
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Creamy Vegan Caesar Dressing
Caesar dressing instantly takes me back to my childhood. It was the salad I ordered most often, mostly because of the creamy dressing and crunchy croutons.
But while most vegan Caesar dressings are loaded with oil and vegan mayo, theres a simple way to make it oil-free, and its actually really tasty.
How to Use It:
I tend to stick with the classic Caesar salad: Romain lettuce, vegan parm, and croutons. While not the most nutritious salad, you really cant go wrong with a Caesar.
The Recipe:
- 1/2 Tbsp soy or vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp of lemon zest
- 2 tsp capers, mashed with a bit of juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
In a blender combine all the ingredients except for the lemon zest, capers, and salt and pepper. Blend until youve reached the desired thickness.
In a bowl, empty the dressing from the blender and mix in the remaining ingredients.
The dressing will stay good in the fridge for 4-5 days but will thicken over time, so you may need to add in more water.
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Why Avoid Oil
Avoiding oil in your salad dressings will immediately reduce the calories of your salad dramatically, since oil is the most calorie-dense food on the planet!
One tablespoon of oil contains 120 calories. You could easily pour 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil or oily dressing on your salad, which would add 240-360 calories to your meal.
Avoiding oil is the first thing to do if you’re trying to lose body fat on a plant-based vegan diet. In addition, oil is a highly processed food that has been stripped of its nutrients.
I’m not a doctor or medical professional, so I’m not qualified to give you health advice. So, if you have more questions about this, please talk to your doctor or research this topic on Dr. John McDougall’s website, on nutritionfacts.org to hear from Dr. Michael Greger or learn about it from Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s book, How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.
What Is Oil
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
One of the best things about this dressing is that you are very likely to already have everything you need at home to make it, so no running to the grocery store. Better yet, you dont even need a blender, only a fork or whisk.
- Sweetener such as date sugar
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