Dressings, Dips, & Spreads

It's time we take full responsibility for ourselves and our health.  It's as simple as this:  Toxic food will make you sick.  Proper nutrition will boost your immune system and prevent, treat, and even reverse common diseases, cancers, and other health issues.   The Standard American Diet (SAD) triggers heart disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, arthritis, kidney stones, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, migraines, multiple sclerosis, anemia, irritable bowel syndrome, erectile dysfunction, osteoporosis, i could go on and on.  You ALL have suffered from or know someone who has suffered from them. These are all either preventable, treatable, or reversible through diet alone.  

Toxic foods include: preservatives, food dyes, refined sugars, refined flours, red meat, white meat, fish, all dairy, eggs and egg whites, genetically modified fruits and vegetables, pesticides, hormones, chemicals.  

What's left?  Whole, natural, organic, foods.  Fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, berries, nuts, beans, and legumes.  Eating strictly plant-based may seem very extreme.  But what's more extreme is surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, dialysis, debilitating chronic pain,  suffering or watching someone you love suffer, and the financial burden of all that healthcare.

This summer, eat refreshing salads every day and get healthy.   I always make my own salad dressings adding variety to my salads, since I eat them daily.  Here are some of my absolute favorite dressing recipes:

All American Veggie Walnut Hemp Seed Burger with pickles, avocado, and
TAHINI THOUSAND ISLAND dressing, over salad with a red cabbage, broccoli stem, corn slaw

Tahini Thousand Island 
dressing, dip, gluten free, Kid Friendly, oil free, vegan

1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup chopped pickles
1/8 cup pickle juice

Stir to combine, slowly adding the pickle juice, until you reach desired consistency.  Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

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Oil-Free Lemon Vinaigrette 
dressing, oil free,  vegan

1½  tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp miso
1 tsp dijon mustard
3 green olives, grated
1 tsp olive brine (from the olive jar)
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
dash- ground cumin, celery seed (or 1 stalk of celery, chopped)
1 tsp oregano
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce (look for a veg one, most contain anchovies) 
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/2 cup water

Blend and store in the fridge in an airtight container.

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Oil-Free Balsamic Tahini Vinaigrette
dressing, spread, dip, gluten free, oil free, vegan

 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp tahini
2/3 cup water
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper

Stir to combine. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

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This one has a tangy, bright, bold flavor!  I could totally eat a bowl of it, like soup.  *If you don't do raw garlic, roast the garlic first before adding to processor.

Farmer's market fresh tomatoes and leafy greens, topped with
seasoned popcorn, pinto beans, and Creamy Cilantro Avocado Pesto

Creamy Cilantro Avocado Pesto 
Dressing, Dip, Spread, gluten free, vegan, oil free option

1 cup fresh cilantro
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
½ of a serrano pepper, minced
juice of ½ a lime
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 avocado
¼ cup water
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp miso
1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)

Process all until smooth.  Store in the fridge in an airtight container.


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Ginger Orange Miso Dressing
dressing, gluten free, oil free, vegan

1 tbsp miso
2 tbsp tamari
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
1tsp agave syrup
sea salt

Stir to combine. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

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Wild Mushroom Gravy Dressing What! Gravy Salad dressing? Or dip. Trust me.
dressing, dip, spread, gluten free, Kid Friendly, oil free, raw, vegan

3/4 cup cremini or white button mushrooms, chopped
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup cashew butter, or tahini, or almond butter
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce or liquid aminos
1/8 cup red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 paprika
1/8 tsp sage
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp celery seed (or 1 stalk of celery, chopped)
1 tsp fresh parsley

Pulse to combine, or blend for smoother consistency.

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Creamy No-Dairy Ranch 
dip, dressing, spread, gluten free, Kid Friendly, vegan

3/4 cup white beans
1/8 cup vegan mayo (I recommend Earth Balance Mindful Mayo)
1/8 cup tofu
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp celery seed (or 1 stalk of celery, chopped)
dash- cumin, salt, pepper, smoked paprika

Blend and store in the fridge in an airtight container.

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Asian Pesto 
dressing, spread*, gluten free, vegan

3 leaves of kale (stems removed)
1/2 cup fresh spinach
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp fresh cilantro
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 a lemon, juice and zest
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/8 cup tahini
2 tbsp miso
1/4 cup water*

Blend and store in the fridge in an airtight container.  *For a pesto spread, rather than dressing, omit the water.

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Vegan Ceasar Dressing
dressing, vegan

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice & zest
2 tsp worcestershire sauce (look for a veg one, most contain anchovies) 
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 green olives
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt & pepper to taste

Blend all but oil, slowly add oil.  Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

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Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing
dressing, vegan, dip, oil free, nut free

•1/8-1/4 cup lemon juice
•1/8 cup tahini
• 1/2 tsp dill
•1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt
•1 Tbsp water
•1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
•2 Tbsp tofu crumbled 
Whisk together everything except tofu. Stir in crumbled tofu. Dressing will thicken some within 5 minutes. Add more water if needed to desired consistency.

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