Need ideas to re-invent your salads?
Are you running out of ideas, using the same old ingredients?
Want to know how to make a creamy salad dressing? A vinaigrette?
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I’ll be meeting with a new culinary student in the kitchen who needs/wants to add ‘life’ to her salads. AND, she wants to have ideas as to what to eat while she is in recovery, strengthening her lungs, liver and gallbladder.
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So – I decided to share with you here, what I shared with her in an email.
Included here are ideas and the basics of salads and salad dressings:
- lettuces
- simple, easy, tasty salad dressings
- oils
- vinegars
- sweeteners
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Nutrient-dense salads,
using healthy oils, vinegars, sweeteners;
with a list of different types of lettuces.
(3 salad dressing recipes are at the end of this post)
Healthy salad oils:
- flax seed oil
- pumpkin seed oil
- roasted walnut oil
- roasted hazelnut oil
- avocado oil
- sesame oil (toasted and untoasted)
- olive oil
Vinegars:
- Umeboshi Plum Vinegar (salty, sour)
- Port Balsamic Vinegar (aged, deep, sweet, sour)
- Champagne Vinegar (light, sweet, sour)
- Apple Cider Vinegar (tart, sour)
- Tamari (a sweet, sour, wheat-free soy sauce, can be used, too)
Sweeteners:
- Fruit juices: pomegranate, pineapple, apple
- Dried fruits: dates, apricots, figs, prunes, raisins
- Syrups: pomegranate, date, coconut, mirin
- Fresh fruits: apple, pear, orange, grapes,
NOTE: start with low amount, then taste, then add more if need be
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Flavors, seasonings:
- the herb blends in your cupboard
- Herbs de Provence
- blend in a bit of cucumber
- toasted coriander seeds, ground
- cumin, ground (any other Indian spices like curry seasoning)
- dill
Dressings, make in the Vitamix:
- Start with type of fat: avocado, cashews, walnuts, pine nuts, oils (see oils, below)
- Add an acid: vinegar or lemon juice (see vinegars, below)
- Add a sweetener: use whole foods (see sweeteners, below)
- Add water to desired consistency
- Add flavors (salt, herbs, see below)
Generally, a salad oil is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar
(3 tbls oil, 1 tbls vinegar, and 1 part sweetener and other flavors)
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Avocado dressing, makes enough for 3-4 servings:
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup water (or mixture of juice, water and or cucumber)
- 1 tbls vinegar
- 1 medjool date
- seasoning (salt, dill, garlic salt, other seasoning from your cupboard)
Blend well in Vitamix. Will keep for 3 days in fridge.
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Cashew dressing, makes enough for 3-4 servings:
- 1/4 cup cashews, soaked in 1 cup water, do not drain
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1/8 cup golden raisins
- seasoning (salt, dill, garlic salt, other seasoning from your cupboard)
- you might want to add a touch of olive oil
Blend well in Vitamix. Will keep for 3 days in fridge.
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Greek dressing, makes enough for 3-4 servings:
- 1/2 cup olive oil (a grassy, peppery version is good choice)
- 2 tbls red wine vinegar
- 1 tbls Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp: garlic powder and onion powder
- 1 tsp: dried oregano and basil
- salt/pepper
Blend well in Vitamix. Will keep for 5 days in fridge.
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NOTE: The measurements in these recipes, above, are good starting points, be sure to taste test, see if you desire more fat, or more sour, or salt, or more sweet, or more ??