Eat more greens! That would be easier if you had a healthy salad dressing recipe. Besides being FRESH, your salad dressing should taste good and be easy to make in 5 minutes or less.
Why make your own salad dressing? One good reason, the unhealthy vegetable oils in salad dressing on grocery shelves PLUS the vegetable oils they use on prepared salads at the eateries (i.e. 3 bean salad, rice, etc.). Have you looked at the ingredients lately?
Taste buds differ when it comes to salad dressings so here are my top three picks. Some of my old favourites with some healthy substitutions PLUS one of my own recipes (it has been my desire to make a salad dressing recipe book!).
Use local farm foods and/or organic for your salads and salad dressing…fresh, good quality and less chemicals no matter the label. My good friend Susan shared this with me yesterday. The organic cherry tomatoes were $1 cheaper than the conventional. The possibilities!
And now for something creamy.
Caesar Salad
All Greens!
2 heads (organic) romaine lettuce, chilled – OK to use other greens too!
1 egg (free range…farm fresh)
1/2 cup/125 ml cold pressed (organic) olive oil
1/4 cup/62.5 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 to 3/4 cup/125-187.5 ml grated parmesan/romano cheese
Plus more grated cheese for sprinkling on top…most people love cheese
1 teaspoon/5 ml organic apple cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves
Pinch of sea salt & a couple of turns of freshly ground black pepper
Blend all in a blender (except lettuce) then add to lettuce. Toss well and serve.
OK…where’s the croutons. Most times, I just don’t bother. If I don’t make them myself from farmer’s market sourdough bread, then forget it. On the other hand you might not eat the salad at all without them. You choose.
Want to make the croutons? Butter the bread and cut to your desired cube size – should be bite size, bigger isn’t better here. TIP: Stack the bread on top of each other and cut using a bread knife (not butter knife, bread knife – my favourite knife next to a paring knife). For God’s sake do not use margarine. Toast in oven/conventional oven but not too crusty. Some people have a hard time with crusty things on their gums. No not use the microwave…I don’t think you can toast bread in there can you? Good.
Enjoy!
Note: Cut recipe in half for a smaller group and only clean 1 head of romaine lettuce. This salad dressing keeps in fridge for a few days.
And now for something Greek.
Greek Salad Dressing
Not Any Greens!
Choice of veggies from cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers (red/orange/yellow), and red onion
Kalamata olives
Juice from one freshly squeezed lemon
Same amount olive oil
Generous amount of feta cheese…your choice, goat, sheep, in brine
Freshly ground pepper…just a bit
Chop up veggies and add to just the right size of bowl where you have room for tossing and glass works great. I quarter cucumbers and cut into chunks, add tomatoes, chunks of peppers and very small bits of red onion (just a little). Can have a side dish of red onion so that people who love/like red onion can add their own. Might want to do the same with the black olives. Fussy eaters to the kitchen so they can pick out what they do not like AND for heaven sake do not use any greens for this recipe.
Add juice of lemon in a small bowl then measure approximately same amount of olive oil. Whip with a fork until creamy looking. Feel free to dip your baby finger in – isn’t too lemony or oily.
Add the chunk of feta cheese and with the same fork, mash the salad dressing with the feta cheese.
Pour over veggies and toss well. Toss again. Leave on counter for up to an hour to marinate.
The good thing about salad dressing is you can adlib changing it up to see how it works. When you do, just a little. You can always add more but it is impossible to take away. You end up adding more of the other ingredients and run out of room in your blender (talking small bullet size cup – good for 2-4 people).
This salad doesn’t save well in the fridge especially the tomatoes so eat it all up!
And now for something simply delicious.
Sunflower Special
Tangy treat on any greens and an adventure away from cheese!
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon/15 ml apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon/15 ml sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon/5 ml raw honey
1/3 teaspoon/2 ml mustard/mustard seed
Measure into a small blender (like the Bullet) and blend for 1 minute or less then pour on greens and toss.
Toss in some sprouts and perhaps some dried sour cherries or cranberries.
Serves 2-4 people depending on the size of portions.
Double recipe where needed. Will store in fridge but not for long and you might have to shake it before using.
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WELCOME your experiences with these recipes or even YOUR favourites!
Greens greens are better than beans. Enjoy.
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Cheryl Millett
Champion for your better health…
Before the age of 20, it never dawned on me that what I chose to put in my mouth would have such a dramatic effect on my wellbeing.
On my path of discovery, I learned that our eating choices directly affected how much energy we have first thing in the morning or that it would build our immune system strength during flu season. I came to understand how gentle nutritional cleansing directly helped overcome my health challenges. People keep telling me how beautiful my skin is or how I look younger.
As my studies continued, it became obvious that there is an intrinsic connection between the mind, body and spirit which directly affects our health and happiness. I learned that Omegas are another critical piece of the wellness puzzle. I became convinced when the Auum omegas alone turned on some switches in my brain in just one day.
I have developed a deep appreciation for the wonderful miracle workers our bodies are in the recovery process. Our bodies have a natural intelligence. I am passionate to share the connection between nutrition and wellness in my practice and my presentations.
