It seems that the entire country is experiencing record heat. It’s been so hot here in Colorado that I have been craving salads and smoothies for my meals. Oh and of course I’ve been treating myself to plenty of homemade ice cream. My favorite is to make Dairy Free Mint Chip Ice Cream since it’s so easy and fast.
I love just a traditional Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing, but I wanted to experiment a little. Roasted strawberries sounded delicious, so I decided to try them in a dressing. The good news is, it turned out great, the bad news is you have to turn on your oven. It’s worth it! The roasting makes the strawberries ooze their delicious sweet syrup. I almost wanted to whip up some pancakes and serve the berries over that and just forget the dressing! I’m thinking roasted fruit and ice cream are the next thing on my list to make!!
Recipe: Roasted Strawberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh organic strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 heaping tbsp fresh basil
- 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Place the strawberries on a parchment lined cookie sheet that has sides
- Roast at 400 for 20 minutes
- Pour the berries and the syrup into a blender along with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth
This is the perfect dressing to serve at your July 4th celebration! I enjoyed this on a spinach salad with some fresh strawberry slices, avocado and walnuts.
by Kate on February 28, 2012
A few summers ago at the Vail Farmer’s Market, I came across a booth for Alpine Avocado Vinaigrette. It is a local company and a fantastic dressing, dip and marinade. It has finally made its way into Whole Foods here in Colorado. You can find it in the salad dressing section or you can order it online. As much as I love to support local businesses, I have created my own avocado vinaigrette.
I have to admit, I have never used Alpine Avocado Vinaigrette or my own as a salad dressing. I am sure it would be awesome on a salad, especially one topped with salmon sashimi or seared ahi. I use it all the time to drizzle over my sashimi, it’s the best with wasabi! It would be great in chicken salad, egg salad or any wrap. I already have a recipe planned to incorporate it into and will be trying it as a marinade soon!
Recipe: Avocado Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup avocado
- 1/2 cup olive or avocado oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 2-3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 bunch green onions, whites
- 1/2 tsp fresh garlic
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a Vitamix or in a blender and blend until smooth.
Let us know what you drizzle, dip or marinate with this dressing!!
by Kate on February 25, 2012
A good dressing can make a good salad great. This is my version of a cobb salad with a basic homemade vinaigrette drizzled over it.
For some reason I seem to like other people’s salads better than when I make my own. Not this time, I devoured this salad and have been making it often. It is full of goodies and can be made to your own liking.
Recipe: Cobb Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 heaping tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp stone ground or dijon mustard
- 1/2 clove garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
Salad:
- spinach or any leafy greens
- avocado
- grape tomatoes
- chicken breast, cubed
- hard boiled egg
- sprouts
- bacon
- sunflower seeds
Instructions
Dressing:
- Combine all the ingredients in a Vitamix or blender and blend until well combined
- Store in a glass jar
Variations
The salad can include anything you desire! It’s a complete meal full of good protein and healthy fats when you include avocado, seeds or nuts and the many sources of protein.
Veggies are a free food (takes more calories to break down and digest than they actually contain) and come with many benefits. Don’t be afraid to pile the greens and veggies high!
by Kate on January 22, 2012
Ranch dressing can be used for so many different things, dips, spreads, salads and more! Now that I have a healthy mayo option, I want to enjoy ranch again. Now vegetables don’t have to be so boring and plain! This is such an easy recipe once you have the mayo made. I used this as a way to dress up chicken into a yummy chicken salad, recipe to follow.
Recipe: Dairy Free Ranch Dressing & Dip
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Homemade Mayo*
- 1/4 cup plain non-dairy milk* (I used Homemade Almond Milk)
- Heaping 1/4 tsp chives
- Heaping 1/4 tsp dill weed
- 1/4 tsp parsley
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp onion powder
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.
Variations
*Greek Yogurt may work if you can tolerate dairy
*Use less milk if you want a thicker dip
Let us know how you enjoy your ranch!
by Kate on January 21, 2012
I have never really been a mayo person, but sometimes it is a must! Tuna salad is just not the same without it! I am not a fan of store bought mayo. They are made with canola, grapeseed or soybean oil and most often times contain soy protein.
There are numerous recipes out there for creating your own. Everyone seems to use a different oil or combination of two. I have found extra virgin oil oil to be way to strong in taste. Regular olive oil is not as strong and may be worth trying. Refined coconut oil would be great to use, but I am worried about what it will do in the frig as it hardens in cold temps. Here is what I came up with, but may experiment with avocado oil too.
Recipe: Homemade Mayo
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups macadamia nut oil
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Celtic Sea Salt to taste
Instructions
- Blend the eggs, mustard, lemon juice and vinegar
- Once that is blended, keep the blender running, VERY SLOWLY add drops of oil
- Continue to add oil is a steady stream in small amounts
- Mixture should thicken up and turn to mayo consistency
- Add salt or other seasoning
Variations
You could add any seasoning you desire!
Quick Notes
Makes about 2 cups and should last about 2 weeks in the frig.
I will be using mayo to create so many different dips, spreads and salads. Let us know what variations you come up with!
