Funny how there are some 'conventional' foods I never really liked until I started eating raw. Let me explain what I mean... For instance, I personally wasn't a fan of traditional ranch dressing. But then again, I was just plainly not into salads either, come to think of it. lol Wow, feels like a million years ago! ;-)
When I first started getting into raw, for at least a couple of years dinner consisted mostly of raw soup and a salad drizzled with a little oil, tamari and nutritional yeast. I loved the simple deliciousness of it, in fact I still do. Predictably, back then I eventually got bored with that scene, though, and even stayed away from salads altogether for a while after that. Thankfully, these days including green smoothies into our daily fare has revived my interest in all things greens. I find the more greens you eat, the more you do crave; it sounds weird but it's so true!
Anyhoo, I've experimented with all sorts of dressings over time and I've discovered that I really don't care for oil based vinaigrettes. I much prefer the creamy kind, using part cold pressed olive oil with either avocado, seeds or nuts as the base. Now back to what I was saying earlier about not really liking ranch dressing. The first time I tried a raw vegan version of it - a recipe posted by Snowdrop on Raw Freedom Community several years ago - I fell in love with the stuff! In fact I featured it as my Recipe of the Week here. It uses cashews as a clever replacement for dairy product, and is oh-so-creamy and yummilicious!
The following was inspired by Snowdrop's creation with a few touches of my own. Enjoy it on your favorite bed of greens, as a dip for veggies, or even as a coating for kale chips!
When I first started getting into raw, for at least a couple of years dinner consisted mostly of raw soup and a salad drizzled with a little oil, tamari and nutritional yeast. I loved the simple deliciousness of it, in fact I still do. Predictably, back then I eventually got bored with that scene, though, and even stayed away from salads altogether for a while after that. Thankfully, these days including green smoothies into our daily fare has revived my interest in all things greens. I find the more greens you eat, the more you do crave; it sounds weird but it's so true!
Anyhoo, I've experimented with all sorts of dressings over time and I've discovered that I really don't care for oil based vinaigrettes. I much prefer the creamy kind, using part cold pressed olive oil with either avocado, seeds or nuts as the base. Now back to what I was saying earlier about not really liking ranch dressing. The first time I tried a raw vegan version of it - a recipe posted by Snowdrop on Raw Freedom Community several years ago - I fell in love with the stuff! In fact I featured it as my Recipe of the Week here. It uses cashews as a clever replacement for dairy product, and is oh-so-creamy and yummilicious!
The following was inspired by Snowdrop's creation with a few touches of my own. Enjoy it on your favorite bed of greens, as a dip for veggies, or even as a coating for kale chips!
Ranch Dressing
From Carmella's Delightfully Raw
Yields 1 1⁄2 cups
3⁄4 cup cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour
1⁄2 cup water
2 tablespoons cold pressed olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon raw honey or agave nectar
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 garlic clove
More water, until the desired consistency is reached
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
Add more water until the desired consistency is reached
Omni V 3 HP
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My Other Raw in a Flash Videos:
Strawberry Banana Shake
Kelp & Zucchini Pasta in Mushroom & Spinach Cheeze Sauce
Vegan Tarragon & Mustard Cheeze
Strawberry Banana Shake
Kelp & Zucchini Pasta in Mushroom & Spinach Cheeze Sauce
Vegan Tarragon & Mustard Cheeze
Thanks for the recipe. It sounds very similar to one that I have been using on coleslaw for quite some time now. Cashews are a great base for this type of dressing and definitely add a creaminess to it - who needs buttermilk?
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree - the more greens you have, the more you want:-)
Hi Carmella
ReplyDeleteHoney bees dehydrate pollen with their wings to make honey or, to put it another way, they reduce the moisture content of nectar. They never ingest the pollen. It is totally a plant based product made by the bees. So do not be afraid to call it vegan.
Patty
Thanks so much for the clarification Patty! I'm so glad that honey is indeed vegan as I feel that it is probably the 'cleanest' liquid sweetener there is. Yay!
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