Last week I declared it complete insanity that someone would buy store-bought guacamole rather than make their own from beautiful, heart-healthy avocados. This week, I will make a similar claim regarding salad dressing. At this time of year, otherwise known as salad season, many of us find ourselves scouring the salad dressing aisle at our local supermarket looking for flavourful ways to dress up a big bowl of colourful veggies. If this situation sounds like you, then you are in need of a salad dressing makeover because the options at the grocery store are not only limited, but more often then not, filled with salt, sugar, preservatives and additives.
I must admit that long ago, bottles of salad dressings used to line my fridge door, but you won’t find a single one today, unless of course it’s homemade. I eat salads every day as part of a healthy diet, to increase fibre and digestive enzymes to aid in the breakdown of food. If you are bored with your same old dressings, then give these three healthy homemade dressing recipes a try.
This first recipe goes with just about any salad and is lovely with white fish. The stevia adds a sweet taste and pairs perfectly with the juice of a lime for a burst of freshness. Cilantro is a herb with many wonderful nutritional benefits such as it’s natural ability to bind with heavy metals including mercury and lead, and help flush them from the body. You can easily grow it in your outdoor garden or in a pot in front of a sunny window.
Sunshine Dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 drops of liquid stevia
Juice of one fresh lime
A bunch of chopped fresh cilantro (as much as you like)
Combine all the ingredients and drizzle over your salad or fish.
Zesty Dressing
1/2 walnut oil
2 tsp freshly shaved ginger
1/2 garlic clove minced
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are tiny powerhouses of calcium, and garlic is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial. When combined with the anti-inflammatory effects of ginger, this dressing is not only tasty, it’s bursting with health benefits.
Sundried Tomato Dressing
4 sun-dried tomatoes (finely chopped)
2-3 basil leaves coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
This is my personal favourite! I love the flavour of sun-dried tomatoes and these are a great choice when fresh juicy tomatoes are hard to find. Basil is a wonderful source of antioxidants and olive oil is a monounsaturated fatty acid known to reduce the risk of certain cancers and give your skin a nice glow.
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper can and should be added to all these dressings for added flavour. Have fun with it and add your own fresh herbs, if you have them. There are no rules to creating a wonderful salad dressing. You just need a few basic ingredients and creativity.
Joy McCarthy, Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Health Coach of Joyous Health, loves to inspire others to eat well, live well and be happy.
Joy has clients from all over the world and consults via phone and Skype. Contact Joy today and take the first step to achieving joyous health. REASONS TO HIRE A HOLISTIC NUTRITIONIST.
