Please, Not Another Excuse.
I’m pretty sure (no data but a solid gut feel here) that most people would agree that eating a salad might be good for you. If you are reading this, then perhaps you feel the same. Then why don’t we eat more of them? Here are the excuses I hear and at some points in my past life, more than which I am proud, that I’ve also used for why salads aren’t top on our menu…
- It is just too boring, I’m not a rabbit.
- A salad won’t give me enough protein, and I must have protein.
- I don’t have time because it takes about 15 – 30 minutes to chop up a nice salad. (Okay, so writing that even makes seem like an even more LAME excuse!)
- It is not salad season and I live in the Northeast.
Alright, I get it…so here are a few things to consider.
- I used to think that salads were boring too, until I started to play with some combinations. A current favorite of mine is greens (whatever is in my garden or provided by my CSA), Kalamata olives, walnuts and dried cranberries. Dressed with either a nice olive oil & vinegar or with one of my dressing creations below. Simple, delicious. No excuse. There are hundreds of salad creations that can be created. Ever tried counting them??
- Protein…contrary to popular belief, chicken, steak, tuna or salmon are NOT the only ways to get protein in your diet! Some of my favorite protein-packed, animal friendly toppers are garbanzo beans, quinoa, lentils, sunflower seeds, almonds or even marinated grilled tofu or tempeh. These choices are protein packed, good for you, don’t require a dead animal lying on the top of your salad (sorry, bad visual L) and 100% delicious.
- No one has extra time – but I’ve learned that I have to MAKE it. Yes, you can too. If it is a priority and on your calendar, it will happen. Pick a day or two that you can spend an hour or so doing some prepping. Washing greens is super simple, but does take a little time. Do it in advance and store in Ziploc bag with a paper towel in it. Be sure to get as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it. Sure, if you have a fancy “food saver” or special green bags those will work too. Chop some harder veggies like celery & carrots in advance (cucumbers and some of the softer veggies go bad faster). I always have some onion in a bag chopped up (but remember to use a chopped onion in about 5 days max). Planning and prep will keep you & your fridge filled with choices for salads. Each day you can make a different creation to keep it exciting. No excuses that it will take so long. Oh, and the last time I checked…to make a meal with meat and stuff you will probably invest even more time with the cooking process. I’m just sayin’…
- True, there are some times of the year that I won’t even consider slicing a tomato on my salad, so you need to consider seasonal veggies. Winter brings some nice root veggies and squash that when roasted can make a delicious topper for some greens. Don’t be afraid to keep the salads simple – too many ingredients can take away from a delicious salad anyway. I like the salad I mentioned in #1 above because it is always possible to find those ingredients…even when you do live in Pittsburgh, PA and have a winter season that doesn’t encourage a lot of veggie growth.
Below are some simple and delicious dressings that I make that are vegan and refined-sugar free. Note that some of these recipes call for honey which I do not use but instead sweeten primarily with dates or fresh herb stevia (The real stevia plant I grow in my garden, not that funny white stuff that comes in a green packet. What is that anyway & why is it white??).
Raspberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup organic olive oil
- ¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. dried organic basil
- ½ cup organic fresh or frozen red raspberries
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tbsp. organic raw honey (optional) or 1 date, pitted (optional)
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in the blender in the order listed.
- Select Variable 1 and slowly increase speed to Variable 4.
- Blend for 30 seconds.
Lime Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- ½ cup organic olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (juice of 1 – 2 limes)
- 2 teaspoon organic Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon organic garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon organic ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon organic ground black pepper
Directions:
- In a jar with a lid, shake together all ingredients.
CCreamy Garlic Lime Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 1-2 limes)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup or raw honey
- 2 tbsp. almond milk
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground pepper
Directions:
- Pour all ingredients into the jar with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. ground pepper.
- Screw the lid on tightly and shake until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp. organic Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp. dried oregano
- ¼ tsp. dried basil
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1 date, pitted (optional)
Directions:
- Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until thick and creamy
Sweet Herb & Red Wine Vinegar Dressing
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup organic olive oil
- ¼ cup organic red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- ¼ cup organic lemon juice
- 2 TBSP fresh stevia leaf
- 4 cloves organic garlic, peeled
- 1 small organic shallot, minced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano
- 1 ½ Tbsp. fresh thyme
- ½ tsp. jalapeno pepper (optional)
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
Tahini Dressing
Ingredients:
- Juice of one large lemon (or 2 TBSP organic lemon juice)
- 1 organic garlic clove minced
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup organic raw sesame seeds
- 1 tsp organic pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 and ½ tsp organic tamari soy sauce
- 1 tsp organic coriander powder
- 1 tsp organic cumin
- 2 tbsp organic hempseed oil or olive oil
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients and puree until smooth. Stays fresh in the fridge for one week.
Creamy Basil & Dill Dressing
Ingredients:
- 2 cups raw cashews that have been soaked for one hour
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup organic lemon juice
- 1 tsp. organic garlic powder
- 1 tsp. organic onion powder
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
- 1/8 – ¼ tsp. sea salt
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
Dill Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup organic olive oil
- ½ cup organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
- Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 TBSP organic lemon juice – I use “Santa Cruz” brand)
- 2 tsp. organic Dijon mustard
- 1 large green onion (white part only)
- 15 sprigs of fresh dill (stems removed)
- ¾ tsp. Himalayan sea salt
- 1/8 tsp. organic black pepper
- 1 date, pitted (I usually run it under hot water to take the thick skin off and the pit comes out easily)
- 2 TBSP fresh parsley
Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients, except the Parsley, to the Vitamix and increase speed gradually to high. Blend for about 30 seconds (or until everything is emulsified.
- Add the parsley last and pulse to blend in.
Enjoy your salads and dressing (and how nice they make you feel!)! I’d love to hear about your creations!
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