Recipe

5 More So Simple Salad Dressings

  • Salads are so personal. The addition or subtraction of one single component in a salad can make it or break it for people. For me it’s tomatoes. You stick even a few cherry tomatoes in that salad and I’m out. I could love every other thing in there and be totally addicted to the dressing, but once the juice of the tomatoes touches the other veggies it goes from appealing to completely off limits.

    That’s why, a while back, I gave you all a post all about the dressings. We all pretty much know what we want or are in the mood to throw in our salads, but when it comes to the dressing I think thats where most people get stumped. They either stick to the same old boring dressing they’ve been making for months years, or, even worse, they use, GASP, bottled dressing. Ugh, I know. That stuff is just not right.

    Really though, once you understand the really basic principles of making a good dressing, it’s so easy to whip up your own. If your interested in what those are click here to go the original post. Also, thats where the first 6 salad dressing recipes are.

    So, here I am again, posting another 6 dressings recipe for you to help with your summertime salad habits. All I crave in this heat is something light, crunchy, fresh and flavorful. Which basically means I’m making some sort of salad every single night. Usually it’s a full meal in a salad. It’s packed with veggies, topped with some sort of protein (grilled chicken, deli, steak or even feta cheese or crispy chickpeas) lightly sprinkled with a little crunch in the form of crispy homemade croutons or crou”tot”s, and drizzled with most yummy and satisfying salad dressing.

    I hope these dressings make many, many appearances on all your dinner tables all summer long!

    Happy Summer Everyone!

    Peas Out,

    Danielle

     

  • MANGO SUMAC VINAIGRETTE

    Ingredients

    1. 1 cup diced mango (about 1 mango)
    2. 1 clove garlic
    3. 1/4 cup rice vinegar
    4. 1 (or maybe 2) tbsp maple syrup
    5. 1/2 tsp Sumac
    6. 1 tsp salt
    7. 1/2 tsp pepper
    8. 1/3 cup canola oil

    Instructions

    1. Put everything in a blender besides for the oil.
    2. Blend for 2 minutes until all the ingredients are fully combined.
    3. With the processor on, slowly drizzle in oil until it is all incorporated.
    4. (depending on how ripe your mango is you may need a drop more or less maple syrup)
    5. Taste and adjust to your liking!

    Notes

    1. Enjoy!

    LIGHTENED UP GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

    Ingredients

    1. 8 cloves of garlic, peeled
    2. 1 cup chopped scallions
    3. 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
    4. 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
    5. Zest of 1 lemon + 1/3 c lemon juice
    6. 2/3 c oil (I use half olive, half canola)
    7. 1 tsp salt
    8. 1/2 tsp pepper

    Instructions

    1. Put everything besides oil in a good processor.
    2. With processor running slowly drizzle in oil.
    3. Pulse into well blended.
    4. Serve anyway you’d like!

    Notes

    1. This is one of my favorite dressings. It brightens up any salad you put it on. I especially like to drizzle it over a giant, crunchy bowls of veggies, topped with any sort of protein for the perfect 1 bowl meal. Think grilled chicken, skirt steak, leftover london broil, mini haburgers, cubed turkey, roasted fish….the possibilities are endless!
    2. Enjoy!

    Spinach and Barley Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

    For the Dressing

    1. 3 Tbsp. Pomegranate Molasses
    2. 3 Tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
    3. 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
    4. 1 clove garlic, minced
    5. 1/2 tsp. black pepper
    6. 3/4 tsp salt
    7. 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

    For the Salad

    1. 1 cups barley
    2. 1 tsp salt
    3. 1 tsp black pepper
    4. 2&1/2 water
    5. 6 cups fresh spinach leaves
    6. 1 purple onion, halved and thinly sliced
    7. 1/4 cup pomegranate arils

    For there dressing

    1. Put everything in a bowl or jar and mix or shake vigorously.
    2. Refrigerate until serving.

    For the barley

    1. Rinse barley under cold water for 2 minutes.
    2. Add barley, salt, pepper and water to a medium sized pot.
    3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
    4. Barley should be tender at this point.
    5. If not just recover and simmer a bit longer.
    6. Strain out any excess water and allow barley to cool.

    For the salad

    1. Combine spinach, barley and onion in a bowl.
    2. Drizzle dressing over the top and garnish with pomegranate arils.
    3. Serve right away!

    Notes

    1. *the dressing can be last in the refrigerator for up to a week.
    2. **the barley can be made up to 2 days in advance.
    3. ***For a complete meal I like to Grill some chicken cutlets seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh garlic and then add it to the salad…yummmmm!

    RASPBERRY LIME VINAIGRETTE

    Ingredients

    1. 1/2 cup raspberry jam (I use a 100% fruit one that I love)
    2. 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
    3. 1 tbsp finely diced shallot
    4. 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
    5. 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    6. 3/4 tsp kosher salt
    7. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

    Instructions

    1. Put everything in a bowl or jar.
    2. Whisk or shake well until everything is combined.
    3. Refrigerate until using.

    Notes

    1. I like the sweet and savory play on this dressing and I like to carry that through to the salad. I usually throw in whatever fruit is seasonally appropriate and then add in some sort of salty element. If I’m. going dairy I might add in some feta cheese and I’f I’m going meat I might add some spiced nuts or slices of a good quality hard salami.
    2. Enjoy!

    SPICY PEANUT SESAME DRESSING

    Ingredients

    1. 6 Tbsp chopped scallions (the white part) (reserve greens for garnish)
    2. 4 cloves garlic
    3. 2 tsp sesame oil
    4. 1/4 c tahini paste (I love the AL ARZ brand)
    5. 2 tbsp creamy penut butter
    6. 2 tbsp rice vinegar
    7. 2 tbsp honey
    8. 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
    9. 1/2 tsp salt
    10. 1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you want it)
    11. 1/4 c water

    Instructions

    1. Put everything in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
    2. Yup, dunno it all in and blend!
    3. That’s all folks!

    Notes

    1. The combo of peanut and sesame here is so perfect. For me, the peanut flavor alone would be more suited for a chicken satay, or something more substantial than a salad. But, combined with the sesame, it mellows out the peanut flavor and adds a level of sophistication to the dressing that is so perfect for veggies.
    2. Serve this as a dip or drizzled over your favorite salad combo!
    3. Enjoy!

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