Salads can be boring. If you eat salads on a regular basis, they can get old. A great way to mix things up (note: the salad pun was intentional), is to switch up your dressing. Store-bought dressings are often high in sugar or contain questionable ingredients and preservatives. There are a few brands that are descent, but it is more interesting (and cost-effective) to make your own dressing. Before you immediately think, “I do not have time to make my own dressing,” hear me out. You can take simple olive oil and vinegar, drizzle a little of each on your salad, and you have just made your own dressing (feel free to have fun with infused oils and vinegars, too). You can squeeze some lemon juice and massage in avocado, and you have just made your own dressing. With just a few simple ingredients you can have endless quick and easy dressing options.
A favorite is tahini dressing. Tahini paste is made from ground sesame seeds. That is the base for this dressing. Look for organic sesame tahini and you want to see organic ground toasted sesame seeds as the only ingredient (Brad’s Organic brand is a prime example). By deciding to eat healthy, many of us have given up dairy or anything remotely creamy, as those sauces and dressings are heavy and typically made from harmful ingredients. This tahini dressing completely satisfies that creamy texture so many of us have been missing. If you are vegan, plant-based, or somewhere in between and you are worried that salads and other meatless, veggie-comprised meals lack protein, we got you covered. In 2 tablespoons of tahini, you get 5 grams of protein and some fiber and healthy fat.
Not a salad eater? You might be if you try this dressing. Still, nah? You can drizzle this tahini dressing on wraps, spread it on sandwiches, or eat it as a dipping sauce for cooked or raw veggies. So, here’s how you can start workin’ in some protein-packed, creamy deliciousness into your meals:
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp tahini
Juice of a lemon
Dash of salt and pepper
splash of water (continue adding in very small increments until desired consistency)
To make it a vinaigrette, add:
tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
optional tsp honey
*Makes enough for about 4 uses
*Or you can double this recipe to make a larger batch, about 4-6 uses, that will keep well, covered in the fridge for about 5 days.
Instructions:
1. Add all ingredients to a ramekin, small dish, or dressing container
2. Whisk with a fork until smooth
3. Drizzle on alllll those veggies
*if you are interesting in making the salad that is pictured, it has grilled artichoke hearts, shredded carrots, bell pepper, and tomatoes on a bed of Tuscan kale. Mmmm.