Making a great salad has just as much to do with the dressing you choose as it does the veggies that you decide to add to the mix. Sadly, many of the tasty dressings on the market that claim to be healthy include lots of refined oil and “natural flavors” which might taste good but, but they don’t bring a lot in the way of nutrition to the table.
And let’s face it! The whole point of making a tasty salad in the first place is to infuse your body with the nutrients it needs, right? Fat isn’t the enemy—but fats from whole foods like nuts, seeds, and avocados are usually best because they provide fiber and a rainbow of vitamins and minerals that your body needs to thrive.
Luckily, fats derived from whole foods happen to bring a variety of textures and tastes to the table so they’re effective replacements for refined soybean and olive oil which are both popular ingredients in commercially available dressings. Next time you need a dressing, try one of these oil free and nutrient dense (as well as flavorful!) options instead of the oil laden store-bought variety:
Dilly Avocado Leak Dressing
This is a light dressing that will leave you feeling light and energized, and its color is as soothing as its flavor. Go ahead and get dilly:
1 avocado
½ cup chopped zucchini
½ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped (stem and all!)
¼ cup sliced leak
¼ cup water
Juice of a lemon
1 clove of garlic, depending on preference
½ tsp sea salt
Put everything into a food processor or small blender and pulse until smooth and creamy then top baby kale, corn on the cob, or baked potatoes!
Low Fat Italian Dressing
Italian dressing is really all about the herbs, but when you look on the labels of popular brands on store shelves you’ll find that herbs seem to be a second thought… if they’re even on the list at all! This one won’t disappoint you:
½ cup water
1 zucchini, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (sunflower seeds can also be used with good results)
¼ cup each of fresh basil, oregano, and thyme leaves OR 3 tbsp dried Italian herbs
2 stalks green onion
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp sea salt
Place the water and pumpkin seeds in a blender and mix on high until the seeds break down into tiny pieces.
Add everything else but the herbs and blend until creamy, then add the herbs and pulse just until the herbs break up and disperse throughout the dressing. Serve on a bed of romaine, on baked tofu, or use as a base for potato salad.
Sweet Basil Corn Dressing
If you like creamed corn, you’ll love this dressing! It’s not too sweet which makes it a nice choice for savory salads and dishes. Here’s how to get down with your corn:
1 cup sweet corn kernels (If using frozen or canned, rinse thoroughly before implementing into the recipe)
½ medium sweet red pepper, roughly chopped
½ cup fresh basil leaves
¼ cup water
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp sea salt
Blend all of the ingredients on high speed until well combined and creamy. Serve over greens, mix it in with mashed potatoes, or toss it with pasta.
Spicy Tomato Sauce
This sauce is reminiscent of salsa, which makes it a versatile condiment good for more than just your taco salad. Get ready to fire up those taste buds:
2 medium fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (NOT packed in oil), soaked in water at least 30 minutes
1 tbsp Bragg’s liquid aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
½ jalapeno
Juice of half a lemon
1 clove garlic
½ tsp salt
Place everything except half of the sun dried tomatoes into a blender or food processor and pulse until well combined and saucy. Transfer the mixture to a small container. Cut the other half of the sun dried tomatoes into very small pieces and then gently fold them into the sauce. Serve over greens, on tacos, or add to casseroles and soups!
Make one or more of these tasty dressings and keep them in your fridge (they’re good for about a week before you need to make a new batch) to use for last minute meals, snacks, and your epic salad creations.
animal rights activist, and enthusiast of all things nature. She loves
spending time with family and enjoys gardening on her homestead on the Big
Island of Hawaii. She has studied plant based nutrition extensively and is
currently working on certification as a plant based lifestyle coach.
