Healthy eating is often associated with blandness and lack of flavor, especially if processed foods and sugary foods are consumed regularly. But in reality, you do not need to sacrifice flavor for better health.
Dressings are a great way to enhance the flavor of foods or even mask the ones we least desire, but not all dressings are created equal.
Store-bought sauces and dressings are usually loaded with unfavorable ingredients, preservatives and chemical additives, which is why I prefer to make my own.
The following are three simple and healthy dressings that can add a delicious twist to any dish and will guarantee to impress your guests as well!
B’s Favorite Dressing
I use this dressing on almost everything and it makes every dish absolutely delicious.
I use it for green salads, baked eggplants, steamed beets & potato salad, steamed spinach, chick pea & bean salad, quinoa salads, dandelion salads, and just about any vegetable imaginable.
It’s extremely versatile and very tasty.
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, crushed (a little less than ½ tsp of crushed garlic)*
½ lemon, juiced (two thirds of a ¼ cup of lemon juice)
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp salt, or to taste
Dash of pepper, or to taste
Fresh or dried mint (optional – I like to use mint in my green salads)
Directions:
1 Mix all of the ingredients together.
2 Adjust seasoning to taste. Extra dressing can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
*Note: If you don’t like the strong taste of garlic, use half the amount instead.
- SCOBY
- Black or green tea bags
- Sugar
- A large 3 or 4L lead-free glass jar
- Bottling jars with sealable lids (I used my old salt jars)
- A paper tower and elastic to cover
- Poor 3L of filtered water into a large pot on the stove. Add 3 tea bags* and 1 C of raw cane sugar (organic is best, but regular tea and sugar will work too). Bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, poor tea into the big glass jar. Add the SCOBY and poor 1 C of the reserved or matured Kombucha liquid from a previous batch on top. (The SCOBY will float to the top of the brew.)
- Wait 5 to 10 days or longer if you live in colder conditions. Taste the tea. It is ready when it appeals to your taste.
- With clean hands (wash with soap, then rub with vinegar), remove the SCOBY with your hands and place it in a smaller jar with approximately 2 cups of the prepared Kombucha tea. This will be used for your next batch.
- Poor the remaining Kombucha tea in the smaller glass jars. Flavor the tea by adding whatever fruits or herbs of your preference. I used fresh blueberries and raspberries.
- Place the bottled Kombucha tea in a dark place for 24 to 48 hours, and “burp” the jars (open them) from time to time to release CO2 and prevent any explosions from the carbonation.
- Refrigerate your Kombucha tea and enjoy!
- The longer the tea is left to ferment, the more beneficial properties it will have. However, it will also become more sour/vinegar-tasting, have a higher alcohol level, and less sugar (more on that in the article). You’ll have to play with it to see what works best for you.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
I find this dressing goes really well with dark greens like green beans, spinach, kale, etc.
Ingredients:
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (or red vinegar)
3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1 In a jar, mix the mustard and vinegar until well blended.
2 Add in the oil, salt & pepper. Close the lid and shake well until smooth and creamy.
- 2 large frozen bananas, broken into pieces (I always keep ripe bananas in the freezer for frozen treats and smoothies)
- ¾ C frozen mixed berries (i.e. strawberries, raspberries, blueberries & blackberries or any berry of your choice)
- ¼ C coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp dried barberries (you can substitute with goji berries or unsweetened cranberries if you prefer)
- 2 Tbps macadamia nuts (optional)
- Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
- I find that it tastes better when the ice cream is eaten right away. If you store it in the freezer, let it thaw for 5 minutes before eating. This helps the ice crystals melt and reduces the overpowering taste of banana flavor.
Tahini Sauce
I like to use Tahini sauce on baked fish or as a dip or dressing on a variety of vegetables.
I especially love a little drizzle of tahini sauce on top of lightly baked cauliflower. It is extremely delicious and very nutritious.
You can find tahini (100% sesame seed paste) in most of the supermarkets in the UAE or in any Middle Eastern store.
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, crushed (a little less than ½ tsp of crushed garlic)*
½ lemon, juiced (two thirds of a ¼ cup of lemon juice)
¼ C tahini (Note: shake the bottle very well before pouring)
Salt to taste
Water
Directions:
1 Mix the garlic, lemon juice, tahini and salt.
2 Add enough water to achieve the desired consistency when you stir. The sauce should be thick but runny.
*Note: If you don’t like the strong taste of garlic, use half the amount instead. And for those who are calorie-conscious, you can reduce the calorie count by reducing the amount of tahini in half and adding fresh yogurt instead.
- 2 large frozen bananas, broken into pieces
- 2 mejdool dates, pitted
- 2 Tbsp raw cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp coconut milk
- Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
- I find that it tastes better when the ice cream is eaten right away. If you store it in the freezer, let it thaw for 5 minutes before eating. This helps the ice crystals melt and reduces the overpowering taste of banana flavor.
- If you find the banana flavor overpowering, try using less bananas and more dates instead.
Enjoy and please feel free to share your own healthy dressings.
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