Some of us are lovers of salad full stop, while others simply use salad as a vehicle for dressing! Now that the warmer weather has set in, it’s fair to say that salads are featuring more heavily on our weekly menus. To help keep up this healthy trend, here are 3 dressings sure to transform your meals and are not limited to use on salads! I recommend using the below ideas on rotation and experimenting with your own flavour combinations by adding some of your favourite ingredients.
Turmeric Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. tahini paste
½ tsp. honey
2 tsp. ground cumin
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. turmeric, ground
½ tbsp. lemon juice
pinch chilli flakes, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until smooth.
Store in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days. Add a bit of water to loosen up mixture before using.
Health Benefits
Turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory and also has antioxidant properties, cumin and chilli are warming spices to aid digestion and tahini offers a source of calcium, magnesium and B-vitamins.
What its good for:
- Dressing on roasted vegetables
- Grain salads
- Beetroot salad
- Massaging kale as the base of salad
- Drizzling over wrap ingredients before enclosing
Avocado Pesto
Ingredients
1 large ripe avocado, pit and seed removed, chopped
½ cup fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp. unsalted raw cashews
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
4-6 tbsp. water, as needed
Method
Combine all ingredients, except water, in a food processor; puree until smooth.
With machine running, slowly add water to mixture until desired consistency is reached.
Serve immediately or well chilled
Health Benefits
Avocado is a great source of monounsaturated fats and fresh basil, contains essential oils rich in phenolic compounds, which exert anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the body.
What its good for
- Tossing through cooked pasta
- Spreading on toast or wraps
- Dolloping on scrambled eggs
- Tossing with steamed green beans and asparagus as a simple dinner side
Green Macadamia Tahini
Ingredients
¼ cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
A few handfuls rocket leaves
¼ bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup tahini
juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, crushed
pinch chilli flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
water to loosen the mixture
Method
Place all ingredients, except water, in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth, slowly add water until desired consistency is reached.
Health Benefits
Macadamia nuts are a great source of monounsaturated fats and protein while rocket is a source of vitamin A, K, C, folate and calcium and is also a bitter, which helps to stimulate digestion.
What its good for:
- Garden salads
- Drizzling over poached eggs on toast
- Dressing for fish or chicken
- Drizzling over roasted veg especially carrot and beetroot
