Sauces & Dressings

Vegan Pesto

Ingredients

  • 2 cups packed fresh basil (large stems removed)

  • 3 Tbsp pine nuts or walnuts (if nut-free, try sunflower or pumpkin seeds!)

  • 3 large cloves garlic (peeled)

  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice

  • 3-4 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional— adds the cheese flavor without the dairy and is high in B12)

  • 1/4 tsp sea salt (more if desired)

  • 2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil* (I recommend Jenny’s Baked at Home CBD infused Olive Oil! )

  • 3-6 Tbsp water (plus more as needed)

Instructions

  1. To a food processor or small blender, add the basil, nuts, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and sea salt and blend/mix on high until a loose paste forms.

  2. Add olive oil a little at a time (streaming in while the machine is on if possible) and scrape down sides as needed. Then add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water at a time until the desired consistency is reached - a thick but pourable sauce. (If avoiding oil altogether, sub the oil with vegetable broth or just use all water.)

  3. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor, salt for overall flavor, nuts for nuttiness, garlic for bite / zing, or lemon juice for acidity.

  4. Perfect for adding to sauces, dressings, breads, and more! My favorite has been adding it straight to zucchini or carrot noodles for a beautiful, healthy side dish.

  5. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week. After that, pour into silicon ice cube molds, freeze, and store up to 1 month or more.

Carrot Ginger Miso Dressing

This adapted recipe is the perfect thing for a homemade plate of greens or other veggies and grains like quinoa/wild rice, beans, fish etc. Use it to drizzle on top OR as just a salad dressing. 

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons miso paste

  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

  • 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

  • 1 inch long piece of fresh ginger, roughly chopped

  • 3 tablespoons water

  • black pepper to taste

 Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend on high until a thick oily paste has formed. You may add more water if a thinner sauce is desired. Use to perk up any plain old steamed vegetables.

Green Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

  • Small bunch (about 30 sprigs) flat-leaf parsley

  • 1/2 cup sesame tahini

  • 1-2 large cloves garlic (OR OMIT if needed)

  • 4 to 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 2 to 6 tablespoons water

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional) or other spices you love!

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend on high until a thick oily paste has formed. You may add more water if a thinner sauce is desired. Use to perk up any plain old steamed vegetables.

Lighten Up Lemon Dressing

Yield: Just under 1 cup of dressing

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup Tahini

  • 1 garlic cloves (OR OMIT if too sensitive to garlic)

  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

  • 1/4 cup Nutritional yeast or a bit more, to taste

  • 2-4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, to taste

  • 1 tsp sea salt + freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 3 tbsp water, or as needed

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend on high until a thick oily paste has formed. You may add more water if a thinner sauce is desired. Use to perk up any plain old steamed vegetables.

Avocado Cucumber Dressing

Ingredients:

  • ½ ripe avocado

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

  • 1/3 medium cucumber

  • Sea salt to taste

  • Small pinch of Stevia (optional—add at end if flavor needs adjusting to make it just a tiny touch sweet but barely!)

  • Fresh cilantro, oregano, or basil

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend on high until a thick oily paste has formed. You may add more water if a thinner sauce is desired. Use to perk up any plain old steamed vegetables.

Garlic Dressing

Ingredients:

3-4 small anchovies
1 egg yolk
1-3 small garlic cloves (as per your liking, I usually only use one small one)
1 tsp good quality mustard (my favorite is organic brown by Eden Organics)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (though I much prefer apple cider vinegar it depends on your tastes)

Directions:

Mix all in blender and slowly pour in 1 cup extra virgin olive oil — (don’t over-mix unless you want it to thicken more like mayo!)

 

Walnut Mint Pesto

Yields

2-4 Servings

 

Ingredients

  • 2 c Mint

  • 1/2 c Parsley

  • 1/2 c Basil

  • 1/2 c Spinach

  • 1/2 c Walnuts, toasted

  • 1 clove Garlic

  • 1 c Olive Oil

  • 1/2 c Lemon Juice

  • 1 tsp Salt

Zucchini Noodles: 

  • Zucchini, thinly sliced on a mandolin or peeled with a vegetable peeler

 

Directions

Cut the zucchini and set aside. Combine all the fresh herbs, spinach, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice and salt in a food processor or blender. Slowly stream in the olive oil until it is all blended. Toss with the zucchini and serve immediately. Garnish with any leftover herbs.

Vegan Caesar Dressing

Prep Time

15 minutes

 

Prep Notes

 

Cooking Time

 

Yields

6 servings

 

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 3/4 cup silken tofu

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 3 tbsps lemon juice

  • 1 tbsp capers

  • 1 tbsp caper brine

  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder

  • Sea salt to taste

 

Directions

  1. Pulse almonds in a food processor until crumbly and place in an airtight container.

  2. Blend garlic, tofu and oil in the food processor until creamy.

  3. Add lemon juice, capers, caper brine and mustard powder and pulse until blended.

  4. Add mixture to the almonds and whisk to combine.

  5. Cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Simple Fall Recipe: Pesto

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dry roasted (or toasted) almonds, pine nuts or walnuts (I also have great nut-free pesto recipes!)

  • 4 cups fresh basil

  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint. (Fun to try with mint though i have made this with and without)

  • 3 cloves (or could use 1-2 and still tastes great)

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

  • Optional: if you want to add cheese use 1/2 cup grated Parmesan-reggiano or Romano cheese and add less salt)

 

Directions

  1. Combine the herbs with nuts, pulse a few times (if you are using walnuts or almonds instead of pine nuts, pulse them a few times first before adding the basil). Add the garlic (and cheese if using). Pulse a few more times.

  2. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the blender or food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides and add a bit of water if necessary or a squeeze of lemon. Add a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. It should be a creamy smooth texture.

  3. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze for later

  4. Mix in spoonfuls to whatever you have around that need a little something (greens, zucchini, beets, pasta, rice, toast, etc). Have fun with trying it on something new!!

Golden Gravy

Prep Time

5 minutes

 

Cooking Time

15 minutes

 

Yields

4 people

 

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, finely diced

  • 1 cup vegetable stock

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons almond flour

  • 2 ounces ghee

  • Sea salt

  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Directions

  1. In a skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil until brown.

  2. Add the ghee and lower heat.

  3. As the ghee melts, add the flour, stirring constantly to keep it from burning.

  4. After the flour browns, add vegetable stock until gravy thickens.

Creamy Herb Dressing

Prep Time

15 minutes

 

Prep Notes

 

Cooking Time

n/a

 

Yields

8 servings

 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup silken tofu

  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced

  • 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley

  • 2 tbsps fresh oregano

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

 

Directions

  1. Purée tofu in a food processor.

  2. Add garlic, parsley and oregano and pulse 4-5 times.

  3. Add buttermilk, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

  4. Purée until all ingredients are combined.

  5. Cover and refrigerate.

 

Notes

This can be kept in an air-tight container for up to two weeks. Be sure to shake the container well before use. Use on salads for a bright and decadent summer salad. Try adding to grain salads, potato salad, or cold pasta dishes.