On the Standard American Diet, our foods are often buried under an avalanche of salty, creamy, fat-laden dressings or sauces—wiping out any of the nutritional benefits of our meal. When you switch to a whole food, plant-based diet and go “oil-free” – dressings or sauces can be tricky.
We need to rethink our bowl toppers—instead of traditional bottled dressings or sauces, consider your leftover soups or chili as a different way to top your bowl. Or look at the condiments in your fridge. You can thin some hummus or barbecue sauce with a little water—maybe stir in some sriracha or spicy mustard to change the flavor profile. Salsa or pico de gallo are wonderful ways to finish off a bowl of greens, beans, and rice. If you live near a specialty oil and vinegar shop, flavored balsamics are the ticket to inspired cooking (just ignore all those oils). When you look at dressings and sauces differently – there are endless possibilities to make your meals interesting and delicious.
Veteran PLANTSTRONG coach, Ami Mackey, is always inspiring people to rethink their meal choices. Here are her three favorite dressings—feel free to experiment with them!
Lemonade Dressing:
Ingredients:
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1-2 tablespoon maple syrup to taste
Directions:
In a mason jar or other container with a lid, shake until well blended.
Coach’s Ranch Dressing:
Ingredients:
1 package low fat silken soft tofu
1⁄2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
2 green onions chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried chives or 1/8 tsp. onion powder
1⁄2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Refrigerate for one hour before serving to allow the flavors to fully develop.
Maple Clove Vinaigrette:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp chia seed
1/2 tsp cloves
Directions:
Whisk in a bowl until combined just before serving. If you want to make it ahead – skip adding the chia seed until just before serving.
Get more recipes like this one in our free PLANTSTRONG Community.
