This is my go to dressing. This recipe can be vegan friendly if maple syrup or another liquid sweetener like agave is used. It can also be a raw dressing depending on your ingredients. If making this for someone with gluten issues, please insure you use gluten free tamari/soy sauce, AND gluten free vinegar.
Ingredients:
1 cup grape-seed oil or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sesame seed oil*
2 1/2 tablespoons whole sesame seeds
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 – 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground is best
2-4 tablespoons honey or liquid sweetener of choice**(see notes)
Ginger***(see notes)
Directions:
In a large bowl (high sided works best), add in your vinegar, soy sauce, and honey or other sweetener. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of oil. This should take 1-2 minutes of vigorous whisking. The trick is to make a dressing and not oily vinegar, there is a difference. Once you have 1/2 cup of oil in, try your sauce and if desired add the rest of the oil. At this point if you’re using it, whisk in the sesame oil as well. Once all your oil is whisked in, add your extra flavors or extra sweetener if desired. I used whole sesame seeds and black peppers. Stir in and you are done!
To store this dressing use a mason jar or repurposed glass jar with a tight fitting lid OR use a VERY well cleaned salad dressing bottle, I like the ones with the caps on the lid that restricts the amount that comes out at one time. In the fridge this will last for weeks, maybe a month or so I have never tried it that long. Before using, shake really well to re-emulsify and you’re ready to go.
*If you do not want to use or don’t have access to sesame oil, you can substitute it with regular oil or leave out entirely.
**If you are vegan or simply do not use honey, feel free to use maple syrup or agave. If neither appeal to you, try making a simple syrup by boiling 1/4 cup water with 2 tablespoons sugar. Whisk well to ensure no grainy texture. Once cooled, substitute this in for honey. Start with 1 tablespoon and try it from there as this changes the flavor.
***If you want to add a ginger flare to this dish, use a microplane or fine tooth grater and grate some ginger into the bowl. I would suggest 1/2 – 1 tablespoon. Whisk this in with the sesame seeds. Optionally you can add other flavors such as fresh garlic or chili flakes to change the flavor.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: If you are making this and/or cooking for someone with gluten allergies or celiacs disease. Make sure to purchase ingredients that are certified gluten free, and clean your utensils very well. Better safe than sorry.
Nutritional information is per tablespoon, Thanks!
So I’m a notorious insomniac and usually don’t go to bed until around the time the sun is going to come up! Lately I have been making a big effort to not do this anymore. I will talk about this more later, but I needed to share that so you would understand how amazing it was I was up at 8am on a Sunday morning! I admittedly haven’t gone to a farmers market lately due to various reasons, but I was so happy to go. I woke up my husband and we walked the 2 miles to the market. I was pleasantly surprised that more of my favorite vendors had started doing the Sunday market. I think I did very well with my purchases. I did “splurge” a little on things like the onions and peppers, however they were needed for recipe videos like Tofu Scramble and Pickled peppers mix! (videos coming soon, promises!)
Here is what I purchased with totals:
2 cans Dole pineapple juice (not from concentrate) $1.50 ea
1 free water bottle (BPA Free)
2 free packages Dill pickle canning mix
2 free package instant pectin
3.5kgs tomatoes, red/yellow mixed. $11.00 total
just over 1lb purple carrots, $2.75 total
1 bunch Italian parsley 99¢
6 HUGEÂ cucumbers $2.00 total
4 yellow onions $2.00 total
3 sweet peppers $1.00 total
6 HUGE zucchini $2.00 total
2 eggplant $1.00 each
1 heavy red cabbage $2.00
mix of 10 hot peppers $1.00 total
Total: $29.74!!!
My cat decided to come outside and inspect my haul after we finished the video. I don’t share enough cat photos, so you’re welcome! ^.^& before anyone gets stupid, no I wasn’t choking her, its just looked like that because I was holding her under her arms.
(click on the image to enlarge, this is my actual receipt with personal stuff blocked out)
Today I went grocery shopping at walmart and got just a few items. As you know I’ve been doing a low fat high carb raw vegan challenge. This grocery haul reflects that. This will be my food for the week.
51 pounds of bananas (29 cents a pound)
14 pounds of peaches (99 cents a pound)
15 pounds of tomatoes (69 cents a pound)
a 15 pound watermelon (1.98)
In total, only cost me $32.96! Pretty cheap for one week huh. Yes I have leftover avocados from last week’s haul and I do have 3 large heads of lettuce in the fridge, however I’ll probably just eat what you see in the video.
Have you ever wanted something sweet and salty to snack on? I had that craving tonight. Unfortunately, we usually go for the less healthy options. Here is what I came up with, and It was really good. This would be especially good in late spring when bell peppers are in season and extra sweet.
Ingredients:
2 medium sized bell peppers or 10 mini bell peppers
2 tablespoons of fat free Italian dressing
1/4 tablespoon vegan mayonaise or your favorite mayonaise
a few dashes of tobassco (I use chipotle flavor), amount is up to you
Directions:
Cut the bell peppers into strips. In a small bowl add dressing, mayo, and tobassco and mix until combined.
That’s it, super simple! Makes 1 serving in a few minutes. I suggest using different colors of bell pepper:
Red is the sweetest, followed by orange, then yellow, and finally green, purple, and white.
I used mini bell peppers which look like this:
So we’ve given you a basic chocolate sauce recipe, but you need more ideas? How about a kid friendly activity that tastes yummy? Chocolate covered bananas. You can stick these in the freezer for an on the go, frozen treat, a great alternative to dairy ice cream!
Peel 1 banana, cut into little pieces or snap in half and cover with 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce, or for big batches, dip bananas into bowl of chocolate. Put in freezer for 15 minutes to firm chocolate or put on sticks and freeze for an ice cream like treat. This is a fun activity to do with children that is very delicious! Definitely try it some time!
Prep time: 1-15 minutes Serves: 1
allergies: cocoa (cacao), coconut oil, honey***, banana
Raw friendly, and ***vegan friendly if you make chocolate sauce without honey
