Thursday, May 8, 2014

It's All About The Dressing

Creamy, velvety, Caesar salad dressing, topped on a salad give salad a really bad rep! You can't blame the dressing though--- afterall, it's filled with cheese, oil, and eggs. But we all know that's what makes Caesar salad dressing so good! The great thing about flavorless and transformable foods like tofu, is that it make for the riches and thickest salad dressing you'll ever had! You won't miss the dairy or any of those added fats, not with the right seasonings and herbs to give it that briny and tangy zing that makes Caesar salad a timeless and classic dish.



Not to mention the major benefits of making your own dressing:

  • Ability to control fats and other ingredients, such as dairy, seasonings and gluten
  • Inexpensive to make large batches

I think it's safe to say that this is one time where it's more than okay for tofu to be tasteless and lifeless; in fact, it allows for the salty and garlicky flavors to stand out and be bolder than if were competing with distinctive flavors in Parmesan cheese.

I'm not a huge fan of the more bitter romaine, so I went with some dino kale instead; add chicken for extra protein, throw in some Parmesan cheese on top because you deserve it!


Trust me you'll forget that you are eating a vegan and gluten free meal!

Tofu Casear Salad Dressing


Ingredients:

  • 1 package silky tofu, drained 
  • 2 tsps Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbl nutritional yeast (or tamari for my gluten free friends! Regular ol' soy sauce works just fine as well!)
  • juice of 1 lemon


Directions:
1.  In your blender or food processor pulse together drained tofu and garlic cloves. Pulse until a thick but well-bended consistency.


2.  Add in your mustard, soy sauce, salt and pepper and pulse again until well-combined. 



3.  Stream in your olive oil until throughly combined. Add in lemon juice and pulse again.


4.  The best way to store this is in a jar. An airtight mason jar might be the best vessel for this dressing. The dressing keeps good for about 1.5 weeks. Don't worry if some water forms on top after usage, just be sure to give it a good stir in the jar before using again!
5.  Toss with some finely chopped dino kale and croutons!



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