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healthy salad dressings

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Dairy Free Caesar Dressing

April 20, 2021

Free from common allergens, this delicious dairy free Caesar dressing is also gluten free, soy free, nut free, egg free, and fish free!

Dairy Free Caesar Dressing
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Spring teases, and a need for some dairy free staples

I *think* we’ll see the last of our cold weather snow flurries this week, and we can finally say we are on our way to some consistent spring like temps here in Michigan! We spent a cool but pleasant weekend hiking and even playing at the beach, and while I watched my crew race up and down the shoreline, I was thinking about just how far I’ve come in a health related sort of way.

Dairy Free Caesar Dressing

A marathon, not a sprint

As I watched my kids sprint across the sand, I thought about how I had to change my thought process toward getting healthy so long ago. More of a “sprinter” in all things life, I have had to grow and change my method to more of a marathoner’s mindset. And you know what? Sprinters and marathoner’s are both great athletes. But when it comes to healing decades of growing up in a conventional, standard American health sort of environment, sprinting is only going to lead to more injury. It takes time to heal decades. I’ve had a recent set back toward the end of winter, and while I’m on my way, I have had to learn the hard way that while I’d like to sprint myself back into feeling my normal, a marathon mindset is really where it’s at.

Dairy Free Caesar Dressing

Peeling back the layers

I have had more than one natural minded practitioner remind me that most healing journeys are like peeling onions. There are layers and layers of them, and before you can get to the center root of the onion, you have to get through the surface layers first. A chiropractor friend reminded me of this last week, and I’m hoping someone here needs to hear it too. There are layers of natural elements, like diet, mineral balance, and hydration. And there are also layers of lifestyle, such as sleep, stress, and activity levels. I’ve been working on the later, with over-exercising and not paying enough attention to stress…a very tough admission for this “Type A!” One layer I DO know how to help with, however is food. And if you need to have inflammatory foods out of your diet for a period of time for healing, I’ve got you covered, dear momma. I have been there, done that, and I have some recipe tricks up my sleeve that I hope will help you!

Dairy Free Caesar Dressing

Our favorite Caesar, done without dairy

One of the first recipes I posted to this blog was a recipe for Caesar dressing. It was *the* dressing helped me successfully get my husband off store bought dressings years ago, and has been a staple around here for a while. But the dressing has dairy and egg, which can be inflammatory for those that are healing. Over the years when I have had seasons like I am in right now where I need to strictly be dairy free, I have played around with other ways to make it without the cheese, sour cream, and eggs, and I’m finally getting it here on the blog! This Caesar dressing is a handful of years in the the trial and error making, and I can proudly say it is free from dairy, gluten, soy, nuts, and egg…and it still passes my Caesar dressing critic husband’s taste test!

Dairy Free Caesar Dressing

Dairy Free Caesar Dressing Method

It really doesn’t get any easier than a 5 minute prep, and I’m pretty sure that whether you are on a healing journey or not, less work is music to your ears! I don’t even use measuring cups. Simply use the marks on the side of a pint mason jar and measure to the 1/2 cup mark for the olive oil. Then spoon in your coconut yogurt until the line hits the 3/4 cup mark. The rest is all measuring spoon, and goes so fast. Finally, you’ll use a simple immersion blender to emulsify the dressing into the dreamiest creamy texture!

Dairy Free Caesar Dressing

Important Notes!

Please take the time to read through the Notes section in the recipe card! I have been making this dairy free version of Caesar for a while, and I took the time to write down some of my thoughts on swaps and switches, as well as how to tailor this dressing to fit your unique taste palate!

Dairy Free Caesar Dressing

Dairy Free Caesar Dressing

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a pint mason jar, measure the olive oil to the ½ cup mark, then add the 1/4 cup of coconut yogurt to fill until the ¾ cup mark on the mason jar (you could use measuring cups too, but this is my favorite way, and is less to clean up!).
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and use an immersion blender to emulsify until creamy and combined. Blend with the immersion blender for about 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Store the Caesar dressing in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Notes

  • If you are egg free, leave the yolk out and add an extra couple tablespoons of coconut yogurt for the creaminess.
  • If you don’t have an immersion blender, you could add all of the ingredients EXCEPT the olive oil to a food processor or blender. Then, while the blender is running, you can drizzle the olive oil into the blender so that it can slowly emulsify the dressing until creamy.
  • Add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice if you like your dressing tangier. The recipe as written is very kid friendly, but I love extra tang, so when I make it for myself I use 2 tbsp – about a full lemon.
  • Add an extra tablespoon of nutritional yeast flakes if you want the dressing to taste cheesier.
  • If you don’t have coconut aminos, you can leave this out, but it does add a depth of flavor that I just love – traditional sardines would add this too if you have those.
  • If you want to use a neutral/flavorless oil, avocado oil works well and is safe, healthy oil. The olive oil flavor gets pretty covered up by all of the other ingredients, but I know some kids might be sensitive to that taste, and avocado oil is flavorless. Really good olive oil is known for it’s anti-inflammatory properties, so I always ready for the olive oil when I can, and my kids really like the taste of it.
  • I get the big, 32oz tubs of plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt from our local grocer for a very budget friendly price. Many regular grocers are carrying this now, just take a look!
Dairy Free Caesar Dressing

More real food salad dressing recipes you might like!

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DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Quick, Popular Dressings The Whole Family Will Love!

April 14, 2014

Replace store bought dressings with healthier versions using these 5 DIY salad dressings that taste just like the real thing!

DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Quick, Popular Dressings The Whole Family Will Love!

Happy salad season to you!

While I can hardly wait to get some lettuce greens into my ground (Come on ground! Thaw out already!), we are already craving crisp, fresh salads this early spring! During the spring and summer, salads are on our table almost daily – especially once they start overtaking my garden! I make a different salad dressing every week, and that keeps taste buds happy and salads fun and interesting all season.

DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Recipes The Whole Family Will Love!

Why not just grab a bottle of dressing at the grocery store? Or better yet – an organic one at the health food store?

So glad you asked! Store bought salad dressings are one of the most “green washed” products on the market if you ask me. Just because a label says organic or “lite”, or seems “healthy” – sometimes it isn’t.

One way I keep myself with getting frustrated over what products are safe and which are not is by reading ingredient lists. Not the calories, grams, or the percentages of fat. I’m talking the little list of what is actually *in* that darn bottle you will be putting in your body! And for dressings, it’s pretty easy in my book. Toxic, rancid, hydrogenated, GMO and PUFA filled oils like soybean oil, vegetable oil, and canola oil should never be on the ingredient list. Period. The inflammation those oils make in the body just isn’t worth it. And it is incredibly hard to come by salad dressings in the store that don’t have at least one of those oils. THIS is a great resource to learn about the difference between the different oils.

DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Recipes The Whole Family Will Love!
So here are some dressing options! I’m all about simple, FAST, and flavor! I’m talking throw everything into a jar and shake it up. Each one of these won’t take you more than 5 minutes to make up and it will last a week or 2 in your fridge. And the flavor will blow you away!


Easy Ranch Dressing

A kid favorite anytime! This Ranch dressing has passed the kid test at play date after play date in my house with kids from every background!

Easy Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cup whole milk sour cream
  • 1/3 cup whole raw milk if you are dairy free or don't have access to raw, use whole coconut milk
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • 1 ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Instructions

  • Everything into a pint jar and stir up. If you want a thicker, “dip” sort of Ranch for carrot sticks, etc, you can leave out the milk or only add a few splashes. If you rather it runnier then you can add more milk.

Notes

Full fat coconut yogurt swaps for the sour cream well if you are dairy free. I have also found that a small avocado swaps for the sour cream as long as you add a bit more coconut milk, as another dairy free version. The dressing will be light green this way, but still taste like Ranch!

DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Quick, Popular Dressings The Whole Family Will Love!


Easy French Dressing

From easy weeknight salads to Taco Tuesday taco salads, this French dressing is also quite the kid favorite!

Easy French Dressing

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Everything into a pint jar with a tight lid and shake well to combine. Shake before each use as well. This dressing is also a great one to use on taco salad night - it is very similar to the "catelina" type dressings some restaurants use on taco salads

Notes

You can use an immersion blender to blend this dressing and it will emulsify even more than shaking it to become creamier in texture.

DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Recipes The Whole Family Will Love!


DIY Italian Dressing Mix & Italian Dressing

A pasta night classic for salads, or toss in a pasta salad for that summer picnic! Loaded with healthy, anti-inflammatory oil that you can feel good about having every week!

DIY Italian Dressing Mix & Italian Dressing

Ingredients

Italian Dressing Seasoning Mix:

Italian Dressing:

Instructions

To make the Italian Dressing Seasoning Mix:

  • Add all of the seasonings together in a small container with a lid (empty spice jars work great), put the lid on and shake it up to combine. Also tastes great to sprinkle on stir fry or to a roasted chicken! This doubles up great too!

To make the Italian Dressing:

  • Everything into a pint jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well to combine. Shake well before each use and store in the fridge.

Notes

You can use an immersion blender to blend this dressing and it will emulsify even more than shaking it to become creamier in texture.

DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Recipes The Whole Family Will Love!


Just Like Store Bought Thousand Island Dressing

This was a favorite of mine as a kid, and it was such a happy day when I figured out how to make it on my own!

Just Like Store Bought Thousand Island Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole sour cream
  • ¼ cup organic ketchup
  • Juice of 1 lemon about 2-3 TB
  • 1- 1 ½ TB raw honey local if possible!
  • ¼ cup finely chopped pickles I like using Bubbies or my own fermented pickles, so we get the natural fermented probiotics!
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • black pepper

Instructions

  • Everything into a pint jar and stir together. Store in the fridge. If you want a thicker Thousand Island for spreading on a sandwich or wrap add more sour cream.

Notes

For a dairy free version, try full fat coconut yogurt!

DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Quick, Popular Dressings The Whole Family Will Love!


Fiesta Salad Dressing

This is such a fun change up for taco salad night! Creamy and so satisfying!

Fiesta Salad Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of your favorite salsa we get Mateo's at Costco
  • ½ avocado
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • cup whole sour cream
  • 2 tsp taco season I use my homemade blend

Instructions

  • Everything into a processor or blender to blend together. Store in a pint jar in the fridge. If you want it thicker for spreading on sandwiches or wraps add more avocado or sour cream.

Notes

Try coconut yogurt to swap for the sour cream to make it dairy free!

DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Quick, Popular Dressings The Whole Family Will Love!

Ok! So keep me posted on which dressings you are loving! And by the way! Treat yourself to a salad spinner if you don’t already have one! You can wash up and have ready to go salad everyday of the week in your fridge! My routine is pick from the garden and wash up right away, into the salad spinner, and into the crisper in the fridge! It keeps much longer!