How to Make Delicious Salt & Oil Free Salad Dressings

One of the beauties about eating raw is that you really learn to enjoy the pure, raw, natural taste of food. The taste buds are cleared of all the toxic taste stimulators in processed foods, such as salt, thus the natural flavors of whole foods intensify. So I really like to keep my meals simple and avoid as much as possible oils, salts, pepper, and any condiment that over stimulates the taste buds, to really enjoy the natural taste of my food.

So here are a few recipes and tips for creating your own natural, condiment free salad dressing. First, get creative. Try to imagine the combination of different vegetables, fruits, and herbs that can be deliciously combined. Second, look at the ingredients of any basic salad dressing you like and try to put a creative substitute for each ingredient. For example, when it calls for vinegar you can put any citrus fruit juice instead. If it’s a creamy dressing you can use blended cashews, which adds a creamy taste. Third, pick a base for your dressing, such as tomato, avocado, pear and work your ingredients around that. Then pick a delicious fresh, aromatic herb to add more flavor such as cilantro, mint or basil. It’s as simple as that!

Here are three of my favorite dressings, I put the measurements according to which flavors appeal to me more, so do the same and find what works best for you. Each meal should be a treat for you.

Cashew Cream Dressing:

1 handful of cashews (that have been soaked a few hours)

2 sweet, ripe oranges

pinch of dried herbal seasonings ( I use a combo of Italian herbs)

Blend the cashews in the Vitamix until creamy. Add the orange juice and blend until mixed well, or if you want a thicker dressing you can just blend the oranges whole with the cashews. Sprinkle dried seasonings on top.

This one is so simple and tasty!

Pear-Cucumber Dressing

1 pear

1 kiwi

1/2-1 cucmber

1 inch piece of leek

Blend the pear, cucumber, leek and kiwi in a blender until smooth. Mix into salad, dress with a little leek on top.

Avocado Citrus Dressing

3 small tangerines (or whatever citrus appeals to you)

1/2 avocado

1/4 inch piece of ginger

small handful of chives