RANCH STYLE DRESSING

Using a recipe from the cookbook 'Let Them Eat Vegan', I made a ranch style dressing using cashews. I have been using raw cashews in a number of recipes.  I like to soak them for about an hour before using them.  I will soak nuts for less time than that.  It depends on how far in advance I started to prepare a recipe.  I have read that soaking raw shelled nuts removes toxins, residues and tannins and the nuts are softer and smoother in taste and more digestible.  After soaking the nuts, the water is discarded.

I bought the cookbook 'Let Them Eat Vegan' earlier this year.  It has about 200 recipes and covers the range of recipes from breakfast to salads to sauces to soups to entrees to pastas and to desserts.  In one of my previous posts I described what I liked about this cookbook in terms of how a recipe is presented and alternatives that can be used.

This recipe uses raw cashews instead of tofu or soy milk to make the creamy base.  It takes a few minutes to make as it is made in a blender or food processor.  The dressing can be used on other things besides salad.  It can be used as a dip with veggies or spooned onto roasted baby potatoes.

Dressing mixed up and ready to be added to salad.

Here is the salad I ate using the ranch dressing.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup raw cashews
2 tbsp lemon juice
1.5 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tahini
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tsp fresh chives, chopped (if available)
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp agave
1/2 cup water or milk or nondairy milk
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  You can thin it with water if you find it is too thick.   Store in the fridge.  Makes 1 1/4 cups.