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I love eating salads with a generous amount of dressing. It’s not that I like to drown my salad in dressing but to truly enjoy salad I need to add enough to give me that flavor I am looking for.
For those of you who have been eating raw for a while, it is highly likely that you enjoy eating huge salads, as I do. Many raw fooders will eat an entire salad bowl in one meal that would generally serve four people! There is hardly a day that goes by where I don’t eat a salad and generally they are of the supersize variety.
The problem is that many salad dressings contain a high amount of fat, either from oils or nuts and seeds. With high-fat dressings you can only really use a tablespoon or two on your salad without adding a fair amount of fat to your daily intake.
I don’t know about you but, while I love my fruit and veggies in all their simplicity when it comes to eating a salad, the dressing is what makes it really delicious. So I am always looking for salad dressings that will satisfy my tastebuds, while also keeping my nutrition in balance.
This dressing features fresh tomatoes and basil: classic Italian flavors that almost everybody loves. The sundried tomato powder acts as a thickener while really boosting the tomato flavor. If you can’t find it in stores you can buy it online here – Organic Powdered Tomato – or make your own by grinding sundried tomatoes in a high-speed blender.
I’m also sensitive to garlic so I tend to be very cautious with it but if you are a garlic lover feel free to increase the amount of garlic in this recipe.
Low Fat Tomato Basil Dressing
4-8 Servings
2 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato powder
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon raw agave
1/2 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
Pinch of white pepper
Place all ingredients except basil leaves in blender and blend until smooth. Add fresh basil and pulse briefly just to combine. Be sure not to overblend because this will compromise the color of your dressing. You want to see flecks of green with a red base.
This dressing will keep in a jar in the fridge for about two days. It is delicious on mixed greens with sliced tomato and avocado, topped with pumpkin seeds.
I’d love to hear about your favorite low fat salad dressings!