Condiments - My Favs!!!

Making dressings and sauces used to be my biggest challenge, but after lots of experimenting I have come up with a number of healthy and variations.  I no longer worry about exact measurements and if I am missing an ingredient, I can usually come up with something else that will work just as well.  

🌿 None of these dressings & sauces use oil.  That's the most calorie dense ingredient in most store-bought dressings.  Oil is very unhealthy.  

🌿 I don't use salt, but if you think you need salt, go for it. 

🌿 If the recipe is too thick, add a little water.

🌿 With all of these recipes, start by adding a little of all the ingredients, then TASTE to see what you might need more of to get the flavor you like.  Be especially careful with the ingredients that have the strongest flavors.  

🌿 Most of these will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

photo from Nutriciously

Honey Mustard:

• yogurt (or other base - see below) - I usually start with 1 cup of my base
• maple syrup (or other sweetener - see below)
• apple cider vinegar (or other acid - see below)
• Dijon mustard - other mustards will work
• garlic powder

Stir Fry Sauce:

• Tamari - or Bragg's Liquid Aminos, Coconut aminos or soy sauce
• maple syrup (or other sweetener - see below)
• apple cider vinegar (or other acid - see below)
• for sweet and sour like flavor - BBQ sauce - or Ketchup 
• for Thai Peanut flavor - peanut butter - or almond butter or tahini 

Ranch Dressing:

• yogurt (or other base - see below) - I usually start with 1 cup of my base
• maple syrup (or other sweetener - see below)
• apple cider vinegar (or other acid - see below)
• Tamari - or Bragg's Liquid Aminos, Coconut aminos or soy sauce
• Nutritional Yeast
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• more herbs and spices - dill weed or dill seed, pepper, parsley, chives, paprika
• raisins - if using a blender

Spicy Dressing:

• yogurt (or other base - see below) - I usually start with 1 cup of my base
• maple syrup (or other sweetener - see below)
• apple cider vinegar (or other acid - see below)
• Tamari - or Bragg's Liquid Aminos, Coconut aminos or soy sauce
• sriracha - This is what gives it a kick, but be careful!
• Nutritional Yeast
• garlic powder
• smoked paprika 
• sweet pickle relish

Slaw Dressing:

• yogurt (or other base - see below) - I usually start with 1 cup of my base
• maple syrup (or other sweetener - see below)
• apple cider vinegar (or other acid - see below)

"Cheese" Sauce:

The original recipe is HERE. It uses a base of potatoes and carrots.  I am experimenting and seeing if I can get an acceptable cheesy flavor without cooking vegetables.  Without the carrots, the color may not be as appealing.  Some people use cashews as the main base for vegan cheese sauce.

• yogurt
• nutritional yeast
• apple cider vinegar
• smoked paprika
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• ground cumin

        THE HEAT - Be careful!  Not too much!  

• chipotle chili powder, chili powder or cayenne 

★   SUBSTITUTIONS   ★

BASE (for creamy texture):

🌿 If you use a yogurt base, you most likely won't need to use a blender.  You *might* be able to skip a blender with the silken tofu base.  The other bases do need to be blended, but it's really not that big of a deal.

• yogurt (plant-based!) - My favorite brand is Kite Hill.
• silken tofu
• zucchini or squash, peeled and steamed
• carrots, peeled and steamed (great for "cheesy" recipes that you want to turn orange)
• potatoes, peeled and cooked (great when you want it to thicken a bit to use as a dip)
• corn, cooked
• white beans, cooked
• sunflower seeds
• cashews - rich and flavorful, great for weight maintenance, but not best for weight loss.  Soak the cashews in water for at least 4 hours.  Recipes using this base might require a little extra water to reach the right consistency.

SWEETENERS:

• maple syrup
• or agave nectar
• dates - if using a blender
• or honey if not truly vegan

ACIDIC OPTIONS:

• apple cider vinegar - using fresh lemons is best, but bottled will do in a pinch
• lemon juice - fresh squeezed is best.  Careful.  The lemon flavor can overpower the dressing if you use too much.  
• or rice wine vinegar
• or red wine vinegar

🌿  💚  ✅  ☝️  ★   ★  

Salad - Salsa with Beans & Corn

☝️ This recipe is super easy to double, so making a big batch at the first of the week is a great way to meal prep. It will keep stored covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.  

BASICS

• Black Beans – Canned or cooked from dried. Make sure to drain and rinse them!
• Corn – canned or frozen is fine, but you can use fresh as well. It's nice to use both yellow and some white.  Roasting the corn (15-20 minutes at 450 degrees) gives it a little something extra!  Another tip - You can throw the frozen corn straight into the bowl without thawing and it will be ready to serve shortly.
• Onion – chopped into small pieces. Red is most common.  I don't like to use an entire red onion - just a little will do, but I love the color. You can substitute sweet or yellow onion. Or use spring onions.  Or OMIT onions entirely for a milder flavor.  
• Tomatoes  – If you want it to truly be salsa-ish, don't use canned tomatoes.  USE FRESH!
• Bell Peppers -  chopped, yellow, orange or red 
• Cilantro or Parsley - Pull the leaves from the stems and chop.  
• Lime Juice – fresh is always best to give a bright burst of flavor to the salsa.  If no limes, lemon, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will do.

Drain and rinse the black beans and drain the corn. 

Combine beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, onion, herbs and chilies in a bowl.

Squeeze the juice from the lime and pour it over the other ingredients.

Toss everything together, taste and adjust flavor with salt if needed.

Cover for 30 minutes or more, allowing the flavors to meld.

Options and Variations

• Cucumbers - chopped
• Black-Eyed Peas - This makes it something like Cowboy Caviar
• Rice - This makes it something like Black Bean, Corn, and Salsa Rice Salad
• Spinach - It looks like the herbs, but adds a little extra nutrition without being very noticeable.
• Jalapeños - For more heat, add in chopped fresh or pickled jalapeños. You can also add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce for a spicy kick.
• Avocado - chopped, for a bit of creaminess
• Maple Syrup - just a tiny bit
• Garlic Powder

Cowboy Caviar

Rice and Salsa Salad

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  

A Southern Soul

The Live In Kitchen

The Cabin Diary

Nikki Vegan

Condiment - Tzatziki Sauce

Notes

• 1 small cucumber — peeled, seeded, and shredded — about 1 cup
• 1 cup non dairy yogurt
• 1- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ – ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 2 sprigs fresh dill — chopped or about ¼ – ½ teaspoon dried dill or to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint – optional – Tami prefers it with dill only

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stir to mix. Chill.

🌿  It makes a wonderful appetizer served with pita bread, pita chips or vegetable dippers. 

🌿  Make it ahead and chill it for a couple of hours to let the flavors develop. 

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  

Nutmeg Notebook

Condiment - Honey Mustard Dressing - FAV!!!

🌿 You can make vegan honey mustard dressing with as little as two ingredients if you like!  The basics are mustard, maple syrup — but it really pays off when you use a few more delicious add-ins.

Honey Mustard dressing is my absolute favorite dressing, which is funny because I have never particularly loved mustard.  I have made this dressing numerous ways and it hardly ever failed.  Originally, I would carefully measure, but as I began making it in larger quantities I would add a little of this and a little of that, then taste to see what I might need to add more of to balance the flavors.  

The creamy version is good, but I'm moving away from the creamy versions.  Mostly, I just use Dijon mustard, fresh squeezed lemons, maple syrup, and garlic powder.

This creamy version is from Nutriciously.

 My Go-To Mason Jar Batch:

• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ¾ cup Dijon mustard
• 2 lemons, juice of
• 9 oz yogurt
• 3 tsp garlic powder

For different amounts, use this basic formula - 

2 PARTS - SWEETENER:

• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• or agave nectar
• or honey if not truly vegan

4 PARTS - MUSTARD:

• 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
• or yellow mustard
• or brown mustard
• or whole grain mustard (combine with one of the other mustards)

6 PARTS - ACIDIC OPTIONS:

• 6 tbsp lemon juice - using fresh lemons is best, but bottled will do in a pinch
• or apple cider vinegar
• or rice wine vinegar
• or red wine vinegar

EXTRA FLAVOR:

• 1 tsp garlic powder - Don't skip!  Most all sources highly recommend using this!

6 PARTS - Optional - For a creamy texture add:

☝️ Many sources skipped a base altogether.  I prefer the extra creaminess it adds.

• 6 tbsp vegan yogurt
• or silken tofu
• or zucchini, peeled and steamed 

DIRECTIONS:

Add the dressing ingredients into a jar with a lid and shake well or use a whisk to blend.  Taste and adjust to your preference by adding more of any of the components.  

This vegan honey mustard dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to a week (perhaps more, it was always gone by that time in our family) and is best stored in an airtight container.

 

This super simple version is from Shane and Simple.

☝️ Shane and Simple only uses 3 ingredients - 

mustard, maple syrup and garlic powder!  

He didn't even bother with the acidic ingredient or a creamy base!

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  

Nutriciously

Keeping The Peas

Eat Plant Based

Shane and Simple

Condiment - Stir Fry Sauce

This sauce can be stirred together in minutes.  Just mix and add to the veggies the last few minutes of cooking.  

• Dijon mustard
• maple syrup
• Tamari or Coconut Aminos
• BBQ sauce adds a nice tang
• Kung Pao Sauce - like sweet and sour with a kick

Condiment - Chipotle Nacho Cheese Sauce - Potato & Carrot Base

🌿 This is a keeper!  I need to keep working on it til the spice level is perfect for me.

Tami uses this sauce with so many meals,
including her Mexican Chopped Salad pictured here.

• 2 cups white potato – cooked & peeled
• 1 cup carrots – cooked & peeled
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

        THE HEAT  

My first try at this was just a little too spicy for me.  I need to work on reducing the heat.   

I'm not sure whether to reduce the chipotle or the cayenne.

• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• ½ teaspoon chili powder (I used cayenne)
• ¼ teaspoon jalapeno powder or use a fresh jalapeno I skipped this totally from the start.

Cook potatoes and carrots.  Steaming is good.

Put all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

This sauce does firm up when refrigerated and if it gets too thick thin it with some unsweetened plant milk or water when reheating to make it pourable again.  Can also put it in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring while it heats up. Use a wire whisk to help make it smooth and creamy.

Keep it refrigerated – it will last for 5-6 days. I haven't tried freezing it myself but subscribers tell us they have frozen it with it success. If it separates when thawed just put it in the blender to make it all smooth and creamy again.

★ Optional Variation:  Use 3 cups cooked butternut squash instead of the potatoes and carrots. I like to use oven roasted butternut squash by cutting a whole squash in half length wise, scooping out the seeds. Place squash cut side down on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until soft. How long to bake will depend on the size of the squash. Let cool and measure out 3 level cups of squash to use in place of the potatoes and carrots.

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  

Nutmeg Notebook

Condiment - Dipping Sauce - Thousand Island-ish

This is really good, but I want to try it without high fat cashews.  I plan to try making it with a potato base first, maybe with some added carrots or zucchini. 

• ½ cup (raw) cashews *
 FIND A SUBSTITUTE! - try 2 Yukon Gold potatoes and 2 carrots/1zucchini.
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste  I used Sriracha instead since I had it on hand.  It made for a great tang, but to make this more like Thousand Island, I could omit it or even use some ketchup.  I never buy tomato paste and don't want to start just to get 1 TBSP for this one recipe.
• ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons water
• 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon reduced-sodium tamari (or Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Coconut Liquid Aminos) 
• 2 teaspoons dill pickle relish (do not need to drain the pickle brine)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• pinch to ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) 

Cook veggies to use for base - potatoes, carrots, zucchini, cauliflower...

BLEND - Place the veggies into a high-speed blender.  Add all the remaining ingredients. Blend on high until smooth and emulsified, scraping down the sides occasionally.

Serve as a dipping sauce for fries. Also, it makes a spread for sandwiches.  

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  

Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures

Condiment - Ranch Dressing - Zucchini Base

I LOVE this dressing!!!  It's tasty, easy to make, and requires no prep.  

I plan to try making it with a lower fat vegetable base instead of using tofu.  Tofu is not unhealthy, but in terms of weight management, it's not the best option.  Plus, I LOVE the idea of sticking more with whole foods.

Veggie Base

• 12 oz. package soft silken tofu (1 ½ cups)
• 3 medium zucchini * - no need to cook!
• Another Base Option - Potatoes - red or yellow (not Russet), cooked and peeled
• Another Base Option - Vegan Yogurt

• optional: ½ cucumber, chopped  - It puts the “cool” in “cool ranch.”
• Optional: throw in some spinach or kale if I am OK with the color turning green
• Optional: chopped onion - spring onions would be good!

Acid / Liquid

• Option 1 - 2 teaspoons lemon juice 
• Option 1 - 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• Option 2 - 2 ½ TBSP lemon juice  

• Option 3 - 2 ½ red wine vinegar  
• Option 3 - 1 ½ Tbsp plain non-dairy yogurt  

• Option 4 - 1 ½ Tbsp white wine vinegar 
• 
  
• 4 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon water - Just add enough liquid to get the consistency you are aiming for -   thicker for dips, thinner for dressing.

Spices

• 1 ¾ teaspoons garlic powder or ½ clove
• ¾ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-)
• Pinch black pepper (+/-)
• ¼ teaspoon + pinch dried ground mustard powder

Herbs

• ⅛ teaspoon of dried dill weed - Dreena Burton and Chef AJ insist using dill SEEDS or fresh dill instead of dill weed makes a big difference!
• ¾ teaspoon dried parsley or ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 ½ teaspoons fresh chives, finely chopped
• Optional: cilantro
• Optional: basil

Misc Options

• tiny bit of maple syrup or 2 medjool dates or raisins
• 1 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 2 TBSP tamari

Blend everything together except the fresh herbs. Let it run on high for a bit so it is really creamy and smooth.

Add the fresh herbs and pulse or stir to mix them in without turning everything green.  If adding spinach or kale, there's no point in this step - blend away.

Taste and add additional seasonings to taste.

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  

Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures   

Love and Lemons 

Feasting on Fruit  

Vegan Sandra

Dreena Burton - This recipe is included in a video interview on Chef AJ's show. The recipe is included in the description.

Condiment - Avocado Dill Salad Dressing

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Instagram - Janet's Munch Meals, shared on Vegan Veganfood

🥑 Blend

• ½ an avocado
• ¼ cup vegan mayo
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh dill
• 1 tbsp agave
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard

This photo from @byanjushka on Instagram shows an avocado dip being used with sweet potato fries.  The dressing above would likely work.  If need be less lemon could be used so it would be thicker.

Here's another recipe for avocado dip from The Savory Vegan - 

• 1 avocado
• 1/2 lime juiced
• 2 tbsp almond milk or other plain, non-dairy milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• red pepper flakes to taste

Condiment - Croutons

Recipe Inspiration Sources:  Project Meal Plan, Platings and Pairings, Zardy Plants

CUBE THE BREAD

Cut bread into ¾-inch cubes.  It's best to use a serrated knife for this task so you don’t squish the bread. You can also just tear it into pieces.  Aim for your pieces to be similar in size so that they’ll cook at the same rate. 

• bread, cut into cubes, day old bread is best, but stale bread is good, too 

MOISTEN  

If using oil - Drizzle any oil used all over the bread cubes to help spread it around.

If using water - Next, you’ll need water. Using a spray bottle will help distribute the water evenly without using so much that your bread gets soaked through.

Toss bread cubes to moisten evenly, this will ensure your spices stick. 

• olive oil or butter 
• CAN USE WATER for oil free croutons!  (maybe even broth or plant milk)

1/3 cup is recommended for 4 cups of bread.  I prefer to avoid oil.

ADD SPICES

Sprinkle spices on the moist bread cubes and toss with BOTH HANDS. This works better than trying to mix it with a spoon.

Basic Seasoning Options - 

• Italian Seasoning (rosemary, oregano, thyme, and basil)
• salt, pepper
• garlic powder, onion powder

More Seasoning Options - 

• Parmesan cheese
• Parsley
• Cumin
• Nutritional yeast
• Lemon zest
• Red pepper flakes
• Sesame seeds

COOK

Cook until they’re crispy and golden beautiful brown...

In the Oven

• Preheat Oven. 

• Arrange bread cubes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer or line with a reusable silicone mat.

• BAKE until crispy, tossing halfway through. - 

• If Using oil - bake at 375 degrees 10-15 minutes,    

• If using water, try 350 for 10 minutes.

In an Air Fryer

• Preheat pan.   

• BAKE until crispy, tossing halfway through.  

• If Using oil - Air fry at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes til golden brown    

  If using water, try 350 for 5 to 7 minutes.

• Shake halfway through cooking.

STORE

When the croutons are done cooking, move them to a storage bowl or ziplock bag. Be sure to let them cool completely to room temperature before putting the lid on.  

Homemade croutons will last around a week or two in a sealed container on the counter. Be sure to let them cool completely to room temperature before putting the lid on.

Condiment - Hummus

Recipe Inspiration Sources:  Budget Bytes, 

Four Variations from Budget Bytes

BASIC INGREDIENTS

• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 2 Tbsp olive oil 
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup tahini
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground cumin

FLAVOR VARIATIONS

• roasted red peppers
• sun dried tomatoes
• spinach or kale
• cauliflower
• roasted beets
• scallion
• herbs - basil, dill, cilantro, thyme, tarragon, parsley, mint
• garnishes - paprika, chopped herbs, nuts, sesame seeds

Drain the chickpeas.  Place the drained chickpeas in a food processor along with all the other ingredients. Pulse the mixture until it is fairly smooth. 

If the mixture is too dry to process smoothly, add a couple tablespoons of water, extra olive oil, or liquid from the canned chickpeas.

Taste the hummus and adjust the salt, cumin, lemon, or garlic to your liking.

Homemade hummus will stay good in your refrigerator for about 5 days.  

Green Goddess Hummus from Downshiftolgy

Lemon Dill Hummus from The Fed Up Foodie

Roasted Garlic Kale Hummus from The Garlic Diaries

Potatoes - Roasted - Various Recipes

There are tons of slightly different ways to roast potatoes.  I have simplified the recipes here and chosen 1 basic method - boil first, mix with flavorings, then roast.  

1 - Boil The Potatoes

Boil the potatoes in water with a little salt and baking soda for just a bit - around 15 minutes.  Doing this will ensure the potatoes get properly done and will give the potatoes just the right amount of crispiness and color after roasting.  It really is worth the extra step!

• 1.5 lbs potatoes - Yukon Gold or Fingerling are great (mixture of yellow, red, and blue, if possible!)
•  baking soda
•  sea salt

🌿 Preheat oven to 400F.  

🌿 Cut potatoes into small chunks or slices. 

2 - Mix with Sauce and/or Spice Combinations

There are lots of different recipes here.  Changing the ingredients gives the recipe personality. See recipe variations at the end.

3 - Roast the Potatoes

🌿 Place the potatoes cut-side up and spread them out evenly on the baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. 

🌿 Flip the potatoes and roast for an additional 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are caramelized, crispy, and fork-tender.

Variations

Potatoes Roasted with Tangy Dill Dijon  

Sever hot or cold - this is like potato salad if cooled.

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Instagram - Plant Based and Tasty

This is a just potato salad without all the extras. The dressing pairs perfectly with the roasted potatoes.

Cook the potatoes - 

🌿 Toss the boiled potatoes in 1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil, then roast.

Prepare the dressing - 

🌿 Whisk:

• ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
• ⅛ cup freshly chopped dill
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar,
• juice of ¼ lemon
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup chopped red onion, salt to taste. 
• Add a bit of maple syrup to dressing if desired 

Combine and serve -

🌿 Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from oven. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool. 

🌿 Toss with desired amount of dressing. Add a few turns black pepper and salt to taste. Serve at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.  

Roasted Fingerlings with Tarragon - Shallot Butter

Recipe Inspiration Source:  A Beautiful Plate - Her recipes look so good!  It's well worth going to her page to see all the notes on this recipe.  

TARRAGON-SHALLOT BUTTER:

•  3 tablespoons unsalted butter
•  1 large shallot, finely diced
•  ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns, coarsely chopped
•  2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
•  3 large sprigs of fresh tarragon, leaves removed and finely chopped (plus 1 additional sprig for garnishing)
•  juice of half a lemon
•  kosher salt

Toss the boiled potatoes with the olive oil, pepper, and salt and roast.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, place on a rack, and allow them to cool slightly while you prepare the tarragon-shallot butter.

Prepare Tarragon-Shallot Butter: 

In a small skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted fully and is bubbling slightly, add the shallot and sauté, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until soft and translucent.

Add the chopped peppercorns, lemon zest, tarragon, and lemon juice. Reduce heat to low, and continue to reduce the sauce for an additional minute or so. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine and GARNISH - Place the roasted potatoes in a medium, shallow heat-proof bowl. Add the warm tarragon-shallot butter (scrape the skillet with a spatula to remove any bits), and toss the potatoes gently with a spoon or tongs until they are evenly coated in the sauce. Garnish with the remaining tarragon, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Condiments - Salad Dressings Made with Pureed Corn

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Forks Over Knives - magazine, FB page and Group

This is the start of a batch - right after blending the corn and water.

This makes a good salad dressing or sauce to use when cooking.  It's particularly good with stir fries and pasta salads.

Start with:

• a bit of corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
• Add a bit of water.  It doesn't take much.  

Blend until pureed, adding more water if necessary to get to the consistency you're looking for.  You can use this as is or add other ingredients.

Optional Ingredients:

• onions
• Garlic
• salt and pepper
• lemon juice + Dijon mustard

Condiments - Salad Dressings made with Beans - no nuts, no oil

Beans is another base to try when making dressings and sauces with no oil or nuts.  

White bean options - Great Northern, cannelloni, chickpeas...

Creamy Italian Dressing I

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Ordinary Vegan

• ¾ cup cooked white beans, drained and rinsed (if using canned)
• ¼ cup water (or more)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1½ tablespoons shallots, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (or more to taste)
• Fresh ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings adding a little more parsley or water if needed.

Creamy Italian Dressing II

Recipe Inspiration Source:  My Plant Based Family

• 1 can or 1½ cup cooked white beans, drain and rinse if using canned 
• ½ cup (to 1 cup) water
• 2-3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice or vinegar
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1½ tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Optional:

• 1 tsp sea salt (optional)
• 1 TB basil

1. Warm beans slightly then place in a blender or food processor.
2. Pour in ½ cup water.
3. Squeeze juice from lemon into a small dish, remove any seeds then pour juice into dressing. Start with 2 tbsp of lemon juice and add one more tablespoon of juice if needed.
4. Dump in the rest of the spices then blend/process well.
5. Scrap sides of container and add more water if necessary.
6. Dressing should come out creamy and smooth. More water and spices can be added to meet your preferences.

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Creamy Dill Dressing 

Recipe Inspiration Source:  I saw this in a comment on Facebook.  

1 15 oz can Great Northern beans (do not drain)
3 TB dill weed
1 TB onion powder
3 TB nutritional yeast
3 TB white vinegar
Dash of red pepper (optional)

Instructions: Place all ingredients including undrained beans in a high-speed blender and blend on high until creamy.
Serves 5

Creamy White Bean Caesar Salad Dressing

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Eat Plants for Health

• 1/2 cup almond milk plain, unsweetened or other plant-based milk
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cup white beans or 1 canned, rinsed and drained
• 1.5 Tbsp kelp granules (see Store to order)
• 1 Tbsp fruit paste or liquid sweetener of preference
• 2 tsp miso paste soy or chickpea
• 1 tsp onion granules
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce vegan
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Place all ingredients in processor or blender and blend until very smooth.   Store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days.

Others to Try -

Clean Eating Kitchen - Lemony Bean Dressing

Carrots - Roasted with Maple Tahini

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Catching Seeds 
- This looks like a good blog to explore further!!

Oh my.  These were so good!  Definitely a keeper recipe.  The sauce was yummy, too and could be used with other recipes, like a stir fry.

• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and trimmed, all about the same size - multi-colored are nice!
• Broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  
• optional - 1/4 cup pomegranate arils - I didn't have these, but the original recipe calls for them and it could be a fun addition - BTW, arils is the fancy word for the little red fruits inside pomegranates

TAHINI SAUCE:

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard - I used the Trader Joe's brand, which is my new fav
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONs

1. Preheat the oven to 390-ish degrees. 
2. Marinate, soak or drizzle carrots with a bit of broth to get them moist.  Arrange them on a parchment lined baking tray. 
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the carrots are tender.  Check them towards the end - you don't want them to turn to mush.
4. While the carrots are cooking, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients.
5. Once the carrots are cooked, drizzle with sauce, top with pomegranate and parsley and serve.

Condiments - Salad Dressing: Caesar

Recipe Inspiration Source:  saw it on You Tube - Chef AJ
Very Benevolent Caesar Salad
By Miyoko Schinner, McDougall Program cooking instructor

PREP - Almond meal - can make your own by grinding raw, blanched, or roasted almonds in a food processor until very finely ground.

--> If using the blender to grind almonds, this whole recipe can be prepared in the blender.

Combine the almond meal, garlic, mustard, and nutritional yeast to make a paste. 

• 2 tablespoons almond meal
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard - AJ recommends Westbrae Stone Ground
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes, unfortified - AJ recommends Sari brand

Whisk (or blend) in the remaining dressing ingredients.

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (soy sauce works, too, but is higher sodium)
• ¼ cup water

Condiments - Tahini, Mustard, and Maple Syrup Salad Dressing

This is a variation of Honey Mustard Dressing.   The vegan version leaves out honey and after reading about the honey industry and the harm done to bees, I'm fully on board with using maple syrup instead. Maple syrup is every bit as good.  There are some basic ingredients found in most all of the versions I've seen. Some of them leaned heavier on Tahini and actually called it a Tahini dressing.  I look forward to finding the perfect combo for me.  Or maybe I'll enjoy varying it a tad each time. 

Photo from Cookie and Kate.

Photo from Follow the Seeds.

Super Fast basic version:

• vinegar (apple cider or balsamic) and/or lemon
• maple syrup or pitted date
• dijon mustard

To make it creamy, add:

• tahini (many recipes used either this or olive oil)

Other ingredients to experiment with:

• nutritional yeast
• tamari or liquid aminos
• minced or ground garlic
• sea salt *
• ground pepper
• paprika

TOO THICK?  Dilute with:

• water
• nut milk

NOTES:

• Balance tahini’s bitterness and tang with a little sweetener and some extra salt. A little bit of maple syrup or honey go a long way in making this salad taste well-balanced, complex, and totally delicious. This dressing also calls for a little more salt than most of my other dressings. Salt helps balance bitterness and brings out tahini’s best. - Cookie and Kate
• Dressing will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe Inspiration Sources:  
Cookie and Kate
Follow the Seeds

Condiments - Ranch Dill Salad Dressing - A Favorite!

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Plant Based Cooking Show

Link includes a video.

My favorite version includes spinach!
The spinach makes it prettier and gives a little nutrition boost.

I didn't even have dill on my spice shelf til I decided to try this recipe.  WOW.  I had no idea how much I would love dill!!!  This dressing has become my favorite!

This is how it looks with no spinach.
The taste is pretty much the same.  Crazy, but true.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews
• 2 Tbsp raisins
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried dill weed
• 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Braggs Liquid Amino Acids
• 1/2 cup filtered water
• spinach - Optional - It turns the dressing green - like a green goddess dressing.

INSTRUCTIONS

Add all to a blender and blend until smooth.

This is good as a salad dressing or a dip!

This dressing would probably be even more amazing with fresh dill!
Look into this post - 3 Methods for Preserving Fresh Dill

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Forks Over Knives 

has a SPICY ranch version that sounds good - 

• ½ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup oil-free salsa
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Hot pepper sauce, such as Cholula, to taste (optional)