4 Ingredient Creamy Balsamic Dressing – WFPB – Oil-Free – Date-Sweetened
If you saw my recent post Healthy Foods You Won’t Believe My Kids Ate This Summer, you may remember the super-easy, no chop main-dish salad that saw us through some crazy summer days. The dressing I made up that night is one of my all-time favorites, especially because the creamy sweetness comes from whole, nutrient packed foods instead of oil and refined sweeteners.
The “Don’t Eat Oil” aspect of Whole Foods, Plant-Based living was one of the hardest for me to get my brain around in the beginning. Weren’t the right oils an excellent source of healthy fats? We all know Crisco is not exactly on the healthy-foods list, but olive oil is bad too? But the more I learned and experimented, I came to realize just how wise it is to swap out whole foods for oil whenever possible. Oil is essentially a highly processed food, with all of the nutrition removed except the fat. Why not get our good fats in nature’s original package, such as from nuts, seeds, avocados and the like? I haven’t quite graduated to having oil completely disappear from all of my cooking, but it’s more like a splash here and there in a meal that serves 6 or more. I’ve found that especially for things like salad dressings and baked goods, where oil is often used in quantities of 1/4 cup or more, it can often taste just as good using nuts, seeds, beans, etc. instead of the oil. This is not a straight replacement for all of your favorite recipes, but oil-free versions of most things exist.
Further, so often I talk to people who want to eat healthier but hesitate because their families aren’t on board. One great way to start eating better on your own is with salad jars for lunch. Simply make this dressing along with beans and quinoa during the weekend, then assemble jars to be pulled out for lunch each day. Most of us can do a salad lunch without disrupting the regularly scheduled family-eating routine. Hopefully as you make progress with your family, you can experience the benefits of getting lots of healthy greens in each day.
I like this over a salad of baby mixed greens, berries, cucumbers and maybe avocado. To make it a full meal, add protein of your choice (canned beans, edamame, nuts, etc.), and cooked quinoa (Follow package instructions, or for Instant Pot use 1 cup quinoa, 2 cup water. 1 minute high pressure, then 10 minute natural release).
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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- 2/3 cup hot water
- 8 pitted deglet noor dates can use other varieties but may need to adjust quantity
- 2 TBSP hemp seeds
- 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
- 2 TBSP Bragg Liquid Aminos, Soy Sauce, Tamari, Coconut Aminos
Ingredients
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- In a high-speed blender, blend all ingredients on high until dressing is very smooth. Add additional water to thin if desired. If dressing is not completely smooth after about 1 minute of blending, allow to sit for a few minute while you set the table, etc. then blend again. My Blendtec has always been able to turn the dates into a delightfully smooth dressing.