Southwestern Avocado Chili Lime Dressing

The other night I was trying to make a Southwestern Salad, when I realized our yogurt had gone bad. Unable to find a recipe for a southwestern style dressing without yogurt or sour cream or mayonnaise, I decided to throw what we did have, an avocado, into the blender and see what I could come up with.

The result was a light, tangy dressing that I will definitely be making again! As an added bonus, it is dairy-free and paleo-friendly!

Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients

1 avocado
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Water, optional

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add water as necessary to reach the desired consistency.

♥  Amy

Homemade {Paleo} Mayonnaise

We are starting our second week of the Whole30 and the cravings have hit hard... grilled cheese sandwiches, mac and cheese... It doesn't help that David is sick, really sick.

We made up a batch of homemade mayonnaise and it certainly goes along way to perk up meals. A tiny dab, plain or flavoured with curry, makes vegetables a lot more appealing when you have been eating a lot of vegetables.

The batch seemed to be thickening nicely but then completely separated when I added the last little bit of oil. Not wanting to throw out good mayonnaise, I found instructions for saving homemade mayonnaise from Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

To thicken failed mayonnaise:

• Place two egg yolks a new bowl
• Place the bowl in warm water for a few minutes
• Once the eggs are warm, blend well
• Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Slowly drip the failed mayonnaise into the yolks blending constantly
• Continue to slowly drip in the mayonnaise until it thickens and all of the mayonnaise has been added

You can find some good tips to prevent your mayonnaise from failing in the first place at Kelly the Kitchen Kop and The Clothes Make the Girl.

Adapted from Nom Nom Paleo, makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients

1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil, macadamia nut oil or avocado oil

Directions

Place the egg yolk, salt, mustard, vinegar and lemon in a large bowl. Whisk to combine, about 30 seconds. Whisking can be done by hand, using an immersion blender or using a food processor.

Add the oil slowly while whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the mayonnaise has emulsified and thickened.

♥  Amy

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Adapted from Primal Palate, makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup red onion
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

 

Directions

Add the mustard, pepper, salt, onion and vinegar to a blender or food processor. Blend at high speed until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil until fully emulsified.

♥  Amy

Baba Ganoush

For the past three weeks Dave has been trying to eat no sugar - no processed sugar, no natural sugars, not even fruit. Absolutely nothing ending in "-ose" as he puts it.

This has meant we have been scrambling to find snack foods to replace the copious amounts of fruit and daily smoothies he has become accustom to. Sliced vegetables and dip have become a life saver for mid-afternoon cravings.

Adapted from David Lebovitz, makes approximately 1 1/2 cups 

Ingredients

3 medium eggplants
1/2 cup tahini
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
1/8 teaspoon chile powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
arsley or cilantro

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).

Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until completely soft. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Split the eggplant and scrape the pulp out of the skin. Add the pulp to a blender or food processor with the other ingredients. Puree until smooth.

Serve with sliced vegetables or pita bread.

Baba Ganoush can be made and refrigerated for up to five days prior to serving.

♥  Amy

Homemade Honey Mustard

Adapted from Design Sponge, makes 2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup ground mustard
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup honey, additional to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, optional
1 teaspoon ginger, optional

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a small pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking gently.

Ladle into clean, sterilized jars with 1/2 inch of head space.

Mustard will last several weeks in the refrigerator or up to a year if hot water processed.
♥  Amy

Muhammara

Muhammara is a Mediterranean dip made of walnuts, roasted red peppers and pomegranate molasses. It is the perfect combination of savory and sweet. When ever I serve muhammara, it always gets rave reviews.

The best part? I was able to make it paleo friendly! It makes an excellent substitute for hummus and a great light lunch.

Pomegranate molasses can be found in any middle eastern grocery store. I found mine at Community Foods. I use roasted red peppers from a jar for convenience sake, which I find at Superstore, but you can also easily roast your own red peppers.

Adapted from Veggie Belly, makes 2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 large roasted red peppers (approximately 1/2 of a 300 mL jar)
1 clove garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili flakes
½ teaspoon salt

Directions

In a skillet on medium heat, toast the walnuts till they are slightly browned.

Put the toasted walnuts with all the other ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add a few tablespoons of additional olive oil.

Serve with vegetable slices or pita.

♥  Amy