Sundried Tomato Dressing (Dip and Spread)

Been doing a lot of walking and hiking as of late. Sometimes for 10 miles or more. Walking around for over four hours, your mind starts to wander.  Some of the places my mind wanders to... 

...what a wild time we are living through right now 

...how scared some of my fellow angelenos must be 

...binaural beats and telepathy 

...Denny's new vegan pancakes 

...delicious blue cheese wedge salads and grilled cheese sandwiches 

Well, I was able to put that last one into reality. I whipped up a multi-use sun-dried tomato sauce and used it in this wedge along with the classic iceberg, chopped apples, chopped almonds,  Follow Your Heart blue cheese crumbles, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Then I used it on a grilled cheese on sourdough with sliced apples and more blue cheese. At least I solved one of the world's problems.  

Creamy Basil and Herb Sauce (Dip, Spread, and Dressing)

Lately, I have been really leaning into getting a bigger nutritional punch from my foods. Trying to up the protein and fiber without sacrificing flavor. I am also focusing on recipes that have multiple uses, so I can make a big batch and then use it in different ways throughout the week. This one really fits the bill. This rich, savory sauce is great in pasta (hot or cold), as a dip, on a grain bowl, a spread for wraps and sandwiches, and as a salad dressing. And each tablespoon has 2+ grams of protein...and y'all know I won't stop at 1 tablespoon. Ha!

Mash Up Monday: Seaweed and Ranch Dressing

Hello, MoFo!  My, how I have missed you.  I am super excited to kick this year's MoFo off with a funky little recipe I was inspired to create by my friend Katie.  Katie isn't vegan, but she is open minded to vegan cooking and cuisine, plus she's a really talented chef.  She makes a non vegan version of this and, although I never have tasted it, the idea of it sounded super yummy.  The main difference between hers and mine, besides the vegan-ocity, is that hers contains wasabi.  And while a little wasabi here and there is okay, I am not a huge fan.  So I subbed a little prepared horseradish instead.

Nori Garlic Ranch Dressing
Doesn't the nutty seafood-y umami of toasted nori add such a great flavor to dishes?  Ever since going vegan (I think it's about 9 years ago now!) I have been adding seaweed to things to give them that little bit of flavor from the sea.  This is no exception.  The addition of ground up Nori flakes to this slightly kicky ranch is pretty fantastic.  Use it as you would any ranch dressing or dip.  On salads, with crudite,  you can even drizzle it all over your tacos (instead of the recommended Spicy Sushi Sauce.)

12 ounces silken tofu, drained, but not pressed
1/4 cup mild flavored vegetable oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon agave or brown rice syrup
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon ground toasted nori flakes (I used 2 sheets of toasted nori, ground in a dry food processor)
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Add all ingredients, except water and sesame seeds, to a blender and puree until smooth.
Add water a little bit at a time until you reach your desired consistency.  Less water for a dip, more water four a pourable dressing.
Stir in sesame seeds.
Store in an airtight container in te refrigerator until ready to use.
Should last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Shake before using, as oil and water tend to separate as they stand.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups (48 tablespoons!)

(1 serving=1 tablespoon)