The Nourishing Gourmet

Nourishing. Satisfying. Gourmet.

Salads

Creamy Winter House Salad Dressing

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This dairy-free salad dressing will help you enjoy dark greens all year long! The secret to it's wonderful taste? Two special ingredients.

This creamy dairy-free dressing has rich undertones from surprising ingredients that make it perfect for dressing salads during the cold winter months.

Lately I’ve been craving big green salads and I’ve been almost obsessed with making this dressing to go over it!

The backstory to this dressing was a beautiful bottle of salad dressing my in-laws gave me from a restaurant up in Canada. My husband and I liked it so much that we were very sad when the bottle was used up. I wanted to create something similar in taste, but their dressing had a long list of ingredients, so I wanted something simpler to make at home. I honed it on two of the ingredients – tahini paste (ground sesame seeds) and tamari (gluten-free soy sauce). It sounds like such a strange addition to salad dressing, and a strange combination too, but it works so well!

When combined with olive oil and vinegar, the tahini adds depth of flavor, richness, and creaminess to the dressing. The tamari adds a more complex saltiness than just salt alone, and a deep satisfying flavor.

These two ingredients appear to be the secret to dressing we enjoyed from Canada, as it does taste very similar, despite being so much simpler.

A word on ingredients:

  • This is a good Organic Tamari brand.
  • Don’t use toasted tahini paste. I’ve been using a wonderful organic tahini paste from Trader Jo’s. This Organic Sesame Paste  looks similar. In the past, some tahini brands have been hard to deal with because the paste had gotten very hard, making it difficult to work with, but this brand and Trader Jo’s shouldn’t be a problem.
  • I prefer raw apple cider vinegar. If you need a substitute, I’d try fresh lemon juice.

I make this in a wide mouth mason jar with a wide mouth plastic mason jar lid (nonreactive lid).

For another dairy-free yet creamy salad dressing, see this other favorite salad dressing that pairs balsamic vinegar and coconut milk. Also, check out my cookbook, Fresh: Nourishing Salads for all Seasons for practical, beautiful salads.

This dairy-free salad dressing will help you enjoy dark greens all year long! The secret to it's wonderful taste? Two special ingredients.

Creamy Winter House Dressing

PDF file to print recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 1 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce, if not gluten-free)
  • ¼ cup of raw apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions: 

In a quart-sized mason jar (or container of choice), use a fork to combine the tahini paste and tamari, until smooth. Add the vinegar, and stir until smooth. Add the olive oil and stir again until combined. Put on the lid to the jar, tightly, and then shake to completely combine.

Serve right away, or keep refrigerated. Let the dressing sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, and then shake to recombine ingredients, if refrigerated. (I keep my dressing in the door so that it won’t harden quite as much as when I put it in the back of my fridge).

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Pan-Fried Thai Chicken with Carrot and Ginger Salad

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Pan Fried Thai Chicken with Carrot and Ginger Salad - a great meal for a hot summer night. -www.thenourishinggourmet.com

This simple pan-fried chicken is brought to a whole new level when covered in Thai inspired flavors, accompanied by a fresh carrot and ginger salad.

Long time readers will know that I love to share my twist on Thai dishes with you! Ingredients like curry paste give an ordinary dish a fun twist that I really enjoy.

In the summer time who wants to heat up the house by turning on the oven in the late afternoon? Not me. I prefer to cook on the stove top and keep the flavors light saving the heartier meals for the fall and winter. If I use the oven I wait till it cools down at night or first thing in the morning.

This pan-fried Thai chicken with carrot and ginger salad is light, refreshing and full of flavor! I chose to use red curry paste which has a slight kick to it, for a milder flavor you can decrease the amount used or use a more mild paste such as green curry.

The salad is wonderful when served right after you make it but it is even better the next day! You can make it ahead of time to allow for even easier prep when you start making dinner.

Other Thai Inspired Dishes:

Pan-Fried Thai Chicken

4 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken thighs, pounded flat
  • 4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar/sucanat
  • 2vtablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce/tamari
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed

Directions:

1. Using a meat pounder or a rubber hammer thinly pound the chicken thighs until flat. (Kimi Notes: I like to put the chicken thighs between two pieces of parchment paper when flattening chicken.)

2. Mix the water, red curry paste, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic together to make a thick paste.

3. Coat both sides of the thighs, place in a glass container and allow to marinade for at least one hour.

4. Add the oil to a skillet and bring to medium/high heat. Add the thighs and cook for about 3 minutes on each side.

5. Cut one thigh to be sure there is no pink and that the meat is completely cooked.

6. Serve with steamed white rice and carrot and ginger salad.

Carrot and Ginger Salad

4 to 6 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound carrots, shaved into ribbons
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 TBS grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon unrefined salt

Directions:

1. Chop both ends off the carrots, peel and discard (or compost) the peels.

2. Use the peeler to make thin ribbons from the carrots, just like when you peel a carrot.

3. Chop the cilantro and mix with the carrots ribbons.

4. Mix the lime juice, olive oil, lime zest, ginger and unrefined salt together in a bowl.

5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to cover.

Pan Fried Thai Chicken
 
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Thai
Serves: 4 Servings
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Ingredients
  • 4 chicken thighs, pounded flat
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup Thai red curry paste
  • 2 TBS palm sugar/sucanat
  • 2 TBS coconut oil
  • 1 TBS grated ginger
  • 1 TBS soy sauce/tamari
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
Instructions
  1. Using the meat pounder or a rubber hammer thinly pound the chicken thighs until flat.
  2. Mix the water, red curry paste, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic together to make a thick paste.
  3. Coat both sides of the thighs, place in a glass container and allow to marinade for at least one hour.
  4. Add the oil to a skillet and bring to medium/high heat. Add the thighs cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
  5. Cut one thigh to be sure there is no pink and that the meat is completely cooked.
  6. Serve with steamed white rice and carrot and ginger salad.

 
Carrot and Ginger Salad
 
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: Thai
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Ingredients
  • 1lb carrots, shaved into ribbons
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 TBS grated ginger
  • ½ tsp unrefined salt
Instructions
  1. Chop both ends off the carrots, peel and discard (or compost) the peels.
  2. Use the peeler to make thin ribbons from the carrots, just like when you peel a carrot.
  3. Chop the cilantro and mix with the carrots ribbons.
  4. Mix the lime juice, olive oil, lime zest, and unrefined salt together in a bowl.
  5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to cover.

 

Honey Mustard Dressing (& Green Salad with Crispy Chicken Strips)

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Homemade healthy honey mustard dressing (perfect for a main dish meal with served over greens and crispy chicken strips!) --- The Nourishing Gourmet

Spicy mustard is blended with honey, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and seasonings to make a homemade Honey Mustard Salad Dressing. This healthy salad dressing makes a perfect meal on a summer day when tossed with fresh greens and crispy chicken strips!

The key to a good salad is a great dressing. I really didn’t enjoy salad until a few years ago. I never cared for the bottled dressings and a huge bowl of vegetables with nothing on them wasn’t very appealing either.

When I first had a salad with chicken and a good dressing I realized how amazing salad could be! I was hooked after the first bite. There was nothing bland or boring about it. Since then I have been a huge salad fan. Kimi’s cookbook “Fresh: Nourishing Salads for all Seasons” is a favorite of mine. If you ever lack inspirations it is the way to go.

This simple homemade honey mustard dressing is easy to make with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. My nourishing “Chick-fil-A” strips add protein that is needed to make this salad a meal, plus who doesn’t like chicken strips once in a while? I like to make a several batches ahead of time to keep in the freezer. When I make this salad all I need to do is reheat them in the oven or toaster oven.

Homemade healthy honey mustard dressing (perfect for a main dish meal with served over greens and crispy chicken strips!) --- The Nourishing Gourmet

Honey Mustard Dressing

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup raw honey
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp unrefined salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a jar. Using an immersion blender, blend until the dressing in emulsified. You can also mix the dressing in a blender.

Salad 

  • 2 heads red leaf lettuce, roughly chopped
  • 1 recipe chicken strips
  • 4 ribs celery, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
  • Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Directions: 

Toss the lettuce, celery, and onion together. Top each plate with sliced chicken strips, honey mustard dressing, and freshly ground black pepper.

Honey Mustard Dressing
 
 
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup yellow mustard
  • ½ cup raw honey
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp unrefined salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
  1. Place all the ingredients in a jar. Using an immersion blender, blend until the dressing in emulsified. You can also mix the dressing in a blender.

Honey Mustard Dressing and Salad
 
Serves: 4
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Ingredients
  • 2 heads red leaf lettuce, roughly chopped
  • 1 recipefried chicken strips
  • 4 ribs celery, thinly sliced
  • ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
  • Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
  1. Toss the lettuce, celery, and onion together. Top each plate with sliced chicken strips, honey mustard dressing, and freshly ground black pepper.

What is your favorite salad?

Roasted Beet and Blueberry Salad

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Sweet roasted beets coupled with juicy blueberries and savory gorgonzola make a delicious summer salad to be enjoyed over and over again. I was so pleasantly surprised by this salad that I’ve made it numerous times recently! The honey balsamic dressing is the perfect topping for this mixture of fresh summer produce.

By April Swiger, Contributing Writer

Sweet roasted beets coupled with juicy blueberries and savory gorgonzola make a delicious summer salad to be enjoyed over and over again. I was so pleasantly surprised by this salad that I’ve made it numerous times recently! The honey balsamic dressing is the perfect topping for this mixture of fresh summer produce. 

One of my favorite things about summer is the way our eating habits change. During the winter our bellies are filled with nourishing soups, stews, and chilis. They warm us up, fill us up, and comfort us through those long cold months. It has been so refreshing to begin making large salads again for our main meals and experimenting with different flavor combinations.

If you love salads, check out Kimi’s cookbook, Fresh: Nourishing Salads for all Seasons too! It is filled with practical and delicious recipes that the whole family can enjoy.

I love the combination of salty and sweet, and adding fruit to my green salads doesn’t happen as often as I like. Blueberries have been in abundance lately and I knew I had to do something new with them. The sweet balsamic vinaigrette whips up easily and can be used on any green salad. That’s one of the best things about summer salads – you can adapt it to whatever you have on hand!

Sweet roasted beets coupled with juicy blueberries and savory gorgonzola make a delicious summer salad to be enjoyed over and over again. I was so pleasantly surprised by this salad that I’ve made it numerous times recently! The honey balsamic dressing is the perfect topping for this mixture of fresh summer produce.

Eating seasonally is one of my favorite things to do. It saves us money, and makes my meal planning easier when I know what to expect at our local market. Beets have become one of my favorite vegetables in recent years. The color is stunning, and roasting them brings out a natural sweetness that is hard to resist. I love the burst of flavor it adds to this salad!

My family (toddler included!) has enjoyed this salad numerous times recently as our main dish. We also served it for some friends, as a side to our main meal, and it was devoured! Make the most of summer’s delicious produce and give this savory sweet salad a try.

Other salads you may enjoy:

Roasted Beet and Blueberry Salad

Enjoy the best of summer produce with this deliciously sweet salad! This recipe makes two main dish salads, or 4-6 side salads.

Ingredients:

Salad

  • 6 cups of fresh greens
  • 1 1/2 cups roasted beets
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 4 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola
  • 1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

For the dressing:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Roast the beets: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. With a sharp vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the beets and chop them into small pieces, about 1/2 inch in size. Wrap the beet pieces in a piece or parchment paper, followed by a piece of aluminum foil to make a sealed packet. Roast them in their packet for 45-60 minutes, or until soft. Allow the beets to cool.

2. While the beets are cooling prepare the dressing. In a pint sized mason jar, or other glass container, whisk all the ingredients together. I prefer to use a mason jar with a lid and shake the dressing to incorporate.
3. Assemble your salad. Divide the greens between two plates. Sprinkle each plate with half the beets, half the blueberries, half the gorgonzola, and top with half the almonds. Drizzle the salad with the dressing.

Roasted Beet and Blueberry Salad
 
Serves: 4
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Enjoy the best of summer produce with this deliciously sweet salad! This recipe makes two main dish salads, or 4-6 side salads.
Ingredients
  • For the salad:
  • 6 cups of fresh greens
  • 1½ cups roasted beets
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 4 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola
  • ½ cup almonds, coarsely chopped
  • For the dressing:
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. With a sharp vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the beets and chop them into small pieces, about ½ inch in size. Wrap the beet pieces in a piece or parchment paper, followed by a piece of aluminum foil to make a sealed packet. Roast them in their packet for 45-60 minutes, or until soft. Allow the beets to cool.
  2. While the beets are cooling prepare the dressing. In a pint sized mason jar, or other glass container, whisk all the ingredients together. I prefer to use a mason jar with a lid and shake the dressing to incorporate.
  3. Assemble your salad. Divide the greens between two plates. Sprinkle each plate with half the beets, half the blueberries, half the gorgonzola, and top with half the almonds. Drizzle the salad with the dressing.