Caesar Salad Dressing

Since this blog is a plant-based blog, this Caesar Dressing is a plant-based dressing. In all honesty, I grew up not having this dressing, but fell in love with a plant-based version of it between the years 2011-2013. In a prior blog, I linked directly to the recipe because I followed it to the “T” back then, but since then, I made some changes, which is how I came to post this recipe today.

First, I went back to not eating grounded or condiment mustard. I did not eat mustard growing up Seventh-Day Adventist because it is a stimulating spice, which degrades health, and I wanted to be healthy. This condiment simply was not in the family frig growing up. In fact, I actually had no idea what mustard tasted like until I got much older –and when I tasted it, it did NOT taste good to me. HOWEVER, eating mustard by itself tastes way different than eating mustard as an ingredient in a recipe. I started truly eating mustard in recipes around the early to mid-2000s as an ingredient: salad dressings, mayo, and potato salads. When starting to get back to my non-stimulating roots, I found that to take the mustard out disadvantaged the taste of the recipes and I started experimenting to create a non-stimulating version. During my research, I found a SDA mustard recipe [See my write up under “Dijon No-Mustard“] that I used for a time, but the taste was truly not that on point. It tastes pretty good, but not spot on. Then I tried coming up with my own versions. It was better, but not what I was looking for exactly. …And then finally, I prayed, yes prayed (See James 1:5 KJV), and the Lord answered in a glorious epiphany: Mustard Greens! Hallelu!!! The how didn’t come at one time, but I can surely say that I give the Lord ALL glory because of the way the answer came in bread crumbs as I ran into various obstacles. I’ll tell the whole story in a training class or video one day; but, I would just say that sprouting mustard green seeds and using them in place of the mustard condiment is simply awesome on every level (praise the Lord!!!), especially in this dressing recipe.

For this recipe, I use about four pinches of mustard green sprouts. Larger pinches for fresh sprouts (about 1 Tablespoon), smaller pinches (about 1 teaspoon) for dried sprouts (yes, I dry them to store them for later uses before they go bad). The preparation can be a bit different than using the customary condiment because you have to blend the sprouts with the liquid portion of your dish to bring out the flavor usually, but not all the time. Sometimes just finely chopping the sprouts into the dish works well. However, I generally process the sprouts with the wet ingredients for many recipes and for this dressing; then, I add the other ingredients.

What is sea water?? It is water from the sea that you can buy purified and concentrated. It has all of the minerals that are good for your body. I think of it as wet salt. My dad used to go to the ocean and get buckets of this stuff that we used to purify ourselves, but then it was easier to buy it. Now, my mom cooked with sea water since we were growing up and I think all of her children use it still to supplement the salt in our food. It’s a normal thing for me, but folks generally wonder what that is. The only brand we’ve ever used is Utah Sea Minerals … not sure if there is another manufacturer. I use pink Himalayan and pure sea salt too, but my dressings will usually have sea water. I truly addressed this general question to say, “Salt to taste,” if you don’t have any sea water stocked in your cabinet. Salt can replace sea water. I would probably start with a 1/4 teaspoon and add from there.

To make the salad is simple. Cut up your desired amount of Romaine lettuce (butter lettuce works well too). Add croutons (I make my own and prefer my own) and top with the dressing. If you want to add sweet onions, do that! Some of my family members add tomatoes to theirs and other veggies. You can top with homemade parm (recipe coming to the blog soon)! I prefer my salad large and simple. Dark romaine lettuce when I can get it. I love thick green leaves. During my dissertation defense days, I would have this salad every day for dinner in a large bowl. That’s it! I was full! … I may or may not have had a tiny homemade dessert with it, but hey, all I had was a salad, so…. lol

Now, without further ado, here’s my Caesar recipe!

Plant-based Caesar Dressing

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup pure water
• 4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 pinches mustard green sprouts (pinch of fresh sprouts is about ONE TABLESPOON each pinch/cut)
• 2 Tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil (for oil-free, add 1/4 cup blanched almonds & omit flour)
• 1 Tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or a tad bit more)
• 1 teaspoon sea water
• 4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes or plant-based parm (or mixture of both) 
• 4 Tablespoons almond flour
• 6 small garlic cloves or 2 large cloves, minced (or added last and blend on slow)
• ½ teaspoon Monk’s pepper (chasteberry tree tea, grounded)  

Instructions:

• In a blender, combine the first six ingredients (water through sea water) and blend until well combined. .
• Then either put remaining ingredients into a bowl and whisk in blender mixture or in the blender add all the other other ingredients and blend on slow/low until cloves appear minced. Done!
• If you prefer a creamier consistency, blend all ingredients together until creamy. I prefer to see the garlic bits.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about a bit more than a cup.