For a while now, I've wanted to create a dressing-slash-sauce of sorts to accompany bowls of grains and vegetables, AKA, Buddha bowls.
Not a 'salad' dressing, per se, but rather a sauce that can be drizzled atop both fresh and cooked veggies and quinoa or rice...something that ties it all together.
Dinner in our house often consists of two meals: the fam's and mine.
My girls and hubby are all big chili fans, but being I'm not the biggest fan of red meat, I can frequently be found making a pot of the bean and beef stew while simultaneously cooking up rice or quinoa as the base for my own dinner.
Definitely a bit of work, but something about becoming a wife and a mom has transformed me into a multi-tasking machine of a woman!
You should really see me at night when there a zillion things to do. My brain kicks into high gear, prioritizing each task and setting forth to complete them all.
Clean dishes, brush teeth, do homework, bathe Sam, pick up toys, brush hair, turn down beds, wipe down counters, fold laundry, make tea, close curtains, feed dog, and on and on.
It's kind of like that scene from Spiderman where Peter Parker first taps into his spidey abilities and everything that's going on really fast around him, slows down because of his newfound superhero perception. Supermom, zoom!
Ahhhh, I need a cape.
Before all of that hubbub, however, dinner needs a-makin'!
After everyone has their respective bowls of piping hot chili or the like, Supermom heads back into the kitchen to complete her own meal.
In addition to a grain, I like to have various sides of veggies, including sliced cucumbers and bell peppers, roasted eggplant slices, steamed broccoli, green peas, and a red cabbage and carrot slaw.
Once everything is assembled, I drizzle (read: drench) it all in this sauce.
It complements pretty much any vegetable or grain incredibly well. My favorite pairings include forbidden (black) rice or quinoa, cucumber slices, red cabbage and carrot slaw, scallions, and raw pumpkin seeds.
The added hemp seeds add a little protein, but not much. I tend to eat this type of lighter bowl on days when I've had sardines, eggs, or chicken earlier in the day.
If you tolerate multiple starches well, you could add in some lentils or beans as well! I stick to one starch and the rest veggies.
Whatever you choose to pour this over, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
All-Purpose Creamy Turmeric Hemp Dressing
Ingredients
- 7 T . water
- 2 T . olive oil
- ¼ c . hemp seeds
- 3 T . lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 t . soy sauce
- ¼ t . sea salt
- ¼ t . cumin
- ¼ t . chili powder
- ⅛ t . coriander
- ⅛ t . paprika
- ¼ t . turmeric
- ½ medium zucchini (about 2-3 inches in length)
Instructions
- Blend all until smooth.
- Use as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Inspired by The Fauxmartha
Notes:
The zucchini takes the place of extra oil and adds to the viscosity of the dressing. You can't taste it!
Depending on how much you use will determine the serving size. For the nutrition facts, I divided the recipe into six servings.
This keeps well in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Have a lovely weekend!
Shared with: Healthy Vegan Friday
Tammy
I loved this!! You are so enjoyable! I love your posts!
kimmythevegan
This sounds really great and would go well with so many different bowl/dressing combos. Awesome! I'm especially loving anything with turmeric in it lately. Yum.
Wow - you are totally a supermom! Sounds like a busy, busy life - but so rewarding =)
Thanks so much for sharing at Healthy Vegan Fridays - I'm pinning & sharing!
Have a great week, Lauren.
Sammi
I just love your dressing recipes! I could have used this recipe today when I had tomatoes, cucumbers, and shredded chicken for lunch...it needed a little something to jazz it up and I didn't have any imagination to create a recipe on my own 🙂
chocolatepanda
Instead of soy sauce, can I use coconut aminos? Would that work?
Lauren
I haven't personally tried it, but from what I've seen around, coconut aminos work well as a substitute. 🙂
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition
This looks so tasty! I have made a similar dressing before but not with zucchini - that's a great idea!
I also drench my salads and bowls in whatever dressing/sauce I have. The sauces are probably my favorite part. 🙂
Laura
I applaud you, Super Mom! Accomplishing what you do while keeping a positive attitude, awesome!
I, too, am a drencher 😉
Lauren
Haha, thanks Laura!
Celeste
This was so super delicious! Loved it!
Lauren
Yay, so glad you liked it Celeste! 😀
vicki
This sounds really good!
kinsey
Love the addition of zucchini as a way to bulk up an otherwise caloric-dense dressing! Brilliant!!!
Lauren
Thanks girl!