Caesar Salad Dressing is Outrageously Delicious -Vegan

Do you like Caesar salad?

I love it, and I think it's all about a good dressing!!

Making homemade salad dressing is very easy and often healthier than consuming commercially bought salad dressing because homemade is often frequently lower in sodium, chemicals, and oils.

Caesar dressing is one of my favorites - so I was blown away by the taste of this recipe for oil-free vegan Caesar salad dressing. 

Lentil Loaf- oil-free

As we speak, my vegan lentil loaf is in the oven.

I have been wanting to find a good vegan meatloaf recipe for a few years. I could never find one that held together and that we liked. After all, a vegan meatloaf is a far stretch from the real thing. This recipe held together and sliced beautifully. 

My lentil loaf after I removed it from a square pan

I found a recipe on a wonderful whole food plant-based blog called Nutmeg  Notebook  authored by Tami. 

Her recipes are oil-free and mostly gluten-free-says Tami. I was really impressed with her site and am going to explore more of her delicious looking recipes. 

Although I'm cooking oil free, remember that oil-free does not necessarily mean fat-free. Oil-free recipes may still use good fats such as avocado, nuts, and seeds. 

 I wanted to the lentil loaf recipe precisely, but I did not have all the ingredients- so I improvised with what I had on hand and also aligned with our personal taste preferences. 

We liked it. Did I love it?  I'm not sure what I was expecting. I guess I thought it would taste like meatloaf (which I have not tasted in over 42 years because I have been eating a vegetarian diet) 

My lentil loaf was sort of creamy in the middle (but good). I sliced it and crisped it up in my air fryer- we loved that. 

It will be a perfect item to pack if I need to bring my lunch anywhere. It holds together great. I will probably take it for a long road trip we are taking in a few weeks. 

I froze packets of slices to use in the future. 

Since I made so many substitutions, I'm not sure how Tami's recipe would have turned out. 

I might have liked it somewhat dryer but I can't fault her recipe since I made multiple substitutions. 

For example: 

I used salsa instead of tomato paste 

I used amino acids instead of balsamic vinegar (I'm allergic) 

I dislike nutritional yeast, so I omitted it. 

I didn't make the date glaze, I just used ketchup. 

Tami's recipe  Lentil Loaf with Date Glaze

Asparagus Soup

No matter what the season, I enjoy a hot bowl of soup especially recipes like this asparagus soup that are fast, easy, seasonal and tasty. This delicious rich green soup can be whipped up in just 20 minutes from start to finish. If you like Asparagus, you'll love this flavorful soup!

It's finally spring on the East Coast and fresh asparagus are beginning to show up at local farmers markets, supermarkets, and the CSAs. I bought my first bunch of asparagus today and couldn't wait to make this simple soup that meets both gluten free and vegan standards.

I eat asparagus other ways as well. When asparagus are fresh and tender, I enjoy them raw. I eat them one by one, add them to salads or use them with dips on a crudités platter. Try my recipe for (link) roasted asparagus and cherry tomatoes .

However, sometimes I prefer my vegetables cooked, so I grill them or use small and medium asparagus spears to make this quick creamy soup that is light and flavorful.

Soup helps me boost the nutritional value of my meals and have yet another way to eat healthy greens!

Asparagus are a powerhouse of nutrients and help balance blood sugar

Not only are asparagus delicious, burt their health benefits are impressive.

1.  Nutrient Dense ( lots of vitamins and minerals) 
2.  Cancer protective antioxidants
3.  Anti- inflammatory 
4.  Helps balance blood sugar

In addition to being nutrient dense, asparagus contain cancer protective antioxidants,  anti-inflammatory properties, and may even help prevent cataracts. They contribute to maintaining normal blood sugar levels which make them a good choice for those with Type Two diabetes.

How to Select Asparagus

1. Look for bright green stalks
2. Look for firm stems
3. Their flowering tips should be closed and tight
4. Whether the stalk is thin, medium, or thick, the asparagus can all be very flavorful
5. Avoid stalks that are woody and may be chewy to eat.

How to Prepare Asparagus
Rinse well and then simply break off the ends that are the woody end. The woody end may appear white. The asparagus usually snap at just the right place. There is no need to even use a knife.

How to Eat Asparagus
1. Wash and eat them raw- they are delicious
2. Grill them and use as a side dish or garnish
3. Make them into a simple creamy soup

Author: Judee Algazi @ Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4 bowls

Soup Recipe

Ingredients: 
1 large onion, sliced in half moons or sliced ( or 2 leeks, sliced)
2 large stalks celery, cleaned and sliced
1/4 cup of vegetable broth or 1 tablespoon of olive oil to sauté
1 pound of fresh asparagus, washed and woody end snapped off
6 cups of vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 clove of  garlic, cut in half
Cracked pepper to taste


Directions: 

Saute the onion and celery in olive oil spray or 1/4 cup of vegetable broth in a 4 quart soup pot until translucent. Add 4 cups of broth and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, add the asparagus and clove of garlic then reduce heat and simmer for about 6- 8 minutes until the asparagus are tender. Add remainder of liquid only if needed. Puree in a high speed blender and serve! Cracked pepper to taste

What is your favorite way to eat asparagus? Do you eat them often? Do you grow them? 

Linked on : My Blog Carnival List and Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen

My notes:
I skip adding salt because the vegetable broth can be salty

Pin It Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.

Sweet Potato Chili- slow cooker version

Despite the bad photo, this sweet potato chili is outstanding and a perfect easy meal to make for a group!.Thanksgiving side anyone?

My daughter in Law, Wendy, made a fabulous dinner buffet the other night which included this delicious sweet potato chili. I'm not normally a chili lover, but I loved this recipe. It had some unusual ingredients including cocoa and cinnamon. Wendy had about ten for dinner, a variety of dishes, but everyone seemed to really like the chili the best!.

Optional: You can also add fresh corn

As an easy entertaining tip
Wendy served the chili right out of  the crock pot  on her buffet table to keep it piping hot for her guests to serve themselves.

                                


Got Butternut Squash? 
I use sweet potato and butternut squash interchangeably. Sweet potato is a little thicker, but both are bright orange vegetables that provide similar flavors. Butternut squash may be a little lighter on the carbs and calories. This could be a great addition if you have a having a crowd for Thanksgiving. (especially if you are having any vegetarians or vegans)

Need to eat more fiber? 
You can't go wrong with this hearty, heart healthy recipe- beans 

(fiber), vegetables (vitamins and minerals), healthy spices

(antioxidants) that is so delicious and so good for you. It's also gluten-free, vegan, and oil free, making it a versatile dish if you have guests with eating restrictions.

Weeknight Convenience 
It's also a great meal for your family for a weekday meal.
Put the ingredients in the crock pot before you go to work. Come home to a fragrant warm nourishing dinner not fast food.

I eat it with a salad (and my fabulous cranberry dressing see recipe at end of post) and I feel very satisfied! 

Beans are really healthy read:  6 powerful reasons black beans are so good for you.

                                            

Ingredients:
1 med red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 28 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes
16 oz of black beans. cooked (if you don't make your own, use 1- 16 oz can)
16 oz of kidney beans, cooked (if you don't make your own, use 

1- 16 oz can)
1 large sweet potato, cubed (or 1 and cups butternut squash cubed)
1 T ground cumin
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions :
Combine red pepper and cumin, cocoa, and cinnamon and place in a 4-6 qt. slow cooker and add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, black beans and the kidney beans. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until vegetables are softened.
serves 6 dinners- for a larger crowd , double the recipe.

Recipe for Cranberry Dressing    for salad.. ( This is one AMAZING dressing)
2 Tablespoons of raw organic honey (or maple syrup grade B)
Juice and the fruit of one large navel orange
1/4 cup of organic cranberries ( I found them in the supermarket) 
2 slices of fresh ginger ( a must if you like the taste of ginger)
1 TBsp lemon juice
1/4 cup of water

I made this dressing in seconds in my new  Nutribullet  very high power blender (works like a Vitamix, but is much less expensive) .It's small, compact, easy to use, and takes up very little space and the plastic containers are BPA free..

 I'd love for you to follow me on Twitter where I post a least 8-10  gluten free recipes a week that are in addition to what's on my blog and follow me on Pinterest for all my great Pinterest finds!