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20
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Hummus Salad Dressing – 3 Ways |
I don’t know about you, but I seem to be the queen of good intentions and even better excuses.
Intention: Read more books.
Excuse: My brain is tired. Since they don’t make picture books for adults, I’m gong to browse Pinterest.
Intention: Talk to my friends on the phone more often, if only for the sake of preserving what will inevitably be a lost cause when we try to explain to our children one day.
Excuse: The phone already is a lost cause. I know exactly what my friends are doing, thankyouverymuchfacebook.
Intention: Eat more salad
Excuse: I’m all out of dressing. And nothing in the supermarket appears to meet any rational balance of natural ingredients, reasonable nutritional content (hello, I don’t need half my meal’s calories to come from dressing) and cost.
Fortunately, there are solutions. And I need to get better about implementing them:
1) Stop wasting time earlier in the day. Get sh!t done do there’s time to read earlier in the evening.
2) The phone is not extinct. Pick it up. Pray that you’ll make someone’s day rather than the alternative, which would be annoying them during something important. Like browsing Pinterest.
3) Make more salad dressing.This is the only one I’ve been really good at lately. And I make the effort because I know that eating a big salad full of colorful, nutritious veggies dressed in a flavorful and healthy sauce is a key element in providing balance in my day. Without it, I feel deprived. Lacking of nutrition. Like my body is tipped to one side and sluggishly held back from the functions it needs to maintain and the tasks I need to accomplish. Imbalanced.
What excuses are stopping you from living a balanced lifestyle?
I’m sharing these thoughts today in honor of the launch of a new website called The Balanced Platter. Founded by two of my good friends, Amy Green (Simply Sugar and Gluten Free) and Maggie Savage (She Let Them Eat Cake), the goal of The Balanced Platter is to provide a reliable, inspirational one-stop resource for balanced, healthy, gluten-free living. Better yet, TBP aims to keep it simple.
Because let’s face it. Trying to live an overly complicated healthy lifestyle is not going to last very long.
At TBP you’ll find everything you need to know about eating well, living well, and finding time and energy for the things you love. Stories and tips will be shared by many of the most thoughtful and passionate food and lifestyle bloggers. I can’t wait to see what they come up with!
Be sure to check out the list of other bloggers participating in January’s Balanced, Healthy and Gluten-Free in 2012 even in celebration of the website’s launch. All of us want to help you simplify and healthify your life this year, and we’re proud to share our best advice and recipes to make it happen. Be sure to follow TBP on Twitter and Facebook for updates on all these fabulous happenings, including a great giveaway on February 1st!
Lately I’ve been making my salad dressings out of hummus. This favorite food of mine and Ben’s seems to know no bounds! (Haven’t you seen it drizzled on eggs and piped onto cupcakes?) The creamy, flavorful base can be customized just about any way you like, and I’m starting you off with three of my favorites. What I love about all of these variations is that you get tons of flavor with just a handful of fresh and inviting ingredients.
You’ll notice that I’m using a bit of psyllium husk powder in each batch of dressing. This natural fiber supplement became a pantry staple for me a couple months ago, after Amy showed that it makes a wonderful addition to gluten-free pastries. I’ve been adding it to all kinds of dough, gluten-free and not, to improve binding and elasticity. It also works wonders as a thickener, which is why I’m using it in my hummus-based salad dressing.
Besides drizzling on salad, these dressings make great veggie dippers or baked potato toppers. You could combine any of them them with chopped chicken for a tasty chicken salad, or toss with cold pasta for a protein-rich lunchbox treat sure to please any kid, young or old. Once you make a batch – or all three – I’m sure you won’t come up with any excuses not to use it!
Hummus Salad Dressing Three Ways
Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour (chill time)
Recipes for Zesty Honey Mustard Hummus Salad Dressing, Asian Basil & Ginger Hummus Salad Dressing, and Smokey Cilantro Hummus Salad Dressing.
Ingredients:
Zesty Honey Mustard
1/2 cup (4oz) hummus
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 large clove of garlic
leaves from 2 small sprigs of rosemary
3/4 teaspoon pysllium husk powderAsian Basil & Ginger
1/2 cup (4oz) hummus
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 large clove of garlic
1 heaping tablespoon grated fresh ginger
10 basil leaves
3/4 teaspoon pysllium husk powder
Smokey Cilantro Hummus Salad Dressing
1/2 cup (4oz) hummus
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 of a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon pysllium husk powderDirections:
For each dressing, combine all ingredients except for psyllium husk powder in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Lastly, add the psyllium husk powder and process until combined. Pour into an air-tight container and refrigerate for at least one hour. Dressing will thicken upon chilling.
Nutrition Facts:
Per 2-tablespoon serving:
Zesty Honey Mustard
Calories 48.0
Total Fat 3.0 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 105.5 mg
Potassium 7.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 4.8 g
Dietary Fiber 0.9 g
Sugars 2.2 g
Protein 1.1 gAsian Basil & Ginger
Calories 51.1
Total Fat 3.6 g
Saturated Fat 0.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 60.4 mg
Potassium 10.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 4.9 g
Dietary Fiber 0.9 g
Sugars 2.2 g
Protein 1.1 g
Smokey Cilantro
Calories 39.4
Total Fat 3.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 75.8 mg
Potassium 9.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 3.0 g
Dietary Fiber 0.8 g
Sugars 4.7 g
Protein 1.0 gCara Lyons, www.carascravings.com
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I'm Cara, lover of creative, clean food and healthy living. Pumpkin, goat cheese, and eggplant make me swoon. I have an insatiable sweet tooth and desire to lift heavy things. 
Lauren @ Healthy Food For Living — January 20, 2012 @ 8:16 am
Fantastic use of hummus! I love to use hummus as a topping for salads, but I’ve never used it as an ingredient for dressing. The smoky cilantro version is calling my name!
Megan — January 20, 2012 @ 8:28 am
Weird- but I have the same intentions.. the talking on the phone thing is point on. and the reading thing was to the T… (until I started reading twilight 😉 haha) Those dressings look amazing! Not sure why, but I’v always been intimidated by making my own salad dressing, even though I have it everyday!! these look like really good… I think I just saw pysllium husk at The Living Earth and thought to myself “what the heck is that?” funny. Now i have to go back and get it 😉
Cara — January 20, 2012 @ 8:39 am
That’s exactly where I bought mine!
Erica Scime — January 20, 2012 @ 10:43 am
I know what you mean about grocery store dressings! Expensive, unhealthy and, in my opinion, not all that tasty. I find them either too sweet or too tangy. To chemical-ly probably. Yuck! This hummus dressing sounds delicious. I’ll have to give it a try 🙂
Victoria Challalncin — January 20, 2012 @ 11:04 am
What an original way to use hummus! These look fantastic. Thanks.
Maggie — January 20, 2012 @ 11:17 am
You always have such interesting flavor combos Cara! This is awesome, I can’t wait to try these recipes – especially with the addition of psyllium! Genius. Thank you so much for sharing The Balanced Platter with your readers. We’re so thankful for your support and friendship. Can’t WAIT to meet you in Chicago. xo P.S. Loved the thankyouverymuchfacebook comment 🙂
Hallie — January 20, 2012 @ 11:43 am
Okay, for one thing: all of those dressings look amazing! I’d happily eat every single one. Second thing: LOVE your photos! 🙂
Kelly — January 20, 2012 @ 12:21 pm
I think my biggest challenge is that food for me isn’t just about sustaining health it’s about creativity, fun and to a large extent, emotion. I always struggle with balancing the more functional and the more fun and emotional I think because my personality type is to somewhat vary towards extremes (i.e. either I’m all in with being healthy or I’m all out). For me, I’m trying hard to find a middle ground. I think a lot of it is more perception than reality because I often convince myself that eating healthily = restrictive, boring, etc. but I know with planning it’s able to create things that are really great.
Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — January 20, 2012 @ 3:04 pm
Cara, your flavor combinations sound amazing. But I have to say that the asian basil and ginger one is screaming my name. That sounds divine!!
Joanne — January 20, 2012 @ 9:59 pm
I love a good salad, but honestly for me…the dressing is what really MAKES it. And there’s little I love more than a good hummus. You’ve rocked my salad world, my dear!
Ricki — January 20, 2012 @ 10:46 pm
Love the idea of hummus as a base for dressing! And the potato topper really sounds divine to me. 🙂
Kate — January 21, 2012 @ 5:55 am
January seems like a perfect time for this post – it just resonates with resolution!
Hannah — January 21, 2012 @ 9:50 am
I’m -so- happy you posted this because:
1) It’s a great idea, but-
2) Trader Joe’s makes a hummus dressing that I’ve tried, and absolutely hate…
2) And I just made a huge batch of chickpeas in the pressure cooker. Win!
Katrina (gluten free gidget) — January 21, 2012 @ 3:37 pm
Awesome! I just added these recipes to my pinterest board! Thanks!
Cara — January 21, 2012 @ 3:51 pm
thanks for pinning, enjoy!
grace — January 21, 2012 @ 7:26 pm
first of all and of least importance, i love that triple bowl dish! secondly, i’ve never seen the idea of hummus used in this way. very clever, cara!
Amber — January 21, 2012 @ 9:47 pm
Hi There Cara,
Such a fantastic post! Great job. I have a love affair with hummus! Always appreciate a new recipe and inspiration. What a great contribution to TBP’s welcome launch. So excited to find your blog!
Be Well,
–Amber
Shannon — January 22, 2012 @ 5:59 pm
love hummus-based salad dressings!! these sound delicious, and i agree, salad dressings are totally easy to do but often overlooked. half the time i don’t even bother dressing my salad (sometimes goat cheese or hummus suffices), but this is surely a reason to remember for next time 🙂
Dawn — January 27, 2012 @ 4:47 pm
I love that you are making your own dressings! Once you switch over it’s so hard to go back to bottled. I still have a tough time with the phones…..not sure I can go back to that. These look fabulous!
(ooo I’m so excited I can comment on your new site at work. Shh don’t tell anyone.)
Kevin (Closet Cooking) — January 29, 2012 @ 7:01 am
I really like the sound of a hummus dressing and these ones sound tasty!
Xean — February 1, 2012 @ 5:10 am
it looks delicious and i love the idea in making hummus as one of the main ingredients in this salad dressing! Nice!
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