Tag Archives: dip

My most-used, must-have dressing and dip recipes

most-used, must-have dressing and dip recipes

In this new mini-cookbook, I’ve collected all the dressing recipes I use again and again. They’re the most basic, most versatile dressings: many of them can also serve as dips for veggies, and as a spread for sandwiches, burgers, and other entrees.

Some of the recipes in this book are scattered throughout this blog, but with this downloadable, printable pdf, you won’t have to hunt all over to find them. Also, a few of these recipes have never appeared on this blog.

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book cover; dressings, dips, and spreads

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The pdf book includes:

  • 4-ingredient mayo
  • Honey-mustard dressing
  • Easy aioli (garlic mayo)
  • Dairy-free Ranch
  • Avocado Ranch
  • Creamy Italian
  • Tex-Mex
  • Sugar-free strawberry poppy seed
  • Blue cheese (tastes like my favorite restaurant version!)
  • Easy Caesar
  • The last vinaigrette recipe you’ll ever need

You’ll also find tips for using these recipes beyond salad, as well as a complete shopping list for every recipe.

View it on your device (handy at the grocery store), or print it out to keep in your kitchen.

Buy it here.

Or get it for free when you subscribe to my monthly newsletter. (Also free.)

Sriracha cream sauce or dip

Sriracha cream sauce recipe

A couple weeks ago, we had a delicious dinner at Lemongrass: Taste of Vietnam in Old Town. We ordered a couple appetizers, one of which was “Crabocado” – a perfect avocado stuffed with lump crab and drizzled with a Sriracha cream sauce. All four of us — two of us spice wimps, two not — devoured it! Later, my husband’s side dish of green beans came drizzled with what looked to be the same sauce. This man is not a fan of green beans: he sort of likes them when I add carmelized onions and plenty of bacon. But drizzled with that sauce? He ate ’em all up!

So I’ve been trying to recreate that sauce. I doubt my ingredients are the same, but I think I got close in flavor.

What can you do with this stuff?

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5 Minute Magic Green Sauce

avocado, cilantro, lime, pistachio dip, sauce, spread, dressing

This recipe originally comes from Pinch of Yum, and it instantly became one of my favorite easy dips/sauces.

What makes it magic? It’s easy, it’s healthy, it’s versatile, it’s delicious!

Use it as a veggie or cracker dip. Smear it on just-cooked fish, chicken, or burgers. Use the thinner version to drizzle over fresh tomatoes, or roasted vegetables. I bet it would be amazing blended into twice-baked potatoes — or twice-baked cauliflower!

 

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Bonus Super Bowl recipe: crab rangoon dip!

crab-rangoon-dip

Just ran across this and had to add it! What a genius idea: crab rangoon dip!

Update: Made this yesterday… Not a big fan of the recipe as written. I mean it’s okay, but not what I imagined. But chilled overnight and heated up the next day, it’s much better.

I added a couple pinches of granulated garlic and salt. Also, I used green onion, and for authenticity’s sake, I would put sweet-and-sour sauce on it, not sweet chili.

25 Super Bowl Recipes, Part 4: Low Carb

low carb and Paleo party food

And onto day five of our Super Bowl recipes round-up: Low Carb!

I think more chips are sold SB weekend than any other week of the year. But it is possible to have delish, satisfying snacks on the table that don’t max out your carb allowance for the month, all in one sitting! Here are a few.

veggies n vases

Just about any dip you can find is low carb, it’s the crackers and chips they’re usually served with that makes them high carb. Use a crisp veggie instead, and it’s instant health food!  🙂 But skip the usual, boring carrots and celery on a plate; think jicama, bell pepper strips, ribs from hearts-of-romaine. And to make them even more appealing, place them in vertical glass containers, like the beautiful table shown here, from Sugar Plum Sisters.

 

Bacon-Avocado Sammies from non nom paleo. Don’t these look yummy?!

Zucchini/squash Pizza Bites, from yours truly. The “crust” couldn’t be simpler: it’s just slices of summer squash or zucchini, lightly baked before being topped with your favorite pizza stuff, and broiled. (Inspired by Kalyn’s Kitchen.) My recipe includes both pepperoni and vegetarian versions.

 

gluten-free pizza crust or flatbread

For real pizza, try this gluten-free pizza crust recipe!

 

Deviled Eggs. Did you know that deviled eggs from the grocery store sometimes contain sugar? Yuck! Much safer (and Paleo-friendly) to make your own. I like ’em simple and classic, like this take from SimplyRecipes.

 

garlic-herb cheese dip

Garlic-Herb Cheese Spread or Dip, also from this site. Tastes sort of like Allouette. Again, to keep it low carb, serve with veggie dippers.

 

avocado, cilantro, lime, pistachio dip, sauce, spread, dressing

5-Minute Magic Green Sauce! This stuff is amazing! Yes, it’s great on fish as shown above, but it also makes a fantastic dip for veggies or chips.

Not into dairy? Here’s my favorite Paleo dip…

Dairy-free Ranch dressing - dump ranch

Dump Ranch” – I make it thicker than the salad dressing version, and use it as a dip and spread. I almost always have some of this in my fridge!

Parties don’t have to mean blowing your healthy eating habits completely! Come stocked with one or more of these, and you’ll have less recovery to do the next day!

Garlic herb cheese spread or dip – low carb!

garlic-herb cheese dip
Garlic herb cheese spread

This is such a simple dip, I keep some in the fridge almost constantly. I’m not sure I’d go so far as to call it a knock-off or copy, but it’s kinda like Alouette.

It’s tasty spread on just about any cracker, but for a low carb, gluten free snack, try it with celery or romaine dippers. These are simply the small end of a heart-of-romaine leaf. When I’m chopping romaine for a salad, I always leave the last 4 to 5″ and stash them in the fridge for just this purpose! They’ve got a perfect dipping shape, and I like them so much better than celery; no stringy stuff!

Garlic herb cheese spread or dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 T. sour cream OR Greek yogurt
1/2 t. granulated garlic
1/2 t. granulated onion
1 heaping t. dried oregano
1/4 to 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper, to your taste
1/4 t. salt (if serving with veggies)

Stir together the cream cheese and sour cream (or yogurt) until pretty evenly combined. Add the other ingredients and stir till well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Note: if you are serving this with crackers that are salted, you may leave out the salt.

Tomorrow: What to do with the rest of the romaine — Almost-Panera’s Asian Chicken Salad!

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