Lemon, Cashew and Chia Seed Salad Dressing

Using chia seeds in dressing is the brainchild of my darling husband. I would love to credit for the idea, because it was so smart, but it wasn’t mine. We were in cooking class a few weeks ago and he casually mentions that chia seeds might be a good way to reduce fat in salad dressing. Now, my husband doesn’t cook, but periodically he comes up with a brilliant kitchen idea like this. Chia seeds may become my new go to ingredient in salad dressing. Not only do they help make a nice thick dressing, but also they reduce the overall calories while providing omega 3 fat to fight cancer.

Since I wanted something that was a little Caesar dressing like, I also used raw cashews in this dressing. They add good color and mouth feel to this dressing. I am so amazed that I could make a nice creamy dressing for a mere 17 calories a tablespoon that doesn’t contain any scary ingredients. If you are looking for a low calorie dressing this one is worth a try. It does contain fat, but it is healthy fat so I don’t think it is too bad for us in moderation.

Lemon, Cashew and Chia Seed Salad Dressing
Makes 1 ¾ cups – or 28 tablespoons

Ingredients:

zest and juice from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons of chia seeds
1 cup of filtered water
½ cup of raw cashews
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
¼ teaspoon of oregano
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
2 tablespoons of fresh dill, minced
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Place zest, lemon juice chia seeds and water in the blender and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning and refrigerate until needed.

Nutritional Information (per tablespoon):

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 17.01
Calories From Fat (60%) - 10.18

Total Fat - 1.22g
Saturated Fat - 0.23g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 35.31mg
Potassium - 34.88mg
Total Carbohydrates - 1.58g
Fiber - 0.39g
Sugar - 0.12g
Protein - 0.55g

Comments:

This is my first attempt at making a dressing with chia seeds but it is fantastic. The inclusion of chia seeds makes a great thick dressing. I love that the overall calorie count is so low and the fat is mostly omega 3. Expect to see many more salad dressings with chia seeds from now on.