Cashew, Sun Dried Tomato, and Chia Seed Salad Dressing

(pictured: the dressing on a spoon turned sideways so you can see how thick it is)

I am so bummed that my husband gets the credit for the chia seed dressing concept. That was a stroke of genius. If you use chia seeds for nothing else they are fabulous in salad dressing.

The chia seeds were included to add viscosity to the dressing without oil. Chia seeds also provide omega 3 fats, which we all should consume more of to fight cancer. The raw cashews provide a creamy mouth feel to the dressing as well as vitamin E. The remaining ingredients were added for flavor. The garlic and tomatoes are also reported to fight cancer as well as other diseases.

This flavor of this dressing is fabulous. I would happily put this on my salad if I didn’t know how healthy it was. This would be a great dressing to put on a green salad that you are serving with an Italian meal. I would also use this is a raw veggie dip.

Cashew, Sun Dried Tomato, and Chia Seed Salad Dressing
Makes 1 cup – 32 tablespoons

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons of white chia seeds, ground
¼ cup of raw cashews
¾ cup of water
1 clove of garlic, grated
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of oregano, dried
8 sun-dried tomatoes
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Grind your chia seeds in a spice grinder (the food processor won’t get them fine enough) and put them in your food processor. Add the raw cashews to the food processor and grind them until they are fine. Add the water to the food processor and allow the mixture to sit for at least 10 minutes so that the chia seeds can absorb the water. Add the remaining ingredients and grind until everything is incorporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your taste. Refrigerate in a sealed container until needed.

Nutritional Information (per tablespoon):

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 14.66
Calories From Fat (56%) - 8.2

Total Fat - 0.98g
Saturated Fat - 0.13g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 61.37mg
Potassium - 20.61mg
Total Carbohydrates - 1.24g
Fiber - 0.75g
Sugar - 0.05g
Protein - 0.46g

Comments:

This dressing is unbelievably good. I was practically doing the happy dance in the kitchen when I was making it. It still amazes me that I can make a dressing this tasty that is less than 15 calories a tablespoon. If you like this half as much as I do this recipe is a winner.