The Healthy Librarian's Crazy Cream Chia Salad Dressings

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Makes 8 servings (2 tablespoons)  But feel free to ladle it on.  It's all made with healthy ingredients.

Preparation Time:  10 minutes

 

Ingredients:

1. The milk base: 1 cup of plain unsweetened non-dairy milk.  I use Eden Extra Soymilk because it's got a creamy texture, some fat in it, & it's enriched with needed vitamins & mineral.

2. The acid tang:  2 tablespoons of citrus juice, or Asian (I used Dragunara Sweet Chili) or other sauce, or vinegar  Note: I used lime juice for the Southwestern dressing; lemon juice for the Greek dressing; and Dragunara Sweet Chili Sauce for the Asian dressing.   Experiment with your own versions.  I plan to try a peanut version with PB2; a teriyaki version with teriyaki sauce; an Indian version with chutney & curry; and a pesto dressing with fresh basil, garlic, nutritional yeast & a few walnuts.   The possibilities are endless.  You could probably decrease the milk, & increase the acid tang, if you like--as long as you keep the ratio:   1 cup + 2 tablespoons of liquid + 1 1/2 tablespoons of chia seed

3. The seasoning mix:  Here's what I used--experiment! 

• For the Greek dressing: 2 teaspoons of Penzey's Greek Seasoning oregano, garlic, lemon peel, Telicherry black pepper, marjoram, & (shh!) salt). 
• For the Southwestern dressing.  1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of Penzey's Arizona Dreaming.  Be careful--it's spicy!  (ground ancho chili, garlic, paprika, lemon peel, chipotle pepper, red pepper, jalapeno, cocoa, & natural smoke flavoring)  There's no salt in this--add some if you like.  I did.
• For the Asian Sweet Chili dressing (goes perfectly with Sweet Chili Baked tofu):  No other spices needed, because the Dragunara sauce has it all!!
• TIP:  Penzey's has lots of pre-mixed blends that make dressing-making easier.  Lots of them are salt-free.  If you buy them in bags, rather than jars the price is about half.  Just saying...

4.  The chia seeds:  1 1/2 Tablespoons  (this is the secret of the salad dressing's success)

5. The add-ins:  More room to experiment!

• I added one large fresh garlic clove cut-up for the Southwestern & the Greek--not for the Sweet Chili.   Add-in possibilities could include capers, shallots, some olives, lemon, orange or lime zest, nutritional yeast, miso, mustard, a little maple syrup, whatever.  You guys are all experienced cooks.

6. The fresh herbs:  2 tablespoons of fresh chopped herbs mixed into the dressing, after it's been thoroughly blended, gives it a finishing touch--but it's not necessary. 

• 2 TBS or more of fresh dill weed for the Greek dressing
• 2 TBS or more of fresh cilantro for the Southwestern dressing

Instructions:   Mix the milk, the juices or sauces, the dry seasonings, the garlic, & chia in a VitaMix or blender on high until thoroughly blended.  You will not notice the chia seed texture at all in the finished dressing.    When done, scrape/pour into a container & mix in the chopped fresh herbs. Let it sit for about 15 minutes to thicken.

Stores well for a week or maybe more--and it's a small enough amount that you will definitely use it up. 

Think about using it on pasta, too.