Tag Archives: Love

It’s here! Has Cupid come by to kiss you yet?

I can see this morning there are a lot of folks pretty excited about Valentines Day. I hope everyone is feeling the love today!

It’s a day for the kids in our house, where they get to be reminded that their mother loves them. I like that, and so do they (they also don’t mind the Hershey’s kisses they find scattered on their bedroom floor when they awake).

We’ve never really made a big deal about this holiday, me and my husband ~ mostly I think because we are lucky to have been married for many happy years. To risk sounding (just a little) smug and corny, we actually still enjoy everyday together. Like, a lot. I know, right? It’s pretty great and we try to tell each other as much as possible (and we certainly did this morning).

So…to balance off the heart shaped cookies and sweet delicious treats out there today, here is a way to celebrate freshness. You might just want to plan this one for tomorrow after the big Valentine’s dinner!

This beautiful creamy salad dressing can be enjoyed with any meal. Because anyone taking the time to read blogs about food already knows the beauty in healthy food preparation made with love, all year round!

The Less:

Another creamy dairy-free substitute courtesy of the silky and decadent cashew. Less dairy in one’s diet can mean feeling lighter and clearer. Less saturated fat in our diets is a good thing, as is consuming less prepared salad dressings. This one could just become a favorite.

The More:

More fresh dressings means more motivation to eat more greens. More salads and fresh roughage leads to better elimination. More lightness, more good feelings. Nothing makes me happier than a fresh salad prepared just for me.

Here is how to enjoy this in one easy step:

Creamy Cashew & Fresh Herb Dressing:

• 2/3 cup whole raw cashews
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 bunch fresh dill (or substitute fresh basil or parsley)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 cup water

Combine all ingredients except water in a blender. Start the blender and add water slowly, in 1/3 cup measurements to get the mixture swirling. Blend everything on high for 2 minutes until super creamy and smooth. Make sure there are no chunks of nuts left in the mixture – adding the water in increments helps to make this happen.

There is no need to soak the cashews in this case as the oil and water provide the extra silkiness.

Store dressing in a sealed glass jar in the fridge. This should keep for 3-4 days.

This dressing is delicious on crisp fresh greens (especially romaine lettuce or spinach) or cold steamed vegetables like asparagus or broccoli. Personally I celebrate any crutch to get more vegetables into my day. Especially when it’s this delicious!

I hope that whatever you do on this day that you feel loved.

Happy (and Healthy!) Valentines Day!

Yours in Less,