This is the dressing that started my cooking career. No joke.
Early on in my nutritional foodie career I understood the difference between good and bad fats. Bad fats are as inflammation causing as sugar. Deep fried everything, and dressings made from cheap olive oil, canola and sunflower oil are all lumped into a category that include Omega 6’s.
Not to get too technical, but the Omega 6’s are the omega’s that you want to avoid. I know, it is hard if you are eating out. Most all of your food service establishments buy poor quality oils because that is all they can afford. By poor quality, I mean that they are not fresh. They have most likely been bleached and deodorized so they they remain shelf stable. Food producers must do this for nut and seed oils because they are tinder and go rancid easily with heat and light. Even though food is not always deep fried in many of the restaurant food, the poor quality oils are also used for everything else like cooking and for sauces. Many people do not realize this.
Other than olive oil, the only oils that are of any substance of quality are cold pressed oils made from nuts and seeds. They are few and far between in your local stores, so you usually have to purchase them online. But, even then you must use them quickly so they do not go rancid.
I believe, in part, one of the reasons “raw food” culinary methods are so healthy and satisfying is because of the methods (soaking and sprouting) of nuts and seeds, which makes the valuable nutrients them available for your cells and joints. This is why I produced the “Raw Food Series”. Learning raw food methods are one of the most powerful ways you can put nutrient dense food into your precious body. The course is still available - check it out HERE.
Think about it. If you are not eating a bunch of nuts and seeds (walnuts, pumpkin, sunflower, flax, and chia) then you are most likely starving for good fats. This is the reason to make delicious sauces and dressings from excellent fats. I love Barlean’s Flax oil because they press it and ship it straight to your door, or the store. It does not sit on a distributor shelf somewhere for months on end. But, the best part is that they are slam dunk delicious. Of course, a high quality olive oil is always wonderful, but it is limited in its nutrient value and flavor. It is nice to mix it up now and then. Those of you who have my “sauces and dressings” course know how I mixed up the raw and cooked foods together to make them super delicious and nutrient dense.
Knowing this early on my career had me in the kitchen making delicious dressings for salads and cooked and raw vegetables. We named this one the “Golden Elixir”. Enjoy!
Tip: If you eat out a lot, you might consider making some delicious dressings at home and then taking a small amount out when you go out to lunch. Then you can get a great salad - hold the dressing, because you will have your own. Make sure it is in a leaf proof container.
Recipe for the Golden Elixir
Ingredients
1⁄2 cup Flax Oil - Barlean’s High Lignan is best (Olive Oil can be replaced if preferred, but will have different taste)
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice (or juice of a whole lemon)
1⁄4 cup water
1⁄4 cup low sodium Tamari (use a little less if it is regular)
2 tbsp Sesame Tahini (raw or toasted)
2 tsp Sea Kelp Powder (this will provide flavor and also thicken mixture)
2 tsp fresh ginger juice (grate fresh ginger and squeeze out juice), or add small piece of ginger.
1 garlic clove (if wanted - peeled) - optional dash of cayenne
Blend all the ingredients except the oil. Once the ingredients are blended, add the oil slowly while the blender is on low speed.
Enjoy immediately, or chill before serving.
The dressing keeps up to several days in the refrigerator, however, for essential fatty acids to remain in integrity from the Flax Oil, (or dressings) it should be consumed within 6 weeks.
Note: The dressing will thicken a little over time because of the thickening quality of sea (kelp) veggies.