For a while I was thinking about publishing this one. Especially after receiving lots of positive feedback from retreat participants and friends. But now I’ve officially been asked more than a couple of times, so here we go!
The inspiration for this dressing I got from a friend who made a similar version that was cashew-based. I love cashews, but there’s some serious concerns I personally have on that topic. This motivated me to go for a more local and budget-friendly option: Sunflower seeds.
Oil-free and still creamy? How?
At this point I might need to clarify something: Oil-free is not equal fat-free.
But instead of an isolated oil, I chose whole-foods that contain fat and a huge rainbow of other nutrients (which are mainly left behind when producing oils).
In this recipe I mainly used sunflower seeds. They can either be raw, activated (soaked overnight) or roasted. They all work and have their unique flavour profile. Experiment!
On a nutritional level I favour the activated version, but in terms of flavour I definitely choose pan or oven-roasted sunflower seeds.
The main player: El blender!
Life in the kitchen is so much more fun with a blender on my side. And for this recipe it’s actually a must. A hand blender might get you somewhere, but I doubt that a real creamy consistency can be achieved.
The longer you blend, the creamier the texture becomes. As this might end up in a warm dressing, you can let it cool down before serving.
Grab the concept, and go anywhere 👣
Again, you’re welcome to follow the instructions below. What I would suggest, though, is to start playing with the concept of using sunflower seeds (with or without the sesame seed combo) as a base for creamy salad dressings.
I have a couple of variations that I find very yummy, too. But I honestly usually don’t follow the recipes but just use what ever I have at hand.
Too thick? Add more liquid. Too thin? Add more seeds. Be creative with it!
Enough said: Let’s get blending! ⚡️
Creamy Lemon Dressing (oil-free)
~400
ml10
minutesIngredients
200ml water
5 heaped tbsp Sunflower Seeds (roasted)
1 tbsp Tahini (or sesame seeds, raw or roasted)
Lemon juice (of half a lemon)
Lemon zest (~1 tsp)
4 tbsp Apple juice (ideally unfiltered)
Salt to taste (depending on the salt I add up to ~2 levelled tsp)
Black Pepper to taste
Directions
- Add all ingredients into a blender jar and blend until smooth.
Hint: The longer the creamier. - Add salt to taste. Keep in mind that this will be drizzled on plain salads, so I think it needs to be quite rich in flavour.
- Store in airtight container or bottle, let it cool down and shake well before serving.
Hint: Refrigerated it easily lasts 2 or 3 days (potentially even longer), but consume it as fresh as possible.
Notes
- Play with using different versions of sunflower seeds to find your favourite: Raw, activated (soaked overnight) or roasted.
- If the result is too thick, add more liquid (in this case apple juice or water). If it’s too thin, add more sunflower seeds.