During the summer my body begs me to give it refreshing edibles and drinkables. It’s been a pretty humid one here in Charleston, SC, averaging in the upper 80’s most days, sometimes into the 90’s. This means going for an early morning or late evening run if you want to get a quality workout out of it. I wish I had taken my own advice at 4pm today.
On second thought, maybe I enjoy sweating like a pig and feeling devoid of energy. After all, I have been doing hot yoga (room at 90 degrees) almost daily for the past month. I’m positive that upon leaving that yoga studio, I am completely depleted of electrolytes. Not the wisest of decisions but I really enjoy this studio and for whatever reason, the heat and the sweating forces me to focus on breathing technique which inevitably brings deeper stretching and stronger poses. To my defense, I fair well at maintaining adequate hydration levels outside of class so not to pass out during class.
Despite my discomfort in this bloody heat, it heightens my delight for refreshing foods, like this amazing Green Goddess Dressing I found on the kitchn blog. I changed a few ingredients to make the recipe work with what I had; ah, the beauty of cooking.
The avocado lends a velvety, creamy texture to this dressing while the lemon juice and fresh herbs pack a punch of flavor. I believe this dressing would be spectacular for anything on which you would put a dressing; salads, grains, meat, vegetables. Just add all the ingredients to a blender and puree. It’s that easy.
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Not only is this dressing creamy and delicious, thanks to the avocado, it’s packed with tons of essential vitamins and minerals to help keep you healthy. Additionally, the healthy fats from the avocado increase the absorption of the vitamin A and K in your salad greens. It’s a win-win.
Green Goddess Dressing
Adapted from the kitchn
1 large avocado, flesh only
3 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup water (more if you need to thin it out)
2 scallions, diced, white and light green parts only (dice the tops and throw it into your salad)
6 sprigs of fresh parsley and cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
-Put all ingredients into a blender and puree.
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Starting with a base of spinach and arugula greens mixed with radishes, tomatoes and black olives, I topped it with a mix of quinoa, chickpeas and the tops of scallions. The creamy dressing allows everything to mix together nicely, creating a wonderful bite of all ingredients.
I’ve got left over dressing and some chickpea-quinoa. I know what I’m having for lunch tomorrow.