2 For 1: To Dress Your Salads

Most of us have our favorite dressings, I admit I'm no exception. In fact, I usually vary two different kinds for a period of time before I set out to create new versions. I guess a period has just ended because I recently came up with a couple of new ones. Here they are. You get two recipes today. They're both rich and creamy and they're both quick and easy to make.

Creamy Green Goodness 

Approximate ingredients:

1 avocado

generous handful of cilantro

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

splash or two of olive oil

1/4 hot sauce*

1 tbsp mustard

2 cloves of garlic

1/2-1 tsp salt 

ground black pepper to taste

water as needed

* I use some of my homemade hot sauce. If you don't have any handy, you can substitute half a jalapeno and some water.
Blend all of the ingredients, taste test, adjust seasoning, and add more vinegar or water if it's too thick. Use on your favorite salad ingredients.

Horseradish Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup hemp seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (soak beforehand for a few hours if possible)

3/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup of juice)

2 tbs tamari / soy sauce 

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbs shredded horseradish

1 small jalapeno chopped up

sprigs of fresh dill

1/2-1 tsp salt

ground black pepper

Blend the above ingredients until you get a very smooth consistency, taste test, adjust seasoning, and add more vinegar or water if needed.
Another tip: If you see a good amount of your dressing stuck to the bottom or the walls of your blender, rinse it out with some water or vinegar and add whatever you save that way to your batch. Nothing wasted :)
I haven't talked about hemp seeds and what good they have to offer so let's touch on their health benefits.

Hemp Hearts (Shelled Hemp Seeds) for your Heart
These precious seeds are a very good source of complete protein and are extremely rich in minerals like magnesium, zinc, and iron. A very good source of essential fatty acids, they're a good addition to your diet for a healthier heart and skin as well.

Horseradish
The spicy, fibrous root will spice up your kitchen but that's not all. It's high in vitamin C and rich in antioxidants, has antibiotic properties, cancer-preventing characteristics, and sure can come to the rescue when one is suffering from a stuffy nose, respiratory/chest congestion, etc. and you need such a small amount to get these benefits. It is truly are a wonderful food to try out, experiment with, and add to recipes. You might shed some tears while shredding some but it's worth it. I promise! : )