Light Creamy Asian Almond Dressing

I’ve partnered with California Almonds on this post and all opinions are my own.

Mix up your lunch time salad routine and try this light creamy Asian Almond Dressing for a flavorful plant-protein loaded meal. #PlantBasedLiving

I’m feeling very European these days.  Okay, kind of European.  I’m “just saying no” to bottled dressings.  On my trips abroad I’ve always been impressed with how fabulous a simple salad is, when it’s dressed with just a little olive oil and vinegar.  It’s my now go-to.

And, I go-to it almost every day.  My monster salads are my lunch du jour during the spring and summer months.  And, although I always feel very vogue when I splash on the EVOO and vinegar onto my salad, on day #47 (or sometime around there) I decided I needed to switch it up.  Apparently, you can have too much of a good thing…

For my lunch I still wanted to focus on including lots of fresh veggies, but I also want to always ensure that I get some good protein in.  With running and my training, I need to make sure my body is fueled.  With this lunch, I did this by incorporating almonds – into the salad and into the dressing for a winning combo.

In addition to my love for Europe, I also adore all foods Asian.  I have a favorite Asian dressing that I’ve made in the past, but it’s a little heavy.  So for this recipe, I lightened it up – with Greek yogurt, some almond butter, and no added oil.

This dressing is a breeze to make – simply combine the recipe ingredients, including some of my fave Asian flavors including curry, cilantro, sweet chili sauce and almonds in a blender, and give it a whir.

When you’re ready to serve, drizzle it on top of your favorite salad ingredients.  I chose romaine, cabbage, carrots, cukes, tomatoes, and almonds.  I always like to include a plant-based protein in my mid-day meal.  One ounce of almonds (about 23) packs 6 grams of hunger-fighting protein.  For other great plant-based protein suggestions,check out the Power of Plant-Based Meals handout.

Beautiful right?  Yeah, I’m not sharing.  Sorry.  No one likes a hangry blogger.  But here’s the recipe so you can make your own!

Light Creamy Asian Almond Dressing

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Ingredients

• 6 ounces no-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup almond butter
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 2 teaspoon yellow curry paste
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon minced ginger
• 3-4 tablespoons of coconut milk

Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients to your blender and puree until smooth, adding additional coconut milk as needed. Chill until ready to serve.

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