Creamy Toasted Almond Dressing

It was my roommate's birthday yesterday, and her favorite food in the world is none other than a big kale salad. In my opinion, what makes a kale salad special is really the dressing. I love making nut-based salad dressings, because when blended, the nuts create a delicious, creamy texture that perfectly coats each leaf. Not to mention, nuts, and in this case almonds, provide the necessary fat our bodies need to absorb the nutrients in green leafy vegetables more effectively (I see you, fat-soluble vitamins!).

For this dressing, I start by toasting the almonds. Doing this brings out the flavors of the nuts and adds another layer of complexity to the dressing. You can skip this step if you want to make a completely raw dressing. You can also sub out the almonds with any other nut or seed you desire, there's really no wrong way to go here. Enjoy!

Creamy Toasted Almond Dressing

yields ~ 1.5 cups

1 cup raw almonds 2 lemons (medium - large), juiced 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon honey (or other liquid sweetener) 1/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 375° F. Place the almonds in a dry roasting pan and toast for about ten minutes, or until lightly browned & fragrant (keep an eye on them, they’ll burn quickly!) Allow almonds to cool slightly. Then, combine them with all remaining ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.

Add additional salt or sweetness to taste, and more water if desired to thin out the dressing. Will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for about 5 days.