Hello my joyous reader,
I've started something new over here at Joyous Health and on my YouTube channel - ASKJOYOUS!
Each week I will answer a question you ask me either on my youtube channel, on twitter or instagram when you hashtag #askjoyous. You can also post a comment below.
My first question comes from Annie @fitquips on twitter. She asks:
In this video I review the following:
Reasons to be cautious about store-bought salad dressings
Some of the ingredients you want to avoid
Tips for a making a delicious salad dressing
Some of my favourite ingredients
How to make a creamy cashew dressing
So don't worry about the calories, but be concerned about what your food is actually made of.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
One other ingredient I totally forgot to mention in my video that I combine with apple cider vinegar and olive oil all the time is raw honey. The honey does a nice job of balancing out the apple cider vinegar.
If you are curious about the creamy cashew salad dressing I mention near the end of the video here it is.
This is a recipe that will be featured in book #2! So try it out and let me know what you think. It's creamy, wonderful, vegan-friendly, deliciousness.
Creamy Dressing Ingredients
Yields approximately 2 cups of dressing.
2/3 cup raw (unsalted, unroasted) cashews (soak for an hour)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Method: Discard water from soaked cashews. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until creamy. Enjoy as a veggie dip or salad dressing!
Tip: Add 2 garlic cloves and you've got a Caesar salad dressing.
Have a joyous day and remember to #askjoyous through social media, youtube or comment below!
Joy
Hi - I love your new ask joyous. My question, and I'm finding conflicting answers on the internet, is ... can I assume that if a product states non-GMO, it is also organic? I try to buy organic as much as possible - most of which also state non-GMO. However, I've been noticing quite a few new items in my grocery store that do not have the organic label, but do have the non-GMO label. Thank you so much - I absolutely love your website. Have a blessed day!
ReplyHi Anne, The way it works is that all certified organic products will be non-GMO, but not all certified non-GMO products will be organic. Your best bet is too buy products with a certified organic seal. If they've been certified organic by a third party, you can be confident that they're non-GMO as well. Kate - Joyous Health Team
So excited for book number 2! thanks for posting this, I will be trying my hand at home made dressings from now on.
Replyme too. health tips. this is good blog.
Hi Joyous Health, With the huge increase of people adding green smoothies and green drinks into their diet, I am wondering if you believe that they are good for everyone? I just started following an Ayurvedic diet and they say that too many greens or raw veggies can make Vata people feel worse. Do you have any thoughts on this? Thank you!
ReplyGreat point Sherry. Balance is key in all things, especially food. I do think there are some people who eat certain foods to an extreme. I agree, if you are vata then eating tons of raw foods is not the best fit. However, you can warm up a smoothie by adding good fats, nuts and seeds so that you don't have to eliminate foods that have superfood status like spinach or kale.
Hi Sherry, We are firm believers of the benefits of dark, leafy greens, since they are incredibly dense in beneficial nutrients in ways few other foods are. When your vata's out of whack, there are ways you can make theses foods more vata-friendly. Greens can be lightly steamed or sauteed to make them less cold and dry in nature. When you're using them in smoothies, try adding warming elements like ginger to warm up the whole recipe. Kate - Joyous Health Team
I tried your Kale and Beet salad with dressing last week for the first time and I absolutely love it and I never thought this gal would love a salad. I've been bragging it up to everyone who will listen! I have found I prefer the dressings with oil and lemon as the base...I don't seem to take to vinegars. I add some raw honey or org maple syrup and spices and I'm good to go. I love the video recipes!! Deb
ReplyHi Debbie, So glad to hear you're developing an appreciation for salads! They're a great way to get tons of nutrients and the right dressing can make all the difference taste-wise. Kate - Joyous Health Team
Thanks Debbie! Glad you tried it and loved that salad... we make it all the time! Be sure to try this creamy dressing, I think you'll love it too. Thanks so much for your comment.
I want to start doing food prep on Sundays and make my salad dressing ahead of time as I'm always tight for time in the mornings, and the evenings. First off, how should I be storing the dressing? Second, what types of dressings last the longest in the fridge, and how long do they last?
ReplyHi Lindsay, Airtight food storage containers with a glass bottom component are best for storing dressings. A dressing like the one on this post should keep 2-3 days in the fridge (give it a shake if it starts to separate). Kate - Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy! I have read on your blog before about the negative side effects of the birth control pill so I made the decision to stop taking it (after 16 years, yikes!) last September. Ever since, my skin has been a complete disaster. I have never had so much acne and so little glow in my life. Going on 4 months now, there is no end in sight. Do you have any suggestions about what I can add or remove to my diet to help speed up the process? I have never had acne so I have no clue where to even begin and eating organic/hormone free meats and eggs is getting me nowhere. Thank you!
ReplyHi Meagan, Joy's got two whole blog posts on clearing up your skin that you can find here
and here that have plenty of helpful tips on this subject. Hope this helps! Kate - Joyous Health TeamHi, my question is about food combining. I've read a lot about it, and the general consensuses is don't mix protein and starch, eat fruit alone, don't combine 2 proteins in one meal...I was wondering what your thoughts are on the subject. Thanks, Pamela
ReplyLooks delicious! Thanks for sharing! I'd love to try it myself! Greetings, Storage Poplar Ltd.
ReplyJoy--Is the 3/4 cup of water listed above the water in which you soak the cashews? Or is this an additional amount of water added to the blender when mixing the other ingredients? Thanks.
ReplyHi! Just wondering, how long will the dressing keep in the fridge? Thanks! Dera
ReplyHi Dera, It should keep for about a week in a sealed container in the fridge. Kate - Joyous Health Team
How long can this dressing be stored?
ReplyMy favorite salad dressing is ranch. I hate vinegar, oil, and sugar in my dressings.Do you have a good recipe?
ReplyHey Kella, I don't have a ranch dressing recipe but you might like the recipe in the post you're commenting on or this post: https://www.joyoushealth.com/25741-blog-3-delicious-healthy-salad-dressings Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Lovin it! Thk u!
Reply