Sometimes in the middle of the holiday season, in between the egg nog, hot cocoa, Christmas cookies and everything else this season brings, I need something fresh, something bright, something healthy. I find myself craving a fresh salad or a crisp pear or this super easy and super refreshing carrot ginger dressing. It’s a “goes-with-everything” kind of dressing. Great on quinoa bowls, farmer’s market greens, steamed veggies or as dip with crudités. Everyone knows the nutritional benefits of a fresh carrot, including benefitting eye health. A carrot is loaded with beta carotene, vitamin K, minerals and fiber. Ginger is great for digestion as well being anti-inflammatory, and it can help cut cholesterol. This dressing has a distinct Japanese flair with the rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil. Keeps in the fridge for 5 days, and is easy to make, quick (clocking in at 10 minutes) and super simple, capping at 9 ingredients. The dressing is pretty thick but you can adjust the measurements of the oils and rice vinegar to fit your palate and purpose.

Makes about 1.5 cups/400 grams/ Preparation time - 11 minutes

Gather 

1 and 1/2 carrots, about 1 and 1/4 cup/315 grams, peeled and cut into bite size pieces

6 scallions, white parts only, chopped

1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

3-inch piece cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into bite size pieces

1 tablespoon / 14.3 g maple syrup (cut out if avoiding sugar)

2 tablespoons / 29.57 ml rice vinegar

1/2 cup / 118 ml olive oil

1 tablespoon / 14.79 ml toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon/ 2.84 g salt

Make

Place the first four ingredients into a bowl of a food processor and run for 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides.

Add the maple syrup and rice vinegar and process another 15 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides.

Add the oils and the salt and process for 1 minute.

Transfer to a jar or container and serve.

Recipe developed by Anna Getty of Amalgam Kitchen.

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