Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes: Creamy Cashew and Roasted Beet Salad

Sometimes we just need a meal that grounds us without making us feel heavy. A salad with simple, roasted root veggies can do just that. Full of fiber, beets are filling and have just enough sweetness to brighten your mood. Fresh rosemary blended with garlic, lemon juice, and cashews creates a delicious dressing that is at once bright and rich–the perfect complement to earthy beets, sprouts, sunflower seeds, and mixed greens.

In addition to their lovely magenta hue, beets are very loving to our livers, help oxygenate our blood, and provide the body with a bundle of antioxidants and trace minerals.

This salad works beautifully alone or paired with a heart-warming squash soup.

Roasted Beet Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing

Ingredients:

(Serves 2-3)

3 small beets, washed and skinned

1 tbs. olive oil

1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. sea salt, divided

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

3 generous handfuls of mixed salad greens

1 handful raw sunflower seeds

2 handfuls alfalfa, broccoli, or clover sprouts

2/3 cups raw cashews

1/4 cup filtered water

2 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 clove of garlic, peeled

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, de-stemmed

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

2. Wash and skin beets. Slice into thin rounds and toss in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Spread beet slices on a cooking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove sheet from oven, turn over each slice, and bake for another 15 minutes, or until beet slices are fork-tender.

3. In a high-speed blender, mix water, 1/2 tsp. sea salt, lemon juice, cashews, garlic, and rosemary. The mixture should have the consistency of creamy salad dressing. Add more water if necessary. Set aside.

4. On large plates, create a bed of mixed greens. Top with sprouts, roasted beet slices, and raw sunflower seeds. Finish with a generous drizzle of cashew dressing.