Let’s get Ranchy!
23 Mar

Let’s get Ranchy!

Upon my recent trip to the United States there were two words on everyone’s culinary minds… Ranch Dressing. I remember trying it years ago when I was working on a cruise ship however, didn’t really notice what all the fuss was about.

Everyone was obsessing over it at every restaurant that I went to and I will admit I tried it again…and liked it. I really don’t want to know what is in it so I thought I would try my hand at making a healthier alternative.

This recipe is quick to make, simple, uses real ingredients and you can change it around a little bit to suit your taste buds and dietary needs. One way to make it your own would be to add some spices of your choice. Like it hot? Add some Cayenne pepper or chilli flakes.

Want it a little bit sweeter? Add some more honey or liquid sweetener of choice. Rice Malt Syrup is great if you are cautious of fructose levels. Think the recipe is too sweet? Omit some liquid sweetener and add some more lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.

I personally would add some sweet paprika too… only because I love the stuff! I love the taste and it has endless benefits!

Paprika Benefits

Cumin would be another great spice to add. I have used Cumin in the image below to garnish with. Please note the spinach leaves are a garnish too… no spinach was used in this recipe.

That being said though… spinach would be great if you wanted to trick the kids. Or the big kids. Spinach has a very mild taste so you would be getting the benefits of raw spinach without an overpowering taste!

I have used almonds and macadamias as a base for this recipe. You could use cashews if you wanted though. I was trying to empty our recipe cupboard.

You could also add some freshly cut dill to this recipe or some finely chopped parsley. Endless possibilities!

Healthy Ranch Dressing Recipe

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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup blanched almonds
  • 1/4 cup macadamia nuts
  • 3/4 cup water (or a little more if you want a thinner consistency)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons agave nectar (or honey) (or maple syrup)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Method

  1. Soak your nuts for about 5 hours and rinse well.
  2. Put all the ingredients into the Vitamix 2L container in the order listed and secure the lid.
  3. Turn your machine onto variable speed one, quickly move up to variable speed 10 and then override to HIGH speed.
  4. Use your tamper to push ingredients down to the blade effectively.
  5. Add water if needed to reach your desired consistency.
  6. Store this dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3 day.

I loved this recipe for dipping veggie sticks, pouring all over a freshly made salad, served with some roast veggies or a nice addition to a scrumptious homemade burger. The choices are endless! So get creative!

Happy Blending Everyone!

2 Reviews for “Let’s get Ranchy!”

    1. Ahhhh that’s so good to hear! I don’t see why you couldn’t freeze it 🙂 It might be a little hard to thaw but you could always let it sit out for a while then when it softens put it into the Vitamix 🙂 So glad you like it! Happy Blending!

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