Add this to your pantry!
Every salad dressing should start with a little acid to give it zing!
Find a favorite vinegar to use. Mine is Umeboshi Plum but I also like Champagne or Rice vinegar.
Utilize the juice from jars of roasted red pepper, Kalamata olives, dill pickles or peppers and add it to your dressing.
Empty a can of green olives into a blender and use the blended olives in a dressing instead of olive oil. Kalamata or black olives work to but they are not very pretty.
Have left over marinara sauce?
Try adding some to a little Apple Cider vinegar to it to make a fantastic tomato based Italian dressing.
Throw your cilantro or parsley stems into a blender and use the puree in a dressing.
Cilantro, Serrano chili, garlic, lime juice and vinegar make a fantastic dressing for a taco salad!
Hummus also works well as a thickener but don’t just make it with chick peas! Try other beans or vegetable puree’s as well.
Tahini, silken tofu, unsweetened coconut milk yogurt, 
blended cashews or sunflower seeds, full fat coconut milk, or even a cooked potato or squash can all be used for a cream based dressing.
Hungry yet?
One of the easiest and most 
delicious dressings I make is simply orange juice, unsweetened Coconut milk yogurt and Umeboshi Plum vinegar! Cut the fruit over a bowl for your salad and use the juice in your dressing.
Applesauce is great in a salad dressing! It makes it clingy and slightly sweet. Great for a cole slaw too!
Want something sweet? You can add a little maple syrup or honey but try melting some organic, naturally sweetened jam! Raspberry jam and umeboshi plum vinegar are delicious together. Add a little unsweetened coconut milk yogurt to make it creamier.
Pureed fruit, lemon, lime juice and other fruit juice can all be used in your dressing!
Pureed garlic or ginger are fast and easy additions to a dressing.
Boiled vegetables like potatoes, carrots, or zucchini mixed with lemon or lime juice, vinegar or water and blended very fine can be an excellent base for a dressing.
Don’t be afraid to use sesame seeds, capers, crushed peppercorns, celery seed or mustard seed in your dressing! They can add a much needed punch.
Buy a tube of concentrated tomato paste and add a tablespoon to your dressing for a lovely tomato based dressing. Turn creamy French dressing into Catalina with a simple addition of tomato paste.
Check out my Mustard Ranch, or Green Goddess dressings! Yum!
Citrus juices, Coconut Amino’s, Tamari, hot sauce, Ponzu, Mirin are some other options to try besides vinegar.
