Italian Dressing (Vegan & Paleo)

I need to start off by saying one thing, I love condiments, I really do. I was raised on condiments. As a young child I absolutely loved to slather my chicken nuggets in BBQ sauce, my burgers would overflow with mayonnaise, my potatoes were covered in mountains of sour cream, and if I had happened to have eaten any vegetables I can guarantee they were slathered in salad dressing. Of course this was just another factor which contributed to my sugar addiction, as virtually all  commercially made condiments contain large amounts of high fructose corn syrup, or other kinds of sweeteners.

Both corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup are unhealthy for a number of reasons, one being that they are highly processed and contain many chemicals, including trace amounts of mercury. Most sugar is made up of both fructose and glucose, but high fructose corn syrup is chemically separated so that it contains just fructose. When eaten that fructose goes straight to our livers, and causes fat deposits, or fatty liver disease which is a precursor to Type 2 Diabetes.

Another good reason to avoid commercially made condiments is because they're most often made with unhealthy oils like canola, or vegetable oils. These oils are high in trans fat, which raise LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, and lowers HDL (good cholesterol) levels. These oils are also what's known as hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated oils, which means that they've undergone a chemical process by which the oils are treated with hydrogen to break their natural chemical bonds. This makes the oils solid at room temperature, and thus more shelf stable, which is why processed foods last much longer than their more natural counterparts.

Healthy fats include coconut oil, grass fed ghee (clarified butter), and extra virgin olive oil; though each one of these fats is better suited for different kinds of food. All fats have what's known as a smoke point, or a point at which they begin to burn. Once an oil reaches its smoke point it becomes carcinogenic, and shouldn't be eaten. Olive oil has the lowest smoke point, at 320 degrees, and is best used for cold dishes and salad dressings, which is what I used for this dressing recipe.

Italian Dressing (Vegan & Paleo)

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:

-2/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-1/4 cup raw Apple Cider Vinegar

-1 Tbsp Raw Honey or Maple Syrup (optional)

Seasonings:

-2 tsp Dried Oregano

-1/4 tsp dried Thyme

-1/2 tsp Dried Basil

-1/2 tsp Dried Parsley

-1 tsp Garlic Powder

-1 tsp Onion Powder

-1/4 tsp Dried Mustard

-1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt

-1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

 

Why Apple Cider Vinegar instead of regular white? Well, for a multitude of reasons. Raw apple cider vinegar is made by introducing yeast to crushed apples, which begins the fermentation process. Next, bacteria is added which helps convert alcohol into acetic acid, the main component in apple cider vinegar. ACV has been shown to be beneficial for diabetics in controlling blood sugar, raw ACV also contains the "mother," which are strands of proteins, enzymes, and probiotics which can aid digestion. Probiotics are also highly beneficial for those that suffer with mental disorders like anxiety, and depression. Here's a great article briefly describing how gut health plays a role in mental health, and here's the brand of raw ACV that I use, which you can buy at any health food store, I buy it at Whole Foods.

Method:

-Measure out your olive oil & apple cider vinegar into a bowl, and add all of your spices. Whisk together all of your ingredients. This dressing can be saved in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days.