Avocado Lemon Basil Dressing

This post is a bit late, my apologies, it's been a busy summer with a very active two year old on my hands. Because of that I like to keep lunch really simple, since I'm usually trying to squeeze in a quick, uninterrupted meal during my daughter's nap. Most days it's either a wrap, or a salad, with one of a few different dressings that I like to make to help keep it interesting. We've had an overload of avocados recently, so I've been using that as a base for many of my dressings.

Avocados are a wonderfully nutritious food that I try to incorporate into my meals everyday. They contain in excess of 25 essential nutrients, including vitamin A, B6, C, E, K, copper, iron, magnesium & potassium (60% more than bananas!). They also contain fiber, protein, and are chock full of healthy fat that our hearts and brains need to function an optimal level. So here's just one avocado dressing recipe that I enjoy using.

Super Simple Summer Salad & Avocado Lemon Basil Dressing

For the Salad:

-1/2 Cucumber

-1/2 small/medium Zucchini

-2 Carrots

-1 Tomato

-1/4 Red Onion

(but of course you can use any veggies & fruits that you like)

For the Dressing:

-1 medium/large Avocado

-1 large Lemon

-1 Lime

-1 or 2 cloves Garlic

-2 bunches of fresh Basil

-1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Method:

Thinly slice, or chop all your veggies for the salad. I used my Norpro mandoline slicer, which I got off Amazon for less than $20. Definitely worth the money since I use this handy gadget nearly everyday. 

For the dressing scoop your avocado into a blender, add basil, lime juice, depending on how lemony you like it add the juice from half or more of your large lemon.

Chop 1-2 cloves of garlic, I added two because I like the sort of mild spiciness that it adds. Add about 1/4 cup water, and blend until a smooth, even consistency is achieved. For a thinner consistency simply add a little more water.

Now just layer this creamy dressing right onto your salad. It actually makes quite a bit, probably enough for two salads, so if you wanted to save some for the next day just pop it in a container and leave it in the refrigerator for no more than 1-2 days. Now just sit down and enjoy this super simple, incredibly scrumptious salad.