My First Successful Recipe Experiment WOOT! Spicy Cilantro Ranch Dressing

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I have been enjoying a change in lifestyle that includes eliminating animal-based foods and adding more raw foods. Choosingraw.com has become one of my daily staples for recipe inspiration, and so far 99% of Gena's recipes have been outstanding and only needed a little tweaking to suit my tastes for heat mostly. My current staples are the Quinoa Protein Bowl (sans squash if not available and topped with loads of Sriracha), the Banana Breakfast Sushi (substituting peanut butter and honey for almond butter and agave), the Blueberry Pancakes (adding a tsp of Nutmeg.)

I've come to the realization that eating a raw diet, not unlike any other diet, is all about sauces, only with a raw diet rather than a sauce pan, you are whooshing ingredients together in a blender including sauces, smoothies, and most of all dressings. Last night I decided to branch out and try to re-invent one of my old favorites and it turned out great!. Here's what you'll need to make it:

Spicy Cilantro Avocado Ranch Dressing

• 1 Cup cashews (soaked at least one hour)
• Juice of 3 limes and 1 lemon
• 1/2 Cup cold water
• 1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast
• 1 bunch Cilantro - stems removed
• 1 Jalapeño
• 1 Avocado
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and drench leafy greens with this stuff! I tossed mine with julienned carrots, cucumber slices, romaine, swiss chard and sprouts served alongside swiss chard stuffed with curried cauliflower rice (the jury's still out on that recipe, but the raw marinara sauce on top was divine.) Slurp!