“Caesar-Style” Salad Dressing (Vegan)

This vegan salad dressing is you ceasar-style but dairy-free and anchovy free.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 Cup Coconut Yogurt (or other non-dairy based yogurt)
• 1 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 TBSP Lemon Juice
• 1/2 clove of Garlic
• 1 tsp capers, minced
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• black pepper (I used 2 twists, fresh cracked)

METHOD:

1. Place all of the ingredients into a blender.
2. Whirl.
3. Taste. Add pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings, as needed.
4. Enjoy right away, or store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

NOTES:

This is good served over romaine lettuce. But it is also good as a salad dressing over any greens. Capers grow in a plant family which is closely related to cabbage and mustard. Capers give this vegan dish its saltiness, which is a substitute for anchovies which are traditionally used in the non-vegan version.

Poultry Seasoning

This is a vegan spice mix, you can make at home. There is no poultry in poultry seasoning. This is adjusted to remove allergens specific to the people I am cooking for.

INGREDIENTS:

• Celery Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Parsley
• Onion Powder (adds browning, without sugar)
• Sage
• Thyme

METHOD:

Place the spices, in relatively equal amounts into a bowl or jar. Mix. Store in air-tight container.

NOTES:

Great by itself, sprinkled on poultry before baking, added to breading (flour, arrowroot, chickpea flour, etc) in a bag for a shake-n-bake style seasoned coating, or in vegan meat substitute recipes.

Works great for Turkey Nuggets!

Refrigerator Pickles

Home made, versitle, low-carb, keto friendly refrigerator pickles. You can make these seasoned either: sweet, garlic, 5-spice, old bay, dill, or any other spices/blends you can think of!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lbs fresh Mini Cucumbers
• Filtered Water
• Vinegar
  
• Sweetener of choice
• 1 recycled jar, clean.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Start by washing, and drying, the fresh cucumbers.
• Cut off ends of cucumbers (Note: if your neighbors have chickens, consider the ends chicken food; or compost.)
• Thinly slice cucumbers.
• Add fresh cucumbers to jar.
• Boil together 3/4 cup water, 3/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup sweetener (to taste).
• Allow mixture to cool.
• Pour over cucumbers as prepared previously in the jar.
• Remove air bubbles.
• Close top. Store in fridge.

Cheesy Potatoes

Ingredients:

• Hash-Brown Potatoes (frozen or shred your own)
• Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 Onion (minced)
• 2 Cups Sharp Cheese
• 1 stick butter

 

Directions:

1. Empty the frozen hash browns into a 9×13 pan.
2. Add one minced onion.  Stir well to incorporate.
3. Add one box Cream of Chicken Soup.  Stir well to incorporate.
4. Add salt and pepper.  Stir well to incorporate.
5. Add 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese.  Blend in well.
6. Level the mixture in the pan.
7. Top with 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese.
8. Cover and place in fridge overnight.
9. Bake 375 for 1 hour.  It is done when the cheese is golden and crispy along the edges without being burned.

YIELD: One  9×13 pan

Copy Cat Recipe similar to Cracker Barrel’s Potato Casserole.  This recipe can be made ahead and baked later. It is suitable to use as a freezer meal–by the ingredients when they are on sale, make them up, freeze, thaw over night in the fridge, bake for an hour when needed.

Tip: I also have a lower carb version of this recipe, which doesn’t use potatoes as the base.