I Love Cilantro--Try this Oil Free Dressing

There's a lot of learning when you become a vegan. I'll be honest, on my days off, like today, I plan menus for the week, and shop for its ingredients. It takes a lot of time, but I see it as an investment in my health. And, remember, I am making lunch and dinner, so I need to really prepare well. I am not a fan of leftovers, so I really do make a lot of food so that my lunch and dinner are totally different meals. That's just me.

One thing that takes time shopping is reading labels. I try my best to shop the perimeter of the grocery store, but sometimes, I need "staples." I am learning that things I once thought as healthy are almost pure crap. My new motto is, "If it ain't from the ground, don't keep it around."

I have grown very fond of cilantro, which, as you may know, are the leaves to the coriander plant! I see it more than a garnish, and now incorporate it into the actual base of salads instead of lettuce. It is full of vitamins C and A. The small graph below gives you a better understanding of cilantro and just how wonderful it is.

Coriander leaves, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	95 kJ (23 kcal)
Carbohydrates	4 g
Dietary fiber	3 g
Fat	0.5 g
Protein	2 g
Vitamin A equiv.	337 μg (37%)
Vitamin C	27 mg (45%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

And, here's a recipe for Cilantro Dressing...I know you will like it. Good on tomatoes.

Cilantro Dressing

Head of Cilantro
2 Lemons or Limes
2 cloves of grated garlic
1/4 cup of water
half an avocado
salt (your choice)

What to do:

Snip the cilantro and place it and all the other ingredients into your blender. Use the juice of the lime (or lemon) to BLEND until you have a smooth looking dressing. If it is too thick, add more water. You won't need oil, as the avocado kicks in for you. However, if you need to, olive oil might work. Remember, I am oil free.

Get some Heirloom tomatoes and slice into 1/4 inch slices, pour dressing over tomatoes. You have a perfect salad.

This is an adventure. Being a vegan works for me, and I hope you will give thought to just trying the vegan life for 28 days. Not forever, just for 28 days. I've listed various resources throughout the blog, but if you have any questions, let me know. In the meantime, try the salad dressing and have a gorgeous day!