Basil Dressing
Summer 2014: I was pregnant with my 4th baby and a sweet friend who I had originally met at Le Leche League meetings and midwife circle 6 years prior was also pregnant again. She was expecting her 7th baby and one of her closest friends had just moved out of state. She has always been smart about creating community, and I was lucky to become her new bestie :) I mean, we didn’t become best friends instantly that summer, but bonding over yummy home-cooked meals and prioritizing weekly park days definitely deepened our friendship. Our kids really enjoyed each other too so there was no turning back... especially once they decided to relocate from across town and live on our street! Seriously - could life get any better? I felt like I had hit the jackpot! A fellow home birth and homeschool friend as a neighbor who happens to be a domestic goddess from heaven? Dreams do come true! And although they no longer live on our street I have fond memories and continue to learn so much from her 7 years later.
Inspired by the basil dressing she made from the cookbook Simply In Season, I was determined to make my own version - loaded with fresh basil from our garden. I quadrupled the basil, increased the olive oil, added some honey for balance, and blended it instead of taking the time to finely julienne the basil and shaking it all together like a vinaigrette in the original recipe. What resulted was a thick creamy dressing that can be used as a dip or spread as well. I love putting it in a squeezy bottle - another handy trick I learned from her. Just remember to take it out of the fridge in advance so it’s not too thick. But you could always place the bottle in a bowl of warm water if you forget!
Now back to that first summer.
She impressed me with a huge veggie pasta salad with raw chopped veggies as a side one night. Everyone then topped their portion with basil dressing (I recommend some crumbled feta too as an additional topping option).
Sounds simple enough, right? The dressing was sooo flavorful and I was hooked. Even the kids ate heaps of fresh veggies...anything for pasta ;)
This is the perfect dressing to have on hand all summer long!
It jazzes up:
green salads
sandwiches
wraps
cold pasta salads
and makes a great dip for veggies
My middle son even dipped his cheese danish in it once at the park. Picture for proof. It’s THAT good…or he’s totally bizarre.
Probably both.
Okay, so now I’ve convinced you how amazing it tastes, but did you know basil is considered the King of Herbs and has many health benefits? Fresh basil is packed with antioxidants and has the ability to help fight heart disease, diabetes, bacterial and fungal infections, viruses, inflammation, and more.
So grab a big bunch and tell me what you think!
Basil Dressing
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes:
This dressing lasts at least 2 weeks in the refrigerator, but chances are you will use it on everything! My 3 boys eat it by the spoonful if I let them! Enjoy!
