I want to be a Goddess.
Or even better, a glowing Goddess.
Meow.
However, I don’t always feel like a Goddess in my day to day life.
Being a baker & food blogger covered in syrup, flour, and who knows what else on a daily basis isn’t exactly Goddess material. Neither is my worn apron with oats stuck to it, my lunch lady hair net, or my flustered red face when baking Glo Bars in the summer heat. And if you think I actually bake in heels, I’m sorry, I really am.
It’s frump town over here most days.
Frump.
Town.
Though when I do get dressed up for a special event, it’s extra special. This weekend I’ll be dressed to the nine’s for my brother-in-law’s wedding, complete with sparkly jewelry, an evening clutch, heels, and a cocktail dress. And if I’m lucky, a cocktail in my hand.
Berry lipgloss…much to Eric’s chagrin.
Shimmery eye shadow, black eye liner, and mascara.
I guess I better find that cocktail dress…
Sometimes, though, feeling like a Goddess comes from within. [OK, I might sound like a certain women’s shaving commercial at this point, but go with it.] Sometimes a workout makes me feel like a Goddess. I rocked out a 60 minute spin class this morning and I left dripping in sweat and beet red in the face. Total Goddess.
And often, FOOD makes me feel like a Goddess! That’s the best. Eating a vegan diet makes me feel like a Goddess. No matter what things in my life are going on that make me feel the opposite of a Goddess, sometimes all I need is one rockin’ recipe to give me a kick to my step.
This is that recipe.
Have you heard of the famous Green Goddess Dressing which is thought to hail from the Palace Hotel in San Francisco? It’s a pretty big deal. I finally decided that I would make a vegan version, cuz you know, the original has 3 cups of MAYO in it.
I don’t know who equated mayonnaise and feeling like a Goddess, but it must have been a man.
Ladies, this one is for you.
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Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
It’s light, yet smooth and creamy, and it has a great kick to it thanks to the lemon and apple cider. The fresh herbs give it a fresh and cleansing feel. Enjoy it over salads, vegetables, grains, pasta, as a dip for crackers, etc. Have fun changing up the fresh herbs in this recipe too. Next time I’m going to try fresh dill. Mmm. Goddess.
Inspired by Green Cuisine Cookbook found here.
Yield: 1.25 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup packed avocado flesh (2 small) (I heard Tahini might work in place of avocado, so Im trying this next!)
- 7-8 tbsp water
- 5 tbsp apple cider vinegar*
- 3-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup packed green onion (dark green part only, not white)
- 1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- Pinch of cayenne (optional)
- Sweetener, to taste (I used 1/2 tsp agave)
1. Add garlic clove to food processor and process until finely chopped.
2. Add in the water, oil, avocado, herbs & onion. Process until smooth. Now add in the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar slowly stopping to taste it every little bit. You might want to use less than I did as mine was quite tangy. Finally add in the salt to taste. I used 1 tsp.
3. LICK THE BOWL!
4. Store in an air tight container or jar in the fridge. Keeps for about 5 days.
Note: This dressing has a tangy kick to it from the ACV and lemon juice. If you aren’t a fan of a strong tangy flavour, I would suggest decreasing the amounts I used.
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Finger-licking good.
The avocado replaced the mayo in this recipe VERY well. Love avocado as a mayo replacer! This dressing would also be amazing poured over my Protein Powder Goddess Bowl. I will be trying that tonight!
I also won’t tell you how much I ate yesterday. That would be embarrassing…
Let’s just say I felt like a Goddess for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
P.S.- I had so much fun chatting with you on facebook yesterday! I’m pretty sure my productivity went down about 5 hours, but who’s counting? It’s so fun to get to know you guys on a more interactive level and see your lovely faces.
If you’re looking for me you can find me on Facebook asking random questions, gushing about food, posting pics, and rambling on about body image epiphanies.
Delicious! If it makes you feel better, I had my fair share of Fage Total FroYo yesterday. I’m ready for goddess time! :D
YES.
That is all.
Yes!
This looks and sounds amazing – what a great green colour! Thanks for sharing the recipe, I will try it soon.
No baking in heels, huh? Sounds a bit like me sewing in just my underwear. What can I say, summer is hot and sewing is better when I’m cool :)
This looks AMAZING! Can’t wait to see your wedding outfit! :)
me too haha. Must find dress.
Gorgeous green color! Avocado is pretty much amazing
I’ve tried Goddess dressing before and I didn’t like it — but seeing the ingredients you used makes me want to try your version — maybe I tried a mayo based one? How could avocado made into a dressing not be delicious?
this looks gorgeous!!!!
I’ve never had the green goddess dressing but I used to ADORE annie’s goddess dressing, until I found out I can’t eat it anymore thanks to it containing gluten. So thanks for an awesome looking alternative because I’m pretty sick of my usual balsamic and olive oil drizzles… they aren’t doing anything for my goddess status!
Balsamic & vinegar gets old pretty quickly. Try making other types of vinagarettes, there are so many tasty ones out there. I currently use a japanese ginger one that even my partner loves.
a salad without dressing is just a veggie tray. I’ve been avoiding salads for the past bit because I want dressing and haven’t found one I like. Can’t wait to try it. Oh and not that I think I’m better than you but if my kitchen looked like the picture you posted…I would think I’ve died and gone to heaven….whenever I walk into the kitchen it seams like all of my baking/cooking supplies just tumble out of the cabinets…they all want to join the party and the clean up is brutal.
I was turned off by the avocado due to its shelf life, but now that I read it can last a week in the fridge, I plan to put it on my to-try list. Thanks!
The week in the fridge is an estimate, but I will update it once I test it out. Also you can make a half batch!
I want to stick my face in this stuff
Oooh yummy! You must have had a boatload of basil delivered recently with all these fabulous recipes this week! Sounds like you had an awesome spin class this morning! :)
Love this! Avocado is my fave. How long will this keep in the fridge? Will the avocado turn brown or does all the acid keep it nice and green? Thanks!
I have no idea, but I suspect the ACV and lemon helps preserve it longer. I will update the recipe after I test it and see how long it keeps!
awesome, thanks! I will be making this today!
Awesome! I love green goddess dressing but it really is full of some gross stuff. This recipe sounds so light and creamy, perfect!
This looks so good! Have fun at the wedding cannot wait to see pictures!
haha there is NOTHING Goddess about all that mayo. Yeesh.
When I was recovering from a really dark time, I envisioned myself as a golden goddess and defined what that was for me – strong, independent, confident, loving. I love to draw, so I ended up sketching ‘the golden goddess’ which ended up being an image of me in the lightest most amazing light I could conjure up at the time. It was such a HUGE part of my recovery.
Thanks for the reminder ;)
Yummy! I feel healthier just looking at its lovely greenness :)
Thanks for posting this! I have always been kind of freaked out when it comes to mayonnaise (it’s sort of a weird food). To be honest, I won’t even try the vegan version!
I can’t wait to try this!
I havent tried the vegan version either.
Men and mayo just go together huh? I can’t think of anything more disgusting than eating plain straight up non-vegan mayo. YUCK! Love this avocado based dressing! I’ve never made a homemade dressing using avo as the base and am so excited to try! Generally speaking is avo a good equivalent to silken tofu in dressings, puddings, and the like?
Yes I would say so!
I love avocados in dressings! I have to give this one a go!
I had no idea the original had 3 C of mayo in it! OMG – I can’t believe I ate that.
Angela,
I drool reading your posts and love them (and you!) oh so much. How do you contain yourself from eating all the yummy batter, dressings and ingredients before it makes it to the table? I would be 10lbs heavier and never have a real meal because I wouldn’t be able to wait!
Cheers to you and health!
omg I definitely marked this baby. It looks amazing. Avocado is the best thing ever so I just don’t think this could be wrong.
Must try this!! Thanks so much!
Does anyone know about how many avocados would be 1 cup?
I think it was 2 small
Girl, you better believe I’ll be making this!!! I see it over brown rice – mmmm!
And I feel ya on the vegan diet – I’ve been slowly transitioning and I love how vibrant and alive it makes me feel!
This has got to be one of my favorite recipes you’ve ever posted!! here I say that and I haven’t even made it yet – but I will today! Even if I have to bribe the produce guy for ripe avocados :)
i love this recipe!! sounds amazing!
So funny — I posted on a vegan green goddess dressing today as well! :) Looks like our versions are different, but a funny coincidence nonetheless. Such a great way to incorporate some of those fresh herbs that are taking over the garden! Great minds think alike?! ;)
too funny! Soul sistas ;)
I love the opening part
“However, I don’t always feel like a Goddess in my day to day life. “– really? You don’t feel totally amazing every single day? Ha! What woman (or person) does!
Frump Town? You could never be fully in this category b/c you don’t have a baby yet. Once you become a mother not only are you covered in flour, but all kinds of bodily fluids, too. It’s a different kind of “being covered in”…lol
Seriously though…You are always stunning, Angela, seriously!! You are soooo gorgeous!
And this dressing, also a beauty!
I love creamy green food :)
Thanks for introducing me to green monsters! I’m addicted :P and I just made the *yummiest* one ever: http://livinglearningeating.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/blueberry-green-milkshake/. It had no right to be so delicious!
Glad you like them!!
I think this would be great in a pasta salad! Yum!
Hahaha – I would probably down that entire mason jar in around 15 minutes, so you’re definitely not alone. And I hear ya on the frump town – that’s me on the weekends because those are usually my baking days :)
Seriously, if there was any way I could jump off a diving board into that jar and eat my way out, I would. I totally would.
LOL!!
Your Green Goddess Dressing looks like a winner!
The first Green Goddess Dressing I tried was from Elana’s Pantry (http://www.elanaspantry.com/green-goddess-dressing/) and it is fabulous. Also gluten free and vegan.
Ange — you definitely rock the goddess status every single day! I loved this post – and I love this dressing!!! I will definitely be trying it out on your protein power goddess bowl (it’s one of my faves)! Have fun at the wedding!
mmm that looks amazing!!! and totally reminds me of my childhood being raised by hippies that all referred to themselves as goddesses. haha
Are you calling me a hippie? lol jk
I’ve been making a vegan goddess dressing for several weeks now, absolutely obsessed with it. Although, I use tahini instead of avocado, and dill as my main herb of choice. I’ve been putting it on everything lately.
I’ll be trying that next! It might keep longer with tahini too :)
I’m gong to love this to spice up my salads this summer.
HUBBA HUBBA!! Could this dressing get any hotter?! I love how you say you don’t always feel like a goddess, because I think we ALL see you as a goddess…a beautiful one every day :)
Happy Friday Love!
xxoo
First the pesto…now this!!! I am in topping heaven!!!! :)
I’ve heard of this dressing before but never quite knew what was in it. I love your version. It’s like pesto with avocado, what’s not to love?
Oh I wanna be a goddess too :) I’ll be making this ASAP!
This is perfect! I’m always looking for ways to lighten up salad dressing.
you ARE a goddess. Don’t ever doubt that.
Where do you add the avocado? Did I miss it in the recipe? Otherwise it looks great! :)
oops added that in, thanks!
Now it definitely looks delicious!
Interesting… sounds tasty!
How long do you think it would last?
I’m looking for an awesome salad dressing recipe for a bbq this weekend, maybe this is the one (if I can find avocados!)
not sure but Ill update as soon as I test it out!
LOL, Angela, I laughed at your 3 cups of mayo comment! And avocados are like nature’s mayo. Or something.
I love how proud you are of your vegan diet and how you bask in all the positive benefits. :)
This looks great, Angela! When I first started eating salad (it was the end of highschool- embarrassing but true!) Annie’s Goddess Dressing was all I ate! I’ve since expanded my tastes quite a bit and haven’t had goddess dressing in years! I’m glad you posted this so I can give a healthy vegan version a go!