Basil Flax Salad Dressing

Summer is nearly here! We’ve been waiting for that warm sunshine for months, and now we can finally embrace outdoor activities, fun in the sun, and new seasonal produce. Don your flip flops, T-shirts, and shorts and get ready to visit the local grocery store or farmer’s market. One of the best summer produce items is basil. Buy the fresh plant that looks healthy and thriving instead of the 10 leaves that supermarkets sell in plastic cases for $5.

Not only does fresh basil smell incredible, but it also tastes amazing. You can blend it into a homemade pesto, add it to pasta sauces, or make this fresh dressing. It is a nut-free, oil-free, raw vegan dressing that goes great on almost any salad. Because the basil exhibits such a strong, signature flavor profile, it goes great with tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens like arugula, Romaine, or kale. But basil isn’t the only ingredient that makes this dressing great.

Flaxseed, or ground flaxseed in the case of this dressing, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which work to encourage optimal heart and brain health. Several studies show that omega-3s also work to reduce inflammation. In addition to the ground flaxseed, this dressing includes fresh garlic cloves, sea salt, granulated onion, and water. That means that this is an oil-free, nut-free dressing, making this an excellent choice for anyone with a nut allergy.