Acid-Free Salad Dressings

Now that I am on the acid-reflux diet, I have a love/hate relationship with salad. As a healthy eater, salad is a big part of my regular routine. I eat at least one salad a day. I’ve always loved salad, even as a kid. When the doctor put me on the acid reflux diet, I was told to stop eating vinegar and citrus – basically, all salad dressing.

So, I have a confession to make. Salad is my cheat. I know, it sounds crazy – if I’m going to cheat, shouldn’t it be on something indulgent? Well, salad makes me feel good – just in a different way. It’s refreshing, tasty, and I feel great afterwards. I go light on the pour, and pick dressings made with berries, as they tend to have less vinegar. Still, I know I’m not doing what’s right for my belly.

I needed to find “better belly” salad dressings. I did some experimentation and created two salad dressings that not only lack acid, but are extremely healthy.

Creamy Dill dressing
This creamy dressing also makes a great dip for crudités. It’s also vegan.

• Three quarters of a cup silken tofu
• Half a large cucumber
• Half a teaspoon chopped fresh dill
• Quarter teaspoon salt

Peel cucumber and remove seeds.
Grate cucumber onto dishcloth, squeeze contents to remove excess water.
Combine all ingredients with a blender until mix is smooth.

Caesar Dressing
• Half cup silken tofu
• Quarter cup extra virgin olive oil
• Quarter teaspoon anchovy paste (or more, to taste)
• Quarter teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients with a blender until smooth.