Tomato and Herb Salad Dressing

Homegrown frozen cherry tomatoes and dried basil have more flavor than the fresh options I could buy at the store right now for a salad. Learn more at TwiceasTasty.com.
In winter months, when the ground is frozen and blanketed in snow, I rarely buy and eat fresh greens. But as the soil warms and spring greens sprout in my garden, I start eating salads—daily. The first ones feature mounds of greens and herbs sparsely dotted with other vegetables. When my lettuces bolt and turn bitter, tomatoes, cucumbers, and snap beans take over. Beets, carrots, and kale, plus a small flush of spinach, bump up against the first snowfall.

This type of seasonal salad building means you rarely find a mix of lettuce, tomato, and cucumber in my bowl. But as I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, you can still enjoy flavor pairings produced in different seasons. The secret is simple: make your own salad dressing. Homegrown frozen cherry tomatoes and dried basil have far more flavor than the fresh options you could buy at the store right now. In an easy dressing, they give summery flair to spring greens.
Learn to make Tomato and Herb Salad Dressing

Green Goddess Salad Dressing

This creamy avocado-based dressing appeals to many dietary needs: vegan, gluten free, keto friendly, and more. Learn more at TwiceasTasty.com.
I’m such a lover of all things pickled and fermented that most of my salad dressings start with vinegar and oil. So when I was asked to create some condiments for a large dinner a few years back, I knew I needed to branch out not just with a creamy choice but also one that would appeal to as many dietary needs as possible: vegan, gluten free, keto friendly, and more. That’s why the salad dressing I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon eschews the original mayonnaise and other dairy-heavy renditions in favor of a dairy-free, avocado-based blend.

Avocados have grown in popularity as a nondairy fat replacement in baked goods—the same way I often replace oil and butter in quick breads with applesauce. I occasionally use avocados in this way, especially when making desserts for vegan friends. But I typically eat avocados sliced fresh, such as on corn tortillas with Crispy Sprouted Lentils, or turn them into Grilled Onion Guacamole. I even have a recipe for pickling them in my pickling cookbook. If you like tangy salads, try the pickled avocado slices in the green goddess dressing.
Learn to make Green Goddess Salad Dressing