Recipe of the Week: Creamy Peppercorn Ranch Dressing

One area where I often draw blanks when it comes to recipe creation is dressings. And to make matters worse, I'm also rather picky in that department. For instance I don't care much for oily dressings, usually subbing part of the oil called for with avocado, nor do I like completely fat free ones. So you'll understand my excitement that in the last week or so I've discovered not one but two dressings that I adore! Woo hoo! No worries, I'll share both of them with you. ;-)

Let's start with a wonderfully creamy dressing that was submitted by Natalia of Glowing Temple, for Living Light's 2010 Hot Raw Chef contest. It totally rawks! Soooooo creamy and flavorful! For some reason it almost tastes like parmesan to me. Anyhoo, an absolute must try!


Creamy Peppercorn Ranch Dressing
By Natalia of Glowing Temple
Submitted to Living Light's 2010 Hot Raw Chef contest

Yields about 2 1/4 cups

1/3 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup (shelled hemp seeds (aka hemp heart)
5 cloves garlic
2 tsp black peppercorn
1 tsp sea salt
--
1 cup cold pressed olive oil

Blend all ingredients except olive oil in blender until smooth.

Add the olive oil through the top's small opening while the blender is running, starting at low speed and quickly going to high (the process should only take a few seconds.)

Carmella's Notes:
~ I used more like 3/4 cup water as I found it too thick for my taste.

~ As Natalia points out in her video, it sounds like a lot of garlic but the flavor isn't overwhelming at all.