3 Badass Dressings

The Little Black Dressings of a green leaf's wardrobe

I'm coming to you today with some of my favourite ways to prep crunchy summer salads. These recipes lean into the way I want to cook and eat right now … all vibrant, veg-forward dishes.

Health-pumped recipes like these will help you nudge store-bought dressings off your shopping list, and chanel more greens into your system. Yahtzee! I want to maximise your nutritional input with every crunch and crumb. And why not, if it helps us lead longer or better quality lives?

I couldn't resist the classic French mustard dressing this week. Massage boring strands of kale into submission with this beautiful simple dressing, and witness a dark green leafy turn into a Super Nova in seconds.

The miso butter recipe can be made with ghee or well-chosen vegan butter. You could dress a flip flop in this recipe and it would still taste sensational (particularly handy in convincing the entire family to eat broccoli and kale on a regular basis) . We choose sturdy Little Gem lettuce which can withstand a warm dressing, or BBQ wedges of hispi cabbage with breadcrumbs on top. Designed to bewitch any green leaf or guest in your orbit this summer.  

The Caesar salad has made a comeback this summer, so I'm gifting you with an omega-3 plant-powered version. (Yes, hemp seed comes from the same plant species as marijuana, but it is entirely legal and non-psychoactive. Sorry). The traditional Caesar dressing is lip smackingly good - all that Parmesan and anchovy umaminess. The challenge to make Caesar salad entirely plant-based seems impossible at best, and sacrilegious at worst. But as the (self-elected) head of a flexitarian family with vegan guests regularly at my table, I'm in charge of alchemising our favourite meals into plant-powered dishes of diplomacy that don't exclude anyone from the table. More like Mary McAleese than Mary Berry. But of course, feel free to add Parmesan and chicken for the carnivores!

Last week's Thai dressing is also so good mizzled over buckwheat soba noodles with added mint, chopped scallions or peanuts. Oh, and a six minute jammy egg! You can chill the noodles 'restaurant-style' under cold running water once cooked, to stop them sticking together.

Ready to mainline some green leaves into your summer?