Fresh Basil Vinaigrette: One Salad Dressing You Need for Every Salad (AIP, Gluten-Free)

Heather Arcay
Jun 18, 2022
2 min read

A little background info first

Have you ever heard of the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet? It’s for those with autoimmune diseases to reduce inflammation in their body and to help prevent a large variety of flare ups that can lead to recurring issues. This diet should be in conjunction with supplements that helps regulate optimal cellular health suited to your needs and autoimmune deficiency. This diet has been recently prescribed to me by my functional medicine doctor along with my supplements based on blood work results. The idea is to slowly add foods back in phases to test if there’s any reactions.

The challenge for me was my go-to essentials like coffee, chocolate, rice, grains, potatoes, and adult beverages but I have to tell you that I’m feeling lighter, less foggy brained and my skin and nails look and feel healthier.

The AIP consists of no coffee, no chocolate, no grains, no beans, no corn, no nuts/seeds, no nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, tomatillos, tobacco, goji, gooseberry), no dairy, and no eggs. No coriander or nutmeg spice. No cayenne pepper or anything like it.

Yes to meat, seafood, fruits, veggies, and spices as long as they're not nightshades or seeds. Yes to coconut, black pepper, and sweet potatoes. WHEW!!!

There are specific guidelines to be conscious of and it includes a lot of label reading which will typically cut out approximately 90% of anything with a label. The best way to stay on track is just make your meals and snacks with fresh meat, fruits and veggies with consideration to the restrictions above. It’s not only the safest option because you know what it’s made of but also gratifying to learn new recipes from scratch.

Fresh Basil Vinaigrette

I bet that you would agree, that a good looking salad becomes even better if the dressing has a wonderful aroma and taste. Go ahead and do your crispy greens justice and pair them with a healthy homemade dressing made from wholesome, bright, and fresh flavors.

This takes about 10 min or less, smells amazingly fresh and tastes so good you’ll want to lick the plate clean, I'm not even kidding!

SERVING SIZE: 2

YIELD: 3 oz

PREP TIME: 10 min

COOK TIME: 0

INGREDIENTS

4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Lemon juice - fresh squeezed
1 tsp Honey (preferably locally sourced & raw)
Basil Fresh leaves, approx ¼ cup lightly filled
Arugula Fresh leaves, approx ¼ cup lightly filled
Salt To taste
Pepper To taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Put all ingredients into a smaller bullet blender or full size, add the honey last since it's sticky it will be closest to the blade and mix well.
Blend until smooth and most of the greens are very fine, a creamy-like consistency.
Pour into a salad dressing container or something to easily pour.
May refrigerate for up to 3 days, shake well before use.