I recently wrote about making homemade salad dressings. This led me down-a-rabbit-hole searching for more recipes. There are lots available and I hope you’re looking for them and experimenting with your own.

One recipe that absolutely excited me and made me want to try immediately was for homemade Caesar Dressing from N.C. Cooperative Extension’s own Med Instead of Meds website. The dressing is a safe alternative to traditional homemade Caesar dressing because it contains no raw eggs. The calorie count is also much lower than store-bought.

Anchovies are optional but really add a depth of flavor. You could use a little anchovy paste instead. If you are a fan of garlic, add crushed garlic to the dressing.

Caesar Dressing

• 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 anchovy filets, finely chopped (optional)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

To make the dressing, add the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and anchovies (if you are using) to a medium bowl and mix well. Whisk in the tablespoon of olive oil to complete the dressing. Add the dressing to your favorite salad. This recipe makes 12 servings (2 tablespoons each) with only 61 calories each. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to one week.The Med Instead of Meds folks take this one more step. They mix their homemade Caesar dressing with Brussels Sprouts. Instead of the whole little cabbage-like sprouts this recipe uses shaved Brussels sprouts. Many grocery stores are now offering them already shaved, but if you can’t find them, cut each sprout into thin slices. These little shaved sprouts are also great to eat raw and add crunch to a green salad.

Brussels Sprouts Caesar

• 1 pound Brussels Sprouts, shaved
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded
• ½ cup homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or stir fry pan. Add the shaved Brussels sprouts and cook for 7-15 minutes depending on how crunchy you like your sprouts. Make sure to get some char on the leaves.                                                        Transfer the Brussels sprouts from the pan to a large bowl. Allow to cool slightly. Combine the warm Brussels Sprouts with the dressing. Divide the salad into 4 servings. Sprinkle each serving with a pinch of Parmesan cheese. This recipe makes four servings (with the dressing) of about one cup each. Each serving contains 220 calories, with 20 grams of fat and 540 grams of sodium.

The Med Instead of Meds program was developed by N.C. Cooperative Extension Service and NC Division of Public Health. This program focuses on the Mediterranean diet. The name comes from the concept that eating the Mediterranean-way can help you eat well and reduce your need for medications.

You can learn more about Med Instead of Meds at the website Med Instead of Meds.

I encourage you to check out their dressings and other recipes that incorporate the
Mediterranean-style of eating. There are on-line videos that explain the basic concepts in eating “the Med way” and many recipes that can help you incorporate these concepts into your everyday diet.

Check out their recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts. They too would be great drizzled with or dunked in this Caesar Dressing.

Resources:

Brussels Sprouts- SNAP-Ed

Brussels Sprouts - Tips

Brussels Sprouts Caesar

medinsteadofmeds.com - Caesar Dressing

medinsteadofmeds.com - Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Syracuse is a Family and Consumer Science team member and can be reached at clsyracu@ncsu.edu or at Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Center 910-253-2610.