A health elixir with umami

This incredibly easy to make, gluten free, enzyme rich dressing will add a Japanese twist to any plain bowl of veggies, grains or beans. It’s also excellent drizzled over a piece of good fish or steak. Works really well as a dip, or mixed right into your dish!

But its satisfying umami infused flavor is not the only benefit. Made with lacto-fermented miso and apple cider vinegar, it adds live enzymes to your dish. These precious enzymes help your body digest and assimilate the vital nutrients in your meal. The raw ginger will supply you with antioxidants and promote smooth digestion, while garlic too will help reduce inflammation and keep your immune system healthy.

It may come in the form of a dressing, but truly this is an elixir for good health.

This is what real food is all about.

Use Quality Ingredients

Using good quality ingredients doesn’t have to be expensive. Especially if you shop for staples at Thrive Market. One key ingredient in this dressing is Shaman Shack’s Sea Clear Fermented Miso–at $13.00 it’s nearly half off at Thrive! I used to wait for Raw Food World to put Sea Clear on their “At Cost Specials” list to get it at that price. Now I can have it “at cost” anytime!

While you’re there, you can also get Ohsawa Organic Gluten-Free Tamari for a couple bucks less than most health food stores at $10.45 and Eden Foods Toasted Sesame Oil at $3.95, along with Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar for $3.50. You’ll just have to pop over to a market for the ginger and garlic.

If $13.oo sounds expensive for a jar of miso, you should know that this is no ordinary miso. Sea Clear is a very special product that is lacto-fermented with kelp and chlorella. These two fermented seaweeds have been found to be very effective in chelating (removing from the body) heavy metals and even radiation. By removing the heavy metal burden from your body you’ll  improve the health of your thyroid! Sea Clear is GMO free and made right here in southern California!

Cooking Tips

If you have a food processor, use it! You should get a much creamier texture than possible for most blenders, and you’re guaranteed to avoid oil separation when using the pinhole lid attachment to emulsify the oils.

To do this, reserve the oils, blend the other ingredients for a minute, then pour the oils into the lid attachment and let them drip while the processor runs continuously.

Putting it together

Pour liberally on salads. Dip raw or steamed veggies. Spruce up cooked veggies or grains. Dress up a plain piece of meat or fish.

Get inspired with this simple recipe for a tasty veggie and egg bowl.