This is just one version of Amy Chaplin's Creamy Carrot Dressings from her cookbook Whole Cooking Every Day. Made by blending carrots with herbs and citrus juice until creamy, this dressing is light, flavorful, and addictive.

　　

Ingredients

For creamy carrot dressing (base recipe):

2 medium carrots, chopped if using a high-powered blender (about 1 1/4 cups), grated if using a regular blender

　　1/2 cup filtered water

　　1/4 cup raw cashews

　　1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

　　1 (3-inch) piece scallion, white and light green parts only, coarsely chopped

　　1 (1/2-inch) slice of a large garlic clove

　　1/2 tsp. fine sea salt, plus more to taste

　　1 tsp. tamari, plus more to taste

　　

For spicy carrot-miso dressing:

1 recipe Creamy Carrot Dressing, omitting the salt and using brown rice vinegar in place of the lime juice

　　1 Tbsp. unpasteurized chickpea miso or sweet white miso

　　1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (finely chopped if using a regular blender)

　　1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, plus more to taste

　　

Base recipe:

Step 1

Combine the carrots, water, cashews, olive oil, lime juice, scallion, garlic, salt, and tamari in an upright blender and blend until completely smooth; this will take at least 1 minute. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and blend again. Adjust the seasoning to taste and blend again. Use immediately, or store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Shake well before using. The dressing will thicken once chilled; thin it out with a little water if needed.

　　

Spicy carrot-miso dressing:

Step 2

Make the dressing following the instructions for the base recipe, adding the miso, ginger, and cayenne to the blender along with the other ingredients. Adjust the seasoning with cayenne as well as more salt to taste.

　　Excerpted from Whole Food Cooking Every Day: Transform the Way You Eat with 250 Vegetarian Recipes Free of Gluten, Dairy, and Refined Sugar © 2019 by Amy Chaplin. Photography © 2019 by Anson Smart. Reproduced by permission of Artisan Books. All rights reserved.Buy the full book from Amazon.