Pink Ranger Dressing Recipe
Recently, I mentioned that I have discovered I like using Pink Ranger Dressing on my salad.
If you have no idea what Pink Ranger Dressing is, well, this post is for you.
Very quickly, why Pink Ranger Dressing? Am I such a Power Ranger geek that I would actually name random food after Power Rangers?
Well, yes, I am, probably, but that’s not what I call this dressing that. I call this dressing that because the actress Catherine Sutherland, who played the second Pink Ranger Katharine Hillard, now runs a blog called Homemade Lifestyle, about parenting and healthy recipes. Obviously, I started following it because… well, she’s the freaking Pink Ranger!
Put on your helmet, Kat! You're horrible at keeping your identity secret!
But she posted a recipe a few weeks back about how she makes oil and vinegar based dressings for her family.
There are two food substances that I hate.
The one I hate more than anything is ketchup. I think ketchup is the vilest of all the food stuffs. I don’t even know how it is considered food. It gags me. I would rather dip my French fries into mud. And I’m completely serious. I hate it. I hate smelling it. I hate seeing pictures of it. I hate that it exists. If I’m ever given three wishes, my second wish is to rid the world of ketchup. (The first wish is for ten trillion dollars, tax free, and the third wish is for a bigger penis wallet to keep my money in.)
Sorry, ketchup hate rant. My second most hated food stuff is vinegar. This one kind of makes me sad. Unlike ketchup which is full of sugar and evil and contains nothing good for the human body, I know that vinegar can actually be good for you.
As a result, when she shared a post about how she makes her own dressings, I decided to give it a try. It couldn’t be easier.
You need four ingredients. You need some type of oil (olive, sesame, walnut, et cetera), some type of vinegar (white, malt, rice, champagne, the sky is the limit), some type of sweetener (honey, brown sugar, agave, et cetera), and some type of binder (such as mustard, mayonnaise, avocado, and so forth – it basically just needs to be a flavor you like and kind of thick). An optional fifth ingredient, if your vinegar isn’t flavored, is flavoring, such as raspberries, garlic, shallots, orange…
Are you starting to get the picture that this is VERY versatile dressing?
For today’s mix, I chose walnut oil, raspberry flavored wine vinegar, amber agave, and honey mustard. Since the vinegar is flavored, I don’t need a fifth flavoring ingredient.
In a jar, carafe, or whatever container you choose to make your dressing in, add about ¼ cup or so (I didn’t measure) of the oil.
Add a similar amount of vinegar. You can add or more less, depending upon how you like your dressing. With this recipe, experimentation is truly key. Next, add about half a tablespoon or so of your sweetener. If you like your dressing really sweet, add more. If you like your dressing tart, add less. Finally, add your binder. I usually put in about half a tablespoon or so, but to be honest, I eyeball it.
At this point, put the lid on and shake (or get out your whisk and… well, whisk).
Viola! You’ve just made salad dressing. It keeps in the fridge wonderfully. You may need to remix it before you use it, but it tastes amazing. I’ve gotten to where I even like to splash a little of this dressing on a bowl of nothing more than spinach leaves. It’s a fantastic way for me to get my greens AND some healthy oils in me. And again, let’s not forget about the health benefits of vinegar, which include helping the body absorb calcium (which is present in the greens), can increase insulin sensitivity in those who are insulin resistant, and it is full of easily-assimilated vitamins!
I’ve also made batches that were savory instead of sweet. The previous batch to this one used spicy mustard, light agave, garlic infused vinegar, and olive oil. It was ridiculously good, too.
The best part about using this type of dressing is that you don’t need much. Because it isn’t thick, it pretty easily coats a salad without having to use tons.
I wish I could say the other Power Rangers had cooking blogs and I’ve gotten other health tips from them, but I haven’t. Until they do, I can only add Pink Ranger Dressing to my cooking arsenal, but hey, it’s already proven to be a great way for me to get greens AND healthy oils and vinegar in my diet. Win.
In my next Ranger-themed food post, we’ll talk about Yellow Ranger Hoagies!
(Note: there are no Yellow Ranger Hoagies.)
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One Response to “Pink Ranger Dressing Recipe”
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Ooh, I love homemade dressing. I’ve been on a salsa as dressing kick lately, but other than that, I really should make my own dressings. I think I’ll use this format the next time I make dressing. I love the olive oil, balsamic, and honey combo, but that’s a vinaigrette. I’ve never thought to add something to bind it together and make it a dressing. I’ll have to add some mashed/pureed strawberries to my next batch. That sounds awesome!