Salads are tricky thing with Interstitial Cystitis. When you look at the dry ingredients in a salad (minus tomatoes), all of the ingredients look great and bladder friendly!
But the dressing, that’s where the issues lie.
All store bought dressing have a ton of random ingredients and preservatives that can cause a flare, not to mention that so many vinaigrette dressings are vinegar based which is a common irritant for IC. It’s also worth noting that any prepackaged salad from fast food places, convenience stores, etc. have extra/random ingredients in them so always make sure to check the ingredients label first!
So after cutting out salads for multiple months, I got desperate and craved them again so I’ve resorted to making my own dressing! I wasn't much for fruit in salads but this blueberry dressing has completely changed my mind.
Blueberry IC Dressing:
Ingredients:
Handful of blueberries (fresh or frozen. Run cool water over frozen to slightly thaw if you choose to use them)
Fresh basil (chopped or ripped if you’re lazy)
A tablespoon of honey
A tablespoon of olive oil or the oil of your choosing
Splash of water (this will vary based on your preferred consistency)
You can add salt and pepper to taste if you like (I, personally, don’t add any)
If you tolerate lemon, add a little lemon zest
Directions
Place all ingredients into blender or food processor and blend until smooth
You may need to add more water to get to your preferred consistency
Taste it to see if it needs more honey, basil etc.
If you plan on using all the dressing in one sitting, you can used more oil than water but if you’re going to refrigerate it and use it later, add more water. I’ve noticed the oil consistency gets a little clumpy if you refrigerate it for later use.
With this dressing, I typically make a mixed green salad with blueberries, crispy onions and chicken. If dairy isn’t an issue for you, sprinkle on some feta cheese. Adding some sliced almonds or other nuts for some extra crunch would be a good topping as well!
Blueberry salads are now one of my favorite meals and easy meal to take for lunch!
Enjoy.
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