Even though iceburg lettuce gets a bit of a bad rap, I have given it a nutritional upgrade by slathering it in cashew ranch dressing and za’atar spice! This thirst quenching lettuce is lower in fibre than other lettuces but still rich in water, vitamin K and other minerals. Za’atar is the condiment king of the middle east and dates back to medieval times. It is a superfood spice mix composed of dried thyme oregano, marjoram, sumac, toasted sesame seeds and coarse salt. Sumac adds a tangy, fruity, sparkly, antioxidant rich note to the blend. You can buy a pre-mixed za’atar however; mixing your own is easy and made with readily available spices.
Ingredients:
Serves 4
- 1 large head of organic ice burg lettuce cored and cut in quarters.
- 1 recipe of za’atar spice (recipe follows)
- 1 recipe of cashew ranch dressing (recipe follows)
- 1/2 cup of sliced cucumber
- 1 tomato, cubed
To make the Za’atar spice:
- 1/4 cup of sumac
- 2 Tbsp. organic dried thyme
- 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, I used black sesame seeds. (lightly toasted in a small fry pan)
- 2 Tbsp. organic dried marjoram
- 2 Tbsp. organic dried oregano
- 1 tsp. of coarse sea salt
Combine all of the spices. Store in a sealed container. You will have plenty left to sprinkle on popcorn or whatever else you are inspired to sprinkle it on!
Cashew Ranch Dressing:
- 1 cup of raw organic cashews, soaked in plenty of water for at least 2 hours.
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. of olive or avocado oil
- 11/2 tsp. pink himalayan salt
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp.dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- lots of freshly ground pepper
Drain and rinse the cashews. In a blender, blend the cashews with the vinegar, oil, salt, mustard, and water until silky smooth. Spoon into a container and then stir in the oregano, basil, and freshly cracked pepper by hand. Refrigerate until ready to use.
This dressing firms up a little in the fridge so give it a good stir before you use it. Feel free to add a little bit of extra water to thin it slightly.
The salad:
Arrange the quartered ice burg lettuce on four separate plates. Drizzle a generous amount of Cashew Ranch dressing over each wedge. Scatter sliced cucumber and diced tomato over the wedge and then top with plenty of Za’atar spice!
