Pink Lady Dressing

Pink Lady Dressing brings a cheerful splash of color to a simple plate of vegetables. Cooked carrots and beets give it a naturally vivid hue, while cashews add creaminess and lemon juice supplies a bright contrast. Onion and garlic powders make the flavor savory rather than dessert-like, and a small amount of olive oil rounds out the mixture.

This recipe comes from page 37 of the Black Hills Health Retreat Wellness Cookbook. It starts with vegetables that are already cooked, then uses a single blending step. With three cups of vegetables, three cups of water and a cup of cashews, it is a substantial batch. The cookbook does not state a finished yield or serving count, so neither is invented here.

Jump to Recipe ⬇

🌿 The Healing Ingredients

• Cooked Carrots (2 cups): Bring color, gentle sweetness and body. The cookbook specifies cooked carrots but does not prescribe a cooking method. Plain carrots cooked until tender are a practical choice. Avoid heavily seasoned leftovers unless you intentionally want their flavors in the dressing.
• Cooked Beets (1 cup): Give Pink Lady Dressing its distinctive pink color and earthy flavor. Use cooked beets as written, not raw ones. Pickled beets would introduce additional acidity and seasoning that are not part of the original formula. Be mindful that beet juice can stain hands, towels and porous surfaces.
• Cashews (1 cup): Supply a creamy base without dairy. The card does not specify raw or roasted; plain, unsalted raw cashews are a suggested choice for a mild flavor. Whole nuts and pieces can both work in a blended preparation. → Shop Cashews, Whole | Shop Cashews, Whole 320s, Organic | Shop Cashews, Large Pieces, Organic
• Water (3 cups): Loosens the vegetables and cashews into a dressing. This is the cookbook's original amount. The finished consistency will also depend on the vegetables' moisture content and how thoroughly the cashews are blended.
• Lemon Juice (½ cup): Adds brightness to balance the earthy beets and rich cashews. Remove seeds before measuring fresh juice. This quantity is preserved from the recipe rather than reduced to suit a different flavor preference.
• Onion Powder (1½ Tbsp.): Gives the large batch an evenly distributed savory flavor. → Shop Onion, Powder, Organic
• Garlic Powder (1 Tbsp.): Adds a distinct garlic note without fresh pieces. The tablespoon measure is the original quantity, not a teaspoon conversion. → Shop Garlic, Powder, Organic
• Olive Oil (2 Tbsp.): Rounds out the texture and flavor. Choose an oil you enjoy in uncooked sauces. → Shop Olive Oil, Extra Virgin, DeLallo
• Salt (to taste): The final adjustment. Blend first, then taste a little dressing on the food you plan to serve before adding more.

📖 The Smooth Blender Method

The original direction is to blend all ingredients until smooth. Since this is a large recipe, check your blender's recommended fill limit before loading it. Divide every ingredient proportionally into smaller batches if needed, then combine the finished portions in a clean bowl.

Let cooked vegetables cool before blending, and follow your appliance manufacturer's temperature guidance. This is a practical handling suggestion rather than an extra cooking step from the source. Do not put hot vegetables into a sealed blender that is not designed for them.

Blend until the cashews and vegetables are evenly incorporated. Stop the machine before scraping the sides. The cookbook gives no processing time, so use texture as your guide within the appliance's operating instructions. Do not keep blending indefinitely in an attempt to force a different thickness.

📋 The Recipe

Yield and serving count are not specified in the cookbook.

Ingredients

• 2 cups carrots, cooked
• 1 cup beets, cooked
• 3 cups water
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup cashews
• 1½ tablespoons onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Source note: Ingredient quantities and the blending instruction are preserved from page 37 of the Wellness Cookbook. Cooking methods for the carrots and beets are not supplied. Plain cooked vegetables and cooling before blending are practical preparation guidance.

💡 Tips & Serving Ideas

Drizzle a little over green salad for a striking color contrast, or serve it with a bowl of grains, chickpeas and crisp vegetables. The carrots and beets already bring plenty of character, so the accompanying foods can stay simple.

For a straightforward lunch, pair a dressed salad with a baked potato or lentils. Add the dressing gradually, toss and taste before deciding whether the plate needs more salt or acidity.

If you prefer a thicker version, test an adaptation in a smaller batch before changing the full recipe. Reducing water would change the original formula. Recording your changes helps distinguish the cookbook recipe from a personal variation.

Freshness and Allergen Notes

Transfer promptly to clean, covered containers and refrigerate. Keep chilled until serving, use clean utensils and stir if the dressing separates. The cookbook does not supply a storage duration; lemon juice does not make the mixture shelf-stable.

Contains cashews, a tree nut. This recipe is not suitable for someone who needs to avoid cashews. It also contains added olive oil and should not be described as oil-free.

Related Articles

Explore Pimiento Salad Dressing for another colorful option, Moikos Salad Dressing for a cashew-and-herb version, or Mayo (Sunny-Not): Sunflower Seed Mayo for a seed-based alternative.

Part of The Healing Kitchen series at Black Hills Health Retreat.

Ingredient notes are for everyday cooking education, not medical treatment advice.