Gratitude Salad With Asante Dressing

A nutty, sweet and savory dressing makes this wholesome salad irresistble.

Eva Kolenko

This amazing salad features the very first homemade dressing I ever had. My mom-in-law made it for me at a time when eating a salad was brand new in my life. Believe it or not, coming from my heavily processed-food upbringing, I didn’t have my first salad until I was 25 years old! This salad, and this incredible dressing, bridged the gap. I couldn’t believe that a salad could taste so flavorful and fulfilling. Since my wife and mom-in-law are from Kenya, I named the dressing Asante Sana, which means “thank you very much” in Swahili.

This is a wonderful side salad, but you can easily include some additional protein (steak or fish would be great) to make it a full-on meal.

Serves 4 to 6

• 5 (5-ounce) containers mixed greens or 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1/2 cup Asante Sana Dressing (see recipe)
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds

Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, and carrot in a large bowl.

Toss with the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the almonds and serve.

Asante Sana Dressing

I used to think that salad dressing only came in a bottle. Then one day my beautiful mother-in-law made this dressing for me, and I was hooked! Being from Kenya, she taught me that asante sana means “thank you” in Swahili. I’m thankful for this recipe and thankful for her, too.

Makes about 2 cups

• 2 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 cup raw almond butter
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 1 tablespoon nama shoyu (raw soy sauce) or coconut aminos
• Juice of 1 small-medium lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup water, plus extra as needed

Put the dates in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften.

Drain the dates, then combine them with the olive oil, garlic, onion, ginger, almond butter, honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, cayenne, and water in a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth, adding more water as needed to reach your desired consistency. (We like it pretty thick but still pourable!)

Use immediately or transfer to a jar, cover, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Note: In addition to salad dressing, this also works as a phenomenal dip! And if you like things spicier, you can add some minced fresh jalapeño, or simply up the amount of cayenne.

Adapted from “Eat Smarter Family Cookbook” by Shawn Stevenson. Copyright 2023 by Shawn Stevenson. Photographs by Eva Kolenko. Used with permission of Spark, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, New York. All rights reserved.