Green Garden
Goddess
Spring has sprung and that means we are working in our garden nearly every day 
. It’s time to get serious about herbs, fruits and veggies and all the great stuff we are so fortunate to grow around here. To celebrate the change of seasons, here’s a creamy, delicious spin on the classic Green Goddess Salad Dressing. Mine’s made with lots of herbs, just like the original, but I use avocado and non-fat Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise and sour cream. It’s delicious on salad and also as a dip for anything you might like to dunk into some fresh and light, citrus, herbal, deliciousness. Avocado Herb Dressing with Greek Yogurt is a creamy and guiltless indulgence 
.
It’s also just in time for our town’s annual Avocado Festival . That’s right, if you love avocados, you can celebrate all things avocado . Even avocado fudge! Here’s a link https://www.fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org/events-v2/avocado-festival.html
My Garden Goddess
Here’s my “Garden Goddess”. I was inspired to put this topiary together a few years ago. There’s the most beautiful nursery and botanical gardens in my town, Myrtle Creek. Here’s a link to their website. https://discovermyrtlecreek.com/ It’s everything I love in one place, including a vineyard. Gardens, fairly gardens, goats and tons of great stuff to buy for home and garden. They actually have the classic merry-go-round from the old Santa Barbara zoo installed near their shop as well. And of course, always fun to visit the goats!
They have a topiary at Myrtle Creek which was my inspiration for my own “Garden Goddess”. Mine got a little too tall, but It’s a really fun and on-going project. Here’s a link to my how-to-make-one. https://wp.me/P9KEfL-q5
Creamy Avocado Herb Dressing with Greek Yogurt
Into the bowl of your food processor, add 1/2 of one large, ripe avocado and 1 cup of non-fat (or any you prefer) Greek yogurt. Add 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons of anchovy paste. If you don’t want to use anchovy paste, you can substitute with 1 tablespoon of capers. Add 1/4 cup roughly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, 1/4 cup chopped tarragon and 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives. Next, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Add 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and all the zest from one lemon.
Let the the food processor work until the mixture is smooth. Taste and then adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve with a salad full of fresh vegetables and fruit. I topped the salad with roasted and salted sunflower seeds.
Try this as a dip for almost anything from vegetables to chips.
Enjoy!
Avocado Herb Dressing with Greek Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1/2 large, ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste (or substitute 1 taplespoon of capers)
- 1 cup, non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped tarragon
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Into the bowl of your food processor, add 1/2 of one large, ripe avocado and 1 cup of non-fat (or any you prefer) Greek yogurt.
- Add 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons of anchovy paste. (If you don't want to use anchovy paste, you can substitute with 1 tablespoon of capers.)
- Add 1/4 cup roughly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, 1/4 cup chopped tarragon and 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives.
- Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
- Add 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and all the zest from one lemon.
- Let the the food processor work until the mixture is smooth.
- Taste and then adjust seasoning if necessary.
