Sunshine Sauce

Long before these cold grey winter days hit and knowing I get a little stir-crazy this time of year, we made the decision to steal away for the weekend with our kids to go skiing. Being outside, no matter what the conditions always seems to help with those winter blues and this year is no exception.

And as much as we love our beloved White Pass, a change of scenery is good for us occasionally. We made the five-hour trek to Sandpoint, Idaho and spent three days skiing at Schweitzer Resort.

We were spoiled with bright blue skies and sunshine the entire trip. I’ve never felt so grateful for the sky in my life. We were on the mountain from sun up until nearly sun down, chasing our kids down runs, scooting through the trees and cheering as they attempted a few jumps in the terrain park. It was fun and exhausting and exactly the burst of energy and sunshine we were all craving.

If you’ve followed along here for a while, you might remember a recipe for grain bowls I shared. It’s essentially a big bowl of brown rice or quinoa with some roasted chicken and vegetables all covered in a wonderful lemon and herb dressing. The bright green dressing was bold and flavorful making even the healthiest of ingredients taste delicious.

I’ve continued to tweak that wonderful dressing until I got it just how I like it and now I simply call it sunshine sauce. I use it as a salad dressing, but I also give it to my kids to dip veggies or chicken. You could toss it with some cooked pasta or drizzle it over sautéed sweet potatoes or roasted veggies. It literally goes with just about everything. Somewhere between a chimichurri sauce and a pesto, it’s the shot of flavor I’m looking for, especially these days.

Sunshine Sauce

·         2 tsp garlic, minced or crushed

·         4 tsp basil, minced

·         2 tsp cilantro, minced

·         1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

·         Juice of a lemon

·         ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

·         1 tbsp white wine vinegar

·         ½ tsp coarse salt

·         ¼ tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust with salt or lemon juice as needed. Store in an air-tight container for two to three days.

*You can buy pre-chopped and pre-portioned herbs in the freezer section of your grocery store. I keep garlic, basil and cilantro in my freezer all the time now. It makes dressings like this a breeze to make and perfect for when a recipe calls for a small amount of an ingredient.