Verde Ranch Dressing

(chopped spinach, cucumber, tomato, avocado, corn, and black beans with seasoned shrimp)

this stuff.
ohmygoodness.
I started inventing meals to go with this dressing. 
I made tacos just so I could drizzle this liquid of the gods all over it. 
I ate it with tortilla chips. 
I ate it on salad. 
You get the idea. 

The base of the recipe is a basic ranch dressing with tons of green goodness added- jalapeno, cilantro, tomatillo, green onion/scallion, lime, and parsley. So much flavor is packed into every drop.  Plus, since you're blending everything up, there's no need to chop anything- just toss it all in the blender and let it do the work. 

Plus it's really easy to make this a little healthier (I didn't because I already had the high-fat ingredients on hand ;) Sub in low-fat or fat-free mayo and replace the sour cream with nonfat Greek yogurt. 

The xanthan gum isn't completely necessary- it just keeps the dressing consistent and thickens it. It can be found in the gluten-free baking aisle at your grocery store. Also, just use a pinch- you don't need to overdo it!

(brown rice, seared fajita chicken, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and queso fresco)

What You'll Need:
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 small jalapeno, deveined and seeds removed (leave the veins for a spicier dressing)
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro
1 tomatillo, husks removed, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 scallion
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
a pinch of xanthan gum 

What To Do:Combine all ingredients in a blender. Taste and adjust as desired. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to one week. 

To ensure desired consistency, only add a small amount of buttermilk to start and then add a little at a time to thin out the dressing to your preference. 

Recipe adapted from Skinny Taste