This post is sponsored by Tessemae and the Mom It Forward Blogger Network. All opinions are my own.
Have I mention how not a fan I am of Virginia in the summer? I’m particularly not a fan when we go through a heat wave like we have for the last week. Not only has it been hot, but the humidity is absolutely ridiculous. And I live in an old house with zero insulation with an old stove that was designed before anyone considered it might be bad to heat an entire house just to cook a meal. (Seriously – my stove is from 1962 and was obviously designed by someone who didn’t actually have to clean their own house or cared about staying cool. But that’s a story for a different day.)
When the heat gets like this, I don’t want to cook. In all honesty, I barely want to eat, but with marathon training miles going on, I have to. So, how are we surviving?
Salads. And more salads.
Thankfully, Tessemae and Mom It Forward sent me four of the Tessemae salad dressings to try. I often make my own dressings and sometimes just use oil and a tasty vinegar, but when you are eating nothing but salad, it’s awesome to have some variety.
While all four dressings are tasty, my favorite for a simple salad (or to dip bread in) is the Green Goddess. It’s a tasty mix of spices, vinegar, oil, and mustard. Add in the fact that it is organic, sugar free, and has only ingredients that I can pronounce and I’m a happy camper.
I’ve also been playing around with marinating meat with the other dressings. Last night, I marinated some pork in the Organic Honey Balsamic dressing. Simplest recipe ever: pour dressing over pork, marinate in fridge for a few hours (even overnight) and then grill, bake or fry. Add pork to already made salad and top with more of the salad dressing. Super easy and really yummy. I was reminded a bit of a Carolina style barbecue sauce and it really added a bit of interest to our pork chops.
Tonight will be more of the same, except I’ve marinated the beef in the Lemon Garlic salad dressing…
Tessemae’s make 25 different dressings, marinades, and condiments, from salad dressings to mayo to hot sauce. All are USDA organic certified, Whole30 approved, and contain no added sugar, thickeners, or additives. On top of that, they are quite tasty. Tessemae is located in Annapolis, MD, which means I’m supporting a local brand as well. I can buy them in many different stores, but if you aren’t that lucky, make sure to hop on over to the Tessemae website. There are lots and lots of “bundle” options so that you can try them all! (I want more of the Green Goddess and I want to try the BBQ sauce and the Cracked Pepper salad dressing and the Southwest Ranch dressing and…)
I know that it won’t be long and we’ll all be complaining about how cold it is around here, but for now I’m in complete survival mode. I am running at stupid early o’clock or on the treadmill. Tons of water, nuun, and iced coffee are making their way into my day. And I’m living on salads and I’m loving the addition of Tessemae‘s All Natural Salad Dressings to my lineup of summer options.
What kinds of meals do you eat when it’s hot out? Am I the only one who just can’t eat hot food when I’m already uncomfortable and hot?
Disclaimer: I was sent the salad dressings to review as well as compensation as part of my relationship with Mom It Forward. As you can see from the above bottles, I am enjoying the review process. All opinions are my own.