I’m pretty sure that I could drink ranch dressing like a beverage, almost. Or, at least, eat it like a soup. haha! I apologize if that grosses you out, I just love ranch. You’ve probably heard me say that before. I love it so much that the officiant of our wedding worked that into our vows. Yea, that’s how much I’m obsessed with it.
This dressing is up there with my favorite! It’s a spicy variation of it, and it is amazing! My husband loves it too. Anything that he can dip in this, HE DOES.
It goes great with chicken nuggets, chicken strips, wings, or on top of a burger. Just pour it over everything and you’ll be just fine!
I also use it for my Southwest Chopped Salad! If you love the chipotle flavors, you’ll definitely want to check this salad out!
Add all ingredients to a food processor or use an immersion blender and combine until smooth.
Recipe Notes
*If you don't have Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime mayonnaise, that's ok. Regular/homemade mayonnaise will work, you will just have to add a couple tablespoons of fresh lime juice and extra seasonings. I'd start with an extra 1/4 tsp of each: chipotle powder, garlic powder, and onion powder - then add more if you feel that you need it!
**You can sub cashew, almond, or coconut milk. Just start with 4 Tbsp and add more until desired consistency is reached.
***Unless you know that you really like the dill flavor, start with only 1/2 tsp - then add more to your liking.
Ranch…one of life’s greatest pleasures. 🙂 It’s not just for dressing your salads! Besides putting it on basically any potato out there and being left with something delicious, you can mix it with meat and make a tasty burger (check out my Ranch Turkey Burgers for proof!), or meatloaf for a zesty change on a classic. You can also make a mean pasta/casserole inspired by that yummy condiment. The possibilities are endless, really!!
I don’t know about you, but 9 times out of 10, I always have a side of ranch with whatever I’m eating. Don’t judge. Ranch is pretty much delicious on everything. HANDS DOWN. If it says it’s covered in ranch, I’ll try it. I have a slight obsession, you could say. My obsession is to the point where it was worked into my wedding vows. Sorry, not sorry. My fellow ranch-lovers out there will understand going to certain restaurants JUST BECAUSE their ranch is AMAZING.
Prior to my husband realizing he was lactose-intolerant, our seasoning cabinet always had plenty of those wonderful little ranch seasoning packets. I would mix them into everything! I had to come up with something similar to keep on hair to easily sprinkle over anything and everything when it just needed that extra something – in my mind, that extra something is always ranch!
Here’s what I came up with, minus the milk powder that is typically involved with these types of mixes. Try sprinkling it over some of your dishes and see what you come up with! It’d be great sprinkled over homemade, savory trail mixes or over some oven-roasted potatoes. Use your imagination! 🙂
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
Mix 1-2 tbsp into a cup of mayo (or your favorite sour cream/greek yogurt substitute) and a couple tbsp of almond milk for a dipping sauce! ...Or go right ahead and use sour cream, if you can tolerate dairy!
Meatloaf is always a go-to when I need a feel-good meal! If you’ve ever heard people talk about how dry a meatloaf is, you might be scared to make it. Meatloaf is notorious for coming out dry and just, kind of, bland. I’m here to tell you, that is not the case with the meatloaf my mom always made! This paleo version of it does NOT disappoint in any category! It still has all of the comforting flavors that my mom’s meatloaf has, minus the typical breadcrumbs. If you aren’t paleo or gluten free, feel free to sub breadcrumbs in for the almond flour and flax meal. It will still turn out delicious!
Don’t be afraid to give meatloaf a try! This recipe is plenty moist and still holds up nicely when sliced. Hopefully, you have some leftovers too…because the slices make great sandwiches the next day!
If you're choosing to omit the onions skip this step. (I'll try not to judge you...even though, I, too, HATED onions growing up) Add the ghee or oil along with the chopped onions to a saucepan. Cook them over medium heat for approximately 5 min or until they start to turn brown around the edges.
While the onions are sautéing, combine* the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. *Make sure you REALLY mix everything up. You shouldn't be able to see where the meat ends and the egg or flour begins. That won't make for the best meatloaf.
I like to test the seasoning level as I go. Now's a great time to do that! Grab a little bit of the meat mixture and sauté it in a pan. It will cook up fast...barely a minute for each side. If it's not salty enough, add some more salt!
Once you've got the mixture salted to your liking, add your sautéed onions. Mix to combine.
Pour your mixture into a large baking dish. I'm using a 13X9. This is important so the fat and juices have room to cook out a little bit...and your meatloaf isn't just sitting in a pond of all that. I like to shape mine on the flatter side. It helps it cook up faster.
Bake the meatloaf for 25 min. After that time, remove the meatloaf and turn the heat up to 450 degrees. While your oven is heating up, remove the fat that has cooked out of your meatloaf...looks super appetizing, eh?
Once the oven has reached 450 degrees, cook your meatloaf for another 10-12 minutes (or until an internal temp of 160 degrees has been reached.) During this time, even more fat will cook out. You might start to smell some of it burning towards the end of its cooking time. However, this time is key. You want a nice crust to form on the top of your meatloaf!
Remove your meatloaf from the oven. Trim the excess fat away, once again, and transfer the meatloaf to another dish. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes. This will help you to slice it much easier for serving.*
ENJOY!
Recipe Notes
*Personally, I love to slice it and pan-sear it for a minute or two on each side. It adds a smoky, grilled flavor to the meatloaf that I can't get enough of.I place a couple slices in a non-stick pan that I've sprayed with some coconut/avocado oil. The oil helps it to crisp up fast. Searing your slices is ESPECIALLY good when you're using them in leftover meatloaf sandwiches!
