A Salad Dressing can Contribute to a Healthier Diet

In today’s world, time is of the essence. We rush, we cut corners, we sometimes even compromise. In no area is this as prevalent as in food preparation. In the not too distant past, many hours of each day were devoted to planning, shopping for and preparing tasty meals. We simply don’t take the time necessary these days to create good, wholesome dishes. And all this corner-cutting could prove detrimental to our health as we choose foods that are fast rather than good for us.

If you don’t want salad dressings full of preservative, additives, damaged polyunsaturated oils like soybean or canola, sugar and sodium and even sometimes hydrogenated fats, stay away from those that are commercially prepared. You can make your own healthier versions in very little time.

It’s simple to make a perfect vinaigrette with just three basic ingredients: a healthy fat, an acid and, if you want a consistent “creamy” dressing, an emulsifier. Here is an easy recipe which will take less than five minutes to prepare:

The juice of half a lemon, squeezed into a small bowl, provides the necessary acid. Be sure there are no seeds or pulp. Next, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard serves as an emulsifier when it is mixed with the lemon juice. Finally, one cup of extra virgin olive oil – the healthy fat – is added to the mixture, poured in a thin stream while vigorously whisking. And that’s it: a beautifully blended, rich and creamy dressing in just a few minutes.

If you’d like, you might add a bit of unrefined sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to enhance the flavor. Or you can substitute flax oil for about ¼ of the olive oil to add healthy omega-3 essential fats. If you are not fond of Dijon mustard, a raw egg yolk will serve well as the emulsifier.

Creative cooks will find this basic recipe perfect for adding their own unique touch. An authentic Caesar dressing can be conjured up with the addition of an egg yolk, finely chopped garlic anchovy paste and maybe chopped capers. Or make grapefruit vinaigrette by adding freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice. With your favorite, finely-chopped herbs, you will discover new flavors. Substitute balsamic vinegar for lemon to produce a balsamic vinaigrette. Or find another flavored vinegar to subtly alter the flavor– how about pear vinegar in a salad of fresh pear slices and Roquefort? And a raspberry vinaigrette is as easy as mashing up fresh raspberries (but be sure to use a strainer to keep out the seeds).

Order of operation is important, here. Just remember to add all ingredients to the emulsifier and acid mixture before slowly pouring in the oil. A hand-blender or food processor may be used to save time and save a tired arm when preparing more complicated dressings, like the Caesar.

You can create a better and healthier version of any grocery store dressing with this basic recipe and your own imagination, and you can do it quickly and at home. Who knows, you may come up with a fantastic new taste destined to become your signature dressing.

Healthy and inexpensive, this one little step takes you away from the processed food aisle and introduces healthier and tastier flavors to your table.

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Roasted baby artichokes with drizzled Olive Oil

One vegetable that goes great with olive are baby artichokes. Spring and fall are the two seasons when artichokes are abundant and at their peak. The name may be deceiving, but baby artichokes are actually full grown artichokes. They are the ones that grow on the branches of the artichoke plant rather than on the main stem, which carries the typical large artichokes. The largest ones can be found growing on top of the plant. Baby artichokes are a great vegetable as they are easy to clean and do not have any of the bothersome, fuzzy fibers that can usually be found in the larger artichokes. Everything in the baby artichoke is practically edible, which is why it makes for a great dish alone, served with pasta, or in an artichoke salad. Here you will find a recipe for roasted baby artichokes, a perfect dish that everyone can try and enjoy, and you will only need 3 simple ingredients: artichokes, oil, and seasoning. They are delicious and incredibly easy to make.

For roasted baby artichokes, the ingredients you will need are:

2 pounds baby artichokes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare your artichokes by cleaning them first. Do this by trimming the stem and pulling off the outer leaves. Leave the lighter green leaves. Place the outer leaves in a cold water lemon bath, which is simply made of 1 part lemon and 3 parts water. Let them sit for a while and then take them out of the lemon bath. Next, cut the larger artichokes in half, leaving the really smaller ones whole. Place all the artichokes in a pot of water and cover. Simmer the artichokes for about seven or eight minutes until they soften and are just tender. Take them off the flame and drain them well. Once they have cooled, toss them in olive oil and arrange them in one layer in a baking dish. Bake them for about seven or eight minutes in a 450 degree oven. Once cooked, take them out and sprinkle the dish with some salt and pepper to taste. Your roasted artichokes are now ready to be served and enjoyed!

These artichokes are a great accompaniment to any meat dish or it can be tossed with pasta and a good quality Parmesan cheese for a satisfying and delicious meal. Artichokes are very healthy and tasty and can be cooked in any way you like! They are a good source of vitamin C, folate, fiber, and other minerals such as potassium, phosphorous, and magnesium.

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Off the Grill: Chicken Salad Chicken salads are great dishes, either as the start to a meal or it is the meal itself. This warm chicken salad goes great with warm and toasted garlic bread or grilled garlic crostini.
You will need:

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1½ tablespoons pink peppercorns, or 1½ teaspoons green peppercorns mixed with 1 tablespoon of raw honey
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¾ – 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (3 breast halves, minus tenderloins)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups pink grapefruit segments, plus juice
½ teaspoon Dijon style mustard
3-4 chives
7-8 ounces or 1 bag of arugula leaves, washed and dried

In a small cup, combine the sherry vinegar and peppercorns. Leave them to soak as you prepare the chicken. In a separate, large shallow, plate, combine two tablespoons of the oil with the balsamic vinegar. Take your chicken pieces and put them in between pieces of plastic wrap and pound them to a thickness of about ¾ of an inch using a rolling pin or mallet. After pounding, dip the chicken in your oil and vinegar mixture, coating each side evenly. Season each piece lightly with salt and pepper, then cover them and let stand for about 15 minutes in order for the flavors to sink into the chicken.

Prepare the grill and put it to high heat. If using a gas grill, prepare the grill to medium heat, getting ready to fan flames if they get too out of control. Before laying your chicken down on it, lightly coat your grill rack with oil.

Prepare your grapefruit by cutting off the top and bottom of the fruit and removing the white pith from the fruit. Start the cut from above going downwards. Once you’ve peeled the fruit completely, put the meat in a fine strainer and cut between the sections of the fruit using a paring knife. Collect al the fruit and the juice in the bowl, making sure to squeeze the extra juice out of any remaining pulp.

After all that, the chicken is done marinating and is ready to be grilled. Cook each side for about four minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Once cooked, transfer them to a chopping board and cut them into ¼ to ½ inch wide strips. Cover the pieces loosely to keep them warm. Drain the grapefruit segments and reserve the juice for later on.

While the chicken is grilling, the vinaigrette can already be prepared. Whisk together the remaining oils, 1 tablespoon reserved grapefruit juice and mustard in a large mixing bowl. Snip the chives and whisk them well into the mixture. Don’t forget to ad salt and pepper and adjust as you go along. Finally, add the arugula to finally toss and lightly coat each leaf.

Now, you can plate your salad. Arrange some of the arugula leaves on a plate, topping it with chicken slices and some of the grapefruit segments. Drizzle each plate with some vinaigrette and top it off with soaked peppercorns. Serve the salad immediately and enjoy.
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Whisked, not shaken oil and vinegar vinaigrette

If you thought that vinaigrette is exclusively a salad partner, then you are highly mistaken. As a matter of fact, vinaigrette can be used with a number of dishes, including pasta, fish, and grilled vegetables. It is a very handy thing if you know how to make vinaigrette, as this sauce is simple, very easy to make, and can come from the ingredients that you already have stored in your pantry. A homemade vinaigrette is more economical and tastes leagues better than store-bought vinaigrette.

The two basic ingredients for vinaigrette are oil and vinegar, and the ratio between the two plays a very important role. Generally, it is three parts oil to one part vinegar, but if a milder, less acidic ingredient is used instead of vinegar, the proportion of the oil lessens. As with all things cooked and prepared, the best results will come from using the best and freshest ingredients.

You will need two hands in making vinaigrette: one hand to whisk the ingredients together, while the other is used for pouring in the oil. This is why it is important that your bowl is stationary as you work. Using a rubber bottomed bowl is most helpful, but if you don’t have one, shape a round towel into ring around the bottom of the bowl to provide the needed traction.

Begin by dissolving a bit of salt in the vinegar. This is done because salt dissolves more readily when it is mixed in the vinegar directly; you can still season and adjust the taste of your dressing at the end. Next, add a small amount of Dijon mustard and whisk until all of it is combined well into the vinegar. This acts as an emulsifying agent, which binds the oil and vinegar together. Now, pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream while whisking continuously and vigorously, until everything is incorporated well and emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper and your vinaigrette is done and ready for the taking.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and play around with this basic recipe by using a different type of oil or vinegar, such as garlic infused olive oil or balsamic or red-wine vinegar. You can also alter and increase the flavors of your dressing by adding herbs, shallots, garlic, or even citrus zest. As a way to top off your dishes, this vinaigrette can be tossed over salad greens, drizzled over grilled fish, meat or vegetables, or mixed with pasta.

Note: Your vinaigrette dressing will be as good as the ingrediemts you use to make it. Be sure to use a quality extra virgin olive oil as well as a fine vinegar.

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Blender Basil Dressing

If you’ve got a blender at home, then you should know that these things aren’t just for purees or shakes. Blenders can also help you greatly in concocting great salad dressings. Here is a recipe for a wonderful and easy-to-make basil dressing.

The ingredients for this recipe are as follows:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 to 5 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Add the vinegars, basil, sugar, garlic, oils, salt, and pepper in a blender. Pulse the mixture, or mix it in short bursts so that the ingredients combine thoroughly and the basil do not get chopped too fine. A combination of butter lettuce, freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, marinated mushrooms, juicy red ripe tomatoes, and even some ripe wedges of Haas avocado make for a delightfully superb salad. This recipe yields about a cup dressing.

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Basic Vinaigrette Recipe

One of the great things about vinaigrette is that it is so versatile and flexible. All you need is a reliable basic vinaigrette recipe and all it’s other variations stem from just this. Below is a basic recipe for vinaigrette, which you can adjust and alter to create several variations.

You will need:
4 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled
About 1 teaspoon salt
About 2 cups red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
About ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
About 2 cups extra virgin olive oil (or 1 cup olive oil and 1 cup canola oil)Method:

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Vinaigrette and simple whisking
While shaking your vinaigrette mixture in a jar isn’t necessarily wrong to do (many folks use this method), whisking your vinaigrette is a much better option. When whisking, make sure you’re using a good wire whisk and a bowl or container that is wide enough to accommodate all the whisking action that will be happening, and deep enough to keep the vinaigrette inside as you whirl it around. It’s also recommended that you use a clear bowl, so as to have a better visual of the proportions you’ve put into your mixture. This way, it will be easy for you to adjust and eyeball the situation better.

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Getting the Perfect Vinaigrette

It never changes – the two basic elements of vinaigrette will always be oil and vinegar. This is why it is so surprising that for some people, making the perfect vinaigrette is such a trial and error procedure.

The creation of the perfectly balanced vinaigrette is heavily dependent on the other ingredients that come into play: balancing the hints of Dijon mustard with the just the right amount of garlic and touching up with dashes of pepper. Making these ingredients work together requires that the one preparing the vinaigrette understands the importance of each ingredient, and how it contributes to the overall taste of the finished product

A Vinaigrette that tastes excellent doesn’t follow a formula, nor is it a procedure governed by strict rules. The key to making the perfect vinaigrette is one easy rule: taste as you go. Who knows, on certain days, your ingredients may not be at their best tastes, and following a formula could mean life or death for the success of your dressing. Adjust with your taste as you go along, that’s the key.

The preparation of a fine vinaigrette, like we said, follows no rules. Yes, there are a set of guidelines, and suggestions, but generally, everything can be adjusted to suit each one’s preferences. For example, it is not a strict rule that the ratio would be one part vinegar for every three parts oil; it may be recommended, but nowadays, with most people cutting back on fatty intake, this ratio has definitely adjusted. Although from some professional chefs, vinaigrette follows a one to one proportion, most individuals are happy with a one to two mix.

Vinaigrette making is only limited to how far you are willing to go and experiment. There are a wide variety of vinegars and oils out in the market all ready for the taking. Experiment with rice wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar. Rice vinegar gives a more delicate flavor, whilst the balsamic kind, having been aged, is milder than the other. These vinegars carry flavors that are strong on the senses, so although they are exciting alternatives, go easy on them as using too much might overpower the dressing.

Just like vinegar, olive oils come in a plethora of flavors, strengths, and blends. There are so many variations to olive oil nowadays; there are those infused with garlic, chilies, herbs, fruits, and even nuts. Just remember to proceed with caution if using flavored oils as they also carry flavors that hit the senses heavily, and the thing to achieve is just the right balance of things. Also take into account, for  both olive oil and vinegar, you get what you pay for. For excellent results, choose a quality extra virgin olive oil, and an authentic Italian balsamic vinegar.

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Nicoise Salad

This wonderful vegetable salad yields about 4 servings and is excellent as a main course.

You will need:

1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon green onion or reconstituted onion flakes
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon white sugar
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound medium red potatoes, not peeled and cut into thick slices, or an equal amount of canned potatoes
1 head lettuce, if available
8 ounces canned French-style green beans or regular green beans
12 cherry tomatoes (if available), each piece cut in half
1 (12 ounce) can tuna packed in water, drained and flaked
2 large hard cooked eggs, each peeled and cut into quarters
½ cup olives

Prepare your dressing first; for the dressing, mix in a small bowl the vinegar, lemon juice, green onion or onion flakes, mustard, sugar, and pepper until everything is well blended. Boil the potatoes in a pot over high heat, or use drained canned potatoes to save you from the trouble.

After the potatoes have been cooked, your salad is now ready to be assembled. Pour half of the prepared dressing into a medium sized bowl and tossing the lettuce leaves in it, making sure to evenly coat each one. Line the dressed lettuce leaves on a platter. Arrange the other ingredients of the salad – potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, tuna, eggs, and olives – in separate piles on top of the lettuce leaves. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad and serve.

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Delectable Heirloom Tomato Salad

The Heirloom tomato salad makes use of five different varieties of Heirloom tomatoes, all at room temperature. Additional ingredients for this recipe include the following:

½ oz fennel, shaved
1 oz Point Reyes blue cheese
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 oz aged balsamic vinegar
5 small basil leaves
Fleur de sal (salt) and fresh pepper to taste

Trim the ends of the tomatoes so that the core is approximately one and a half inches thick. Using a small round cookie cutter, cut the cylinders of the tomato and reserve them in a mixing bowl.

Next, trim your fennel so that you will have just the bulb left. Shave the fennel bulb thinly using a mandolin. Place the fennel in ice water and allow it to crisp.

The next step is to add the oil and vinegar to the mixing bowl with the tomatoes. Toss this mixture well in order to coat each tomato thoroughly and evenly and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the resulting liquid after tossing, which will be used for the tossing the fennel later on. Arrange the tomatoes in a straight line in the center of a plate, about one inch apart.

Plate the crumbled cheese in the spaces between the tomatoes. Take your fennel from the ice water and drain it well. Add it to the liquid from the tomatoes. Toss the fennel in the liquid and place it on top of the tomatoes. Finish up your plate by garnishing each tomato with basil leaves.

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