DRESSING UP A HEALTHY SALAD WITH HEALTHY OIL DRESSINGS: SOME OF MY FAVORITES

Salads are incredibly versatile; you can put just about any fresh vegetable or fruit in it to “make it your own”. Salads are great as a side dish or you can add some chicken, salmon or hard boiled eggs to make them a meal all on there own.

I am a self confessed LOVER OF THE SALAD… I eat salad everyday and sometimes with every meal of the day (yep including breakfast!)

There are no steadfast and rigorous rules when it comes to “building” your perfect salad right? Well that's almost right… the beauty of the SALAD is that you can “build” yours exactly the way you want it; you can toss in just a few select veggies or an assortment of every veggie you have on hand, you can toss in some fresh fruit, seeds or nuts, the skies the limit but there is one “rule” to follow when “building” your perfect salad.

Choose a dressing that is as healthy as the salad it will be drizzled upon!

Many great healthy salads have been served a great "health" injustice by being drizzled with an unhealthy dressing; one that's filled with unhealthy fats, sugar, additives and preservatives.

A great tasting dressing doesn’t have to be complicated; in fact I think the best ones are the simple ones with very few ingredients.

Choose your favourite healthy oil (not all oils are made alike and some are just better left untouched) some of my favourite healthy oils are:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (a monounsaturated fat that is rich in antioxidants)

Grape seed Oil (polyunsaturated fat rich in antioxidants)

Flaxseed Oil (polyunsaturated fat with anti-inflammatory properties)

If adding vinegar, choose your favourite… some of my favourites include:

Apple Cider Vinegar

Balsamic Vinegar

Aged Lemon Vinegar

Aged Cranberry Vinegar

* I purchase the aged lemon and cranberry vinegars locally but if you are unable to find these in your local fresh food markets use apple cider or balsamic vinegar and then just add fresh lemon juice or cranberry juice to your dressing recipe

Choose your favourite herbs and spices… some of my favourites include:

Garlic

Ginger

Dill

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

Choose your favourite additional ingredients to add flavour and interest… some of my favourites include:

Dijon mustard

Fresh squeezed orange juice

Fresh squeezed lemon juice

Fresh squeezed lime juice

Shake it…shake it…shake it!

Drizzle over your salad and enjoy!

My top 3 Favourite Dressing Recipes

Orange Dressing

¼ cup Fresh squeezed orange juice

1 tbsp. Red wine vinegar

1 clove Garlic

1 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil

Sea Salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients and store covered in refrigerator for up to two days.

Classic Vinaigrette

1-2 tsps. Grainy mustard

2 tbsps. Fresh lemon juice

6 tbsps. Extra virgin olive oil

Crushed garlic to taste

Pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients and store covered in refrigerator for up to two days.

Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

6 tbsps. Grape seed Oil

1 tbsp. Premium aged Lemon Vinegar

Crushed Garlic to taste

Fresh Dill to taste

Pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days

I love the J.R. Watkins Grape seed oil and pepper but you can choose your own favorite brand from your local health foods market
I purchase my Premium Aged Lemon Vinegar locally but if you are unable to find this product use apple cider vinegar and 2 tbsps. of fresh lemon juice
I like the taste that the fresh dill adds to this dressing but you can substitute with whatever herbs you most enjoy