Easy 1-2-3 Balsamic Dressing (Real Food, Paleo, Whole30)

This three-ingredient dressing is the easiest salad dressing I know - and very versatile! This is one of the first dressings I learned to make and I use it often because I always have the ingredients on hand.

Why make your own? It literally takes less than a minute to stir together, it tastes much better than any store-bought balsamic vinaigrette dressing (in my opinion) and it is just all-around better for you. Even a brand like Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette, typically considered clean, contains ingredients I try to avoid:

Ingredients in Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette: Vegetable oil (canola oil and/or soybean oil), extra virgin olive oil, water, balsamic vinegar, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, spice, onion, red bell pepper, xanthan gum, paprika (for color).

Food manufacturers just love to sneak in highly processed sugar, since it is cheap and addicting. And personally, I like to avoid any unnatural and highly inflammatory hydrogenated oils such as canola and soybean oils.

Before I found I had a dairy allergy, my favorite salad included chopped toasted walnuts, thinly sliced green apples, glorious and creamy blue cheese crumbles and this dressing. This combination tastes just fine without the blue cheese, even if I miss the crumbles!

My son frequently asks for a chopped salad made with pepperoni, artichokes and other yummies with this dressing (Briar Rose's Artichoke Salad, adapted from Dana Carpender's book: 15 Minute Low-Carb Recipes). What can I say? He takes after me when it comes to flavorful food.

Of course, a fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil salad is the perfect dish for this dressing. If you cannot have any dairy, this recipe for dairy-free mozzarella by Brittany Angell may work well!

1-2-3 Balsamic Dressing

1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil

Place the ingredients in a small bowl or cup and whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Drizzle over greens, cheese or even fruit.

Comments

Slow Cooker Menudo (Real Food, Paleo, Whole30, AIP Friendly)

Menudo , or tripe soup, is a traditional soup commonly served on a Sunday morning. It is considered labor-intensive since it requires a very long cooking time, so it started the night before any plans to eat it, or made for special occasions. Due to its nourishing collagen-packed broth and mineral-rich protein, it has a cult following for those wishing to get rid of the Saturday night hangover! I remember my dad being the one prepping the tripe at night and I remember someone getting up during the night at various times to check on the pot of soup bubbling on the stove. I also remember becoming a teenager and deciding I no longer would eat organ meats! So I even gave up on all the other delicious ones, like tender beef tongue and beef cheeks. I also happily gave up the ones I never liked - like liver and mushy brains. Yes, brains...... As an adult, I decided being an adventurous eater was much more fun and I incorporated liver back in my diet. And I realized that the liv

Easy Instant Pot Beans (Real Food, Wapf, Vegan)

I recently started making beans on a regular basis for my family and I remember now how much of a comfort dish this is. Best of all, it is one of the easiest dishes to make at home. Beans are a legume prized and eaten all over Mexico and, along with maiz, is usually served on a daily basis. According to experts, there are possibly 200+ types of edible beans grown in Mexico, with beans being cultivated close to 7 thousand years ago. And they were so valuable, that the Aztecs asked for them as tribute payments. Legumes, like grains, are super easy on the family budget and they can provide quality nutrition when prepared properly. Beans are generally high in minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and iron, they also contain phytic acid - basically an anti-nutrient. Phytic acid binds to minerals, like calcium and iron, and prevents the body from absorbing them. Diets heavy in phytic acid can lead to developmental delays in children, tooth decay, brittle bones, malnutrition and

Water Kefir Agua Fresca, Two Ways (Paleo, Real Food)

Mexico is the land of aguas frescas. Agua fresh, literally means fresh water, and it refers to traditional fresh fruit and/or veggie drinks. Aguas frescas are usually single-ingredient drinks, such as an agua de limon (a lime-ade), agua de pi ñ a (pineapple) or my favorite: agua de tamarindo (tamarind drink). And some aguas are simple combos such as a lime and cucumber agua fresca. Interestingly, the lime and cucumber flavor is usually made with nutrient-dense chia seeds and is recommended for a healthy digestion. Walk down most streets, especially those around or in the town square, and you may find a vendor or two serving a variety of aguas frescas out of huge glass containers. The drinks are then served in a plastic baggie with a straw, which is great while exploring the town! During market day or special event, vendors multiply and make it hard to choose between tables of colorful options! I spent three weeks in Mexico last month and indulged in a lot of agua fresca.

Holistic Instincts

Search This Blog