For most people, going healthy is not always easy. Growing up in a family of six, it was always hard to please everyone at the table. As an extremely difficult eater and “sometimes vegetarian” teenager, it was difficult for my parents to please me at every meal. When I was younger, my parents decided that we would have a salad with most every dinner. However, my healthy parents would never buy bottles of dressing from the grocery story. Instead, they took things into their own hands and came up with this incredible, versatile recipe that I still love to this day.
Dressing Base
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Pepper and salt to taste
Directions:
1. Finely mince garlic.
Photo by Bari Blanga
2. Mix together garlic, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and pepper and salt.
Photo by Bari Blanga
Salad dressing option one: Caesar Salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 bag romaine
Dressing base, listed above
2-3 tablespoons Dijon or spicy mustard
Juice from freshly squeezed lemon
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup croutons
Directions:
1. Rinse romaine and, once dry, place in a bowl.
Photo by Bari Blanga
2. Add Dijon or spicy mustard, juice from one freshly squeezed lemon and Parmesan cheese to dressing base.
Photo by Bari Blanga
3. Mix dressing well and pour over romaine.
Photo by Bari Blanga
4. Add croutons and mix.
Salad dressing option two: Arugula Salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 bag of arugula
Dressing base, listed above
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan or Gorgonzola cheese
2 red tomatoes, diced
1 cup cranberry raises or 2 sliced green apples or 2 sliced pairs (or all three, if you so fancy)
Directions:
1. Rinse arugula and, once dry, place in a bowl.
2. Add dressing base and mix with greens.
4. Dice tomatoes and add over salad.
4. Add shaved Parmesan or Gorgonzola cheese.
5. Based on preference, add cranberry raisins, sliced green apples or sliced pairs.
Photo by Bari Blanga
Like this recipe? Check out these related posts: