Here’s a simple all natural, organic recipe for low fat, sugar free, reduced calorie vinaigrette that’s delicious on nearly everything! Obviously great on salads, but also a fantastic marinade for ensuring juicy + flavorful meat + poultry or adding zest to a vegetable roast in the oven. Mix it up! Try this same recipe with white balsamic vinegar for a lighter twist on this standard vinaigrette.

While vinaigrettes lack heavy cream, sour cream, mayonnaise or other fattening ingredients in many opaque dressings like ranch, blue cheese + thousand island, I’m astounded to find that a 2 tablespoon serving of many store bought brands contains 186 calories, dominantly contributed by the 20grams (or more) of fat. And while some Light Vinaigrettes reduce fat grams to a more reasonable number, sugar frequently shoots up with the increased high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, sugar, etc. Typical of manufacturers striving to deliver big flavor while praying we only care about fat + thus, are too stupid or apathetic to account for added sugar + ingredients lists, or comprehend that as unhealthy elements migrate higher in those lists, the more they make up the overall product.

Fortunately, this fresh, easy recipe takes less time than reading all those labels, which by the way legally do not have to declare use of any genetically modified ingredients (GMOs)…another concern with processed food. Byron and I support California’s Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, and urge you to educate yourself on what creepy things make it into your food, without notifying you! Please Vote YES on Prop 37 on Election Day!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup balsamic vinegar (we use Kirklands Organic, it’s super rich, thick + flavorful)
1/4 cup  olive oil
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients into bowl and whisk vigorously with an immersion blender. By using the blender, it fully amalgamates the oil + vinegar to give a really velvety texture. It also stops the dressing from separating while it sits. Store the dressing in an airtight jar on the counter, it does NOT need refrigeration. Toss with salad or other dish. Recipe yields enough dressing for multiple large entree salads.

 

Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sugar Sodium
Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette 36 2 4 0 2 40
Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette 90 4 8 0 4 300