If you eat salad with oil and vinegar, what kind of oil and vinegar do you buy? And,

[BamaTanya]

is that a healthy choice for salad dressings?

 

I'm trying to make better choices one at a time. I'm planning to add a fresh salad to every day. (I know my regular menus are lacking in the vegetable department.)

 

The dressings I like are ranch, Italian, and Caesar, but I wonder if oil and vinegar (like I select at restaurants) might be a better choice.

 

I shopped on that aisle yesterday and was overwhelmed with the selection of vinegar! I wonder if I'm on the right track with oil: extra virgin olive oil?

 

I understand darker greens are supposed to be more nutritious. Like spinach? What else?

 

tia

[Slartibartfast]

I use olive oil and balsamic, red wine vinegar or white balsamic depending on what I am doing.

 

I usually make a dressing, I throw in things like herbs de provence (or fresh herbs if I have them) mustard (just a touch to help emulsify) a little Worcester, lemon juice, pepper, salt.

 

I tend to buy the organic baby greens packages that come in 1 lb plastic boxes at costco. I wash it and spin it dry.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Sis

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

If I use oil and vinegar, it's mostly flax oil with raw apple cider vinegar. It's delicious!

[tkdkidsmom]

Olive oil with a squeeze of lemon juice is yummy. Also a little crushed fresh garlic can be added. Most days it is just olive oil, salt, pepper.

[GailV]

Dh typically uses olive oil with raw apple cider vinegar, with crushed garlic thrown in.

 

But he became a recent convert to olive oil with fresh lemon juice.

 

Sometimes we throw in other herbs.

 

He can't use balsamic because of the tannins. The raw apple cider vinegar seems to be okay, though, perhaps because it's raw.

[shalom22]

I found a delicious oil and vinegar dressing that I can handle. I never have been an oil and vinegar fan. This dressing does have sugar in it though. It is Hendrickson's Original Sweet Vinegar & Olive Oil. It is usually up on a high shelf and you have to hunt for it. Our whole family use it exclusively.

 

And yes, the darker the green the better.:D

[Lady Florida.]

Olive oil with a squeeze of lemon juice is yummy. Also a little crushed fresh garlic can be added. Most days it is just olive oil, salt, pepper.

 

This is my absolute favorite "dressing". Just drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea or kosher salt, then squeeze a lemon slice over it. Delicious!

 

When I do use vinegar I use balsamic, red, or white wine. The choice depends on my mood, the salad ingredients, and which vinegar I have on hand (though I usually try to keep all three in the pantry).

 

Dh and ds prefer creamy dressings, usually ranch. I personally don't care for creamy dressings. I think the fresh greens of a salad taste much better with a light oil and vinegar or oil and lemon juice dressing. There are exceptions, like Caesar, but for the most part creamy dressings taste too heavy to me.

[KatieJ]

My EVOO is quite strong tasting and I quite often will use half EVOO and half a lighter oil, and then add in either redn wine vinegar or balsalmic vinegar. Add in some crushed (or powdered) garlic, salt and pepper.

 

 

A hint I saw recently for those who love creamy dressings:

Take your bottle of ranch or ceasar and dilute it with lowfat buttermilk.

It's frugal by cutting calories and cost per bottle.

[AvasMom]

We buy the most amaaaaazing flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars from http://www.carterandcavero.com. We live in NJ so we shop at the store where you can taste all of them. Sooo good!!

[Slartibartfast]

We buy the most amaaaaazing flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars from http://www.carterandcavero.com. We live in NJ so we shop at the store where you can taste all of them. Sooo good!!

 

Those look amazing!

[Jen in PA]

I use olive oil and balsamic, red wine vinegar or white balsamic depending on what I am doing.

 

 

:iagree: Sometimes I'll do a dressing with EVOO, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, and herbs.

[Rosie_0801]

The best quality I can afford! I usually buy mid-range and don't even know if the most expensive is best, but I know mid-range is better than the cheapest. :ack2:

 

Cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil, most of the time, though mustard seed oil is pretty exciting once you get over the shock. :drool5:

 

We have red balsamic, white balsamic (I'm still kicking myself for not buying any apple balsamic at a market ten years ago because I've not seen it since,) rice vinegar and some really nice pear wine vinegar. I've no idea where I even found that.

 

Salad without the occasional wholegrain mustard dressing is inconceivable, and sometimes I make a creamy dressing out of avocado. There are plenty of green goddess dressing recipes online. I haven't developed a favourite.

 

Rosie

[Laura Corin]

Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

 

Laura

[Spy Car]

Oils

 

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (the overwhelming mainstay)

Avocado Oil (tasty and healthful)

Roasted Sesame Oil (good for moving salads in an Asian direction, usually as a supplement to EVO)

Hazelnut Oil (a rare splurge, but delicious)

 

Vinegars

Red Wine Vinegar (it is ridiculously hard to find a well balance inexpensive red wine vinegar, but if you can it is a top choice)

Industrial Balsamic (over-done, but easy to source)

Rice Vinegar (good with Roasted Sesame Oil and Miso in Asian salad dressings)

Sherry Vinegar (under appreciated Spanish treat. It is strong so use sparingly.

White Wine/Champagne Vinegar (nice for a lighter taste)

Lemon Juice

 

Bill

[kalanamak]

The best evoo I can afford and lemon/Meyer lemon/lime juice.

[AuntieM]

The best quality I can afford! I usually buy mid-range and don't even know if the most expensive is best, but I know mid-range is better than the cheapest. :ack2:

 

Cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil, most of the time, though mustard seed oil is pretty exciting once you get over the shock. :drool5:

 

We have red balsamic, white balsamic (I'm still kicking myself for not buying any apple balsamic at a market ten years ago because I've not seen it since,) rice vinegar and some really nice pear wine vinegar. I've no idea where I even found that.

 

Salad without the occasional wholegrain mustard dressing is inconceivable, and sometimes I make a creamy dressing out of avocado. There are plenty of green goddess dressing recipes online. I haven't developed a favourite.

 

Rosie

 

Hey Rosie, do you use mayo or have you used something else for the "creamy" factor (ie, yogurt or sour cream)?

 

Bill, what is "industrial" balsamic? Is that actually a brand or do you mean restaurant grade (or something else entirely)?

 

Thanks, OP - my vinaigrettes are often too heavy on the oil and I needed this thread.:D

[joannqn]

I use 1 T balsamic vinegar, 4 T olive oil, 1 t dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. I whip it together with a fork in a small bowl. It's enough for the six of us for one meal.

[Rosie_0801]

Hey Rosie, do you use mayo or have you used something else for the "creamy" factor (ie, yogurt or sour cream)?

 

Avocado is creamy enough for me. :)

 

Rosie

[kalanamak]

I use 1 T balsamic vinegar, 4 T olive oil, 1 t dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. I whip it together with a fork in a small bowl. It's enough for the six of us for one meal.

 

I do this with one part EVOO, 1 part BV, and 1 part iced water, with a good dollop of Dijon. Cap and shake violently. The last slivers of ice melt, and the vinegar stays in suspension.

[Cindyg]

If you're going purely for health, I'd mix apple cider vinegar (the kind from the health food store) with flax seed oil, and flavor with garlic.

[Sandra in FL]

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons water

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt (if you want)

1 teaspoon crushed Italian Seasoning

[Spy Car]

 

Bill, what is "industrial" balsamic? Is that actually a brand or do you mean restaurant grade (or something else entirely)?

 

Industrial balsamic is the stuff we get in markets. This vinegar is made in factories. It is not bad. But "real" balsamic vinegar is an artisinal product handmade in Modena, Italy in peoples attics and involves a long aging process where the vinegar is transferred into ever smaller barrels. Real balsamic vinegar is very concentrated, and very $$$$$.

 

I use the term "industrial balsamic vinegar" to differentiate it from traditional balsamic vinegar. I have a few tiny flasks of real balsamic vinegar left from a trip to Modena (which included a private tour of one families attic that was stuffed to the gills with wood barrels. But the industrial balsamic is what we use on salads.

 

Trader Joes has a really cheap industrial balsamic 33.8 fluid oz for $3.99. I don't even want to think about what 33 oz of traditional balsamic would cost. I could not afford it.

 

Bill

[ErinE]

You can reduce balsamic vinegar to a thick syrup that has a level of deliciousness that regular balsamic doesn't have. Your house will stink while it's cooking, but the results are worth it.

[Laura in STL]

We buy the most amaaaaazing flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars from http://www.carterandcavero.com. We live in NJ so we shop at the store where you can taste all of them. Sooo good!!

 

We have a shop called DiOliva's like this. I love going in to taste before buying. I just bought a cranberry/pear balsamic that is so good I could drink it!

[NittanyJen]

There is a shop that has just three branches (2 in PA and 1 in New Jersey) but they will ship if you call or order online. Walking into the store is fun, because you can taste everything.

 

Their 25-year balsamic is amazing. The flavored balsamics like blueberry and strawberry are excellent on salads, paired up with an EVOO or the unfiltered California OO I just bought there, which has an amazing taste as well. Their chocolate balsamic will puzzle for a moment, then a minute later-- boom! Chocolate flavor explodes in your mouth; I love that one with strawberries.

 

You just have to remember with Olive oil that yes, it is a healthy fat, but a little goes a long way. Because it is oil, it will cling and stick to your salad, so just a tsp or so will nicely coat your salad if you toss it around (a single serving). You don't need to drown your greens-- just as with anything else, portion control is as much a function of the health of the food as the nutritional content!

 

http://www.atasteofolive.com/our-products.html