Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

Hi fellow foodies and aspiring 'green' home cooks!

I posted before a recipe for balsamic vinaigrette with no additional flavors. I made a video demonstrating how to make this vinaigrette as well.  It's a very basic recipe that has many variations available.  I came across this Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe in a free distribution I pick up when I visit the health foods store called Better Nutrition: The Shopping Magazine for  Natural Living. I just haaad to try it! It was
the best.salad dressing.ever. No store bought vinaigrette could really compare, especially when accounting for the fact that it was more nutritious and not to mention, environmentally friendly.  And of course, we can't forget the fact that there was total control over what went into the dressing and the quality.

Some Nutrition Tidbits

I love a lot of veggies in my salad.  Tonight's salad included spinach, baby romaine, cucumber, onions, mushroom, avocado, broccoli, carrots, and green olives - all organic.  No cheese or almonds.  No cheese because I'm slowly moving away from dairy products (perhaps with eggs being an exception) and no almonds or other nuts/seeds because I was out.  Spinach has some protein and according to www.livestrong.com, 10-35% of calories should come from protein. I feel fairly certain I reached at least 10% protein today (I had a spinach base in my salad for lunch too and a spelt muffin for breakfast and a snack - spelt packs quite a protein and fiber punch!).  I read that eating bread (in moderation of course) with a salad helps the body absorb more carotenoids from the veggies.  I searched online for more information and didn't have any luck although I did find interesting information regarding oils helping the body to absorb fat soluble carotenoids. And recently, the diet and weight loss buzz is that we need eat fat to lose fat (healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, etc.) so no worries in adding this vinaigrette to your salads and other dishes if you're dieting.

The Recipe

I followed the recipe exactly with the exception of shallots (none in my inventory) and the balsamic was just good old regular balsamic (Pompeian is the brand I used this go round). The recipe called to adjust oil and vinegar to taste but I found that this balance was just right for the most part. I thought it might could use a tad bit more oil but shrugged it off.  It was just slightly (and I mean slightly) more tangy than I'm used to and that might have had something to do with the 4 acidic ingredients (balsamic and red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard) the recipe called for.  Of course, by all means, adjust away!

This recipe serves 4 so you can just use a 1/2 of what the recipe calls for to make just enough for a serving of 2, etc if you don't want leftover dressing.  It can be used as a marinade for Lemon Balsamic Chicken over steamed veggies or something if the idea of another salad topped with this dressing isn't appealing.

Note: Olive oil does not keep well in the fridge.  Perhaps one day at the most before it thickens and darkens in color and flavor can be lost if kept refrigerated for an extended period of time (http://www.apollooliveoil.com/organic-extra-virgin/index.php/faqs/#08).

I'm going to recite the recipe verbatim so I should source the publication, I suppose.  I believe in giving credit where credit is due!

Here's what you need:

1/4 c      aged balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp   fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp   red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp   water
1 Tbsp   minced shallot
2 tsp      Dijon mustard
1/3 c      extra virgin olive oil

Here's what you do:

1. Combine balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, water, shallots, and mustard in medium jar and shake vigorously to combine.  Add olive oil and shake again. Adjust vinegar and oil to taste.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

186 cal; <1g protein; 19g total fat (3g saturated); 4g carb; 0mg chol; 64mg sod; <1g fiber; 3g sugars

Better Nutrition, December 2012, page 12 www.betternutrition.com

*This post has been linked with Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways and A Blossoming Life blog community.*