Making your own vinaigrette is a great way to take your salad to the next level, and an easy way to know exactly what is in the food you are eating. If you glance at
the ingredient list on your average dressing bottle, you will find a long list of ingredients, some you cannot pronounce, and various oils such as soybean and canola.
Just take a quick look at the ingredients in Kraft’s Light Raspberry Vinaigrette:
Water, Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Soybean Oil, Canola Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil), Red Wine Vinegar, Vinegar, Contains Less Than 2% of Salt, Red Raspberry Juice Concentrate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Dried Onions, Spice, Poppy Seeds, Natural Flavor, Oleoresin Paprika, Potassium Sorbate and Calcium Disodium Edta.
With sugar as the second ingredient, this ‘light’ vinaigrette is no friend to your nutritional intake.
Thankfully, you can make your own vinaigrette with this delicious recipe in a matter of minutes! Let your blender do the work, and let your body reap the benefits:
Fruit Vinaigrette
Yield 2 Cups:
1 c. Fruit (raspberries, strawberries, etc…)
1 Tbsp. Shallots
1 Tbsp. Garlic
1 Tbsp. Sugar
¼ c. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
⅓ c. Honey
1 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Combine fruit, shallots, garlic, sugar, and vinegar in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the mustard and honey and continue to blend until smooth. On low speed, slowly add the extra virgin olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. You may add sugar if you want a sweeter dressing, or for a healthier option, play around with the fruit you use—this can make a big difference in the overall sweetness.
Ideally, you should refrigerate your vinaigrette overnight to allow the flavors to meld before use, but if you are in a hurry, the dressing can be used right away.
Bon appetite!
If you cannot make your own vinaigrette, try to find an organic option. Thankfully, these options are often available at your local grocery store, or can be ordered online.
Our Mission
Our mission is to create a partnership between the Evangelical community and the nation of Israel; this partnership will produce employment, income, and revenue for humanitarian aid projects in Israel. We envision the planting of one-million olive trees over the next seven years. This relationship was prophesied in the Bible centuries ago, that the foreigners and strangers (those not of Jewish descent) would help rebuild the walls of Israel and cause the desert to bloom (Isa 35:1). Among other things, this reforestation is an environmental blessing for the entire region. May all who participate in this project be blessed body, soul and spirit; it is time for you to take root in Israel!