Christian's Maple Syrup and Balsamic GI Salad Dressing
Now, I don't like to brag :-), but this is probably the best salad dressing that you'll ever come across.
It is not extremely low-calory and it contains maple syrup, a natural sweetener. Unlike Splenda™, maple syrup is not calory-free, but it has a a low glycemic index and you can't beat the taste.
It has more fat that other GI dressings, but this dressing will make you want to munch on a huge bowl of salad greens, which is precisely what you'll want to do before dinner to curb your appetite before the main course.
This dressing works well with tender and mild greens (Asian mix, ruccola, spring mix), tomatoes (I prefer cherry), cucumbers, sprouts, radishes, diced red peppers, and whatever else hides in your crisper.
And it can't get much simpler...
- 4 tb olive oil
- 2 tb balsamic vinegar
- 2 tb maple syrup
- 1 tb port wine (optional)
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
Serves 4-6
Note about the ingredients
It pays to spend a few extra bucks on good ingredients. Don't opt for the big bottle of cheap balsamic vinegar for this recipe. Buy a small bottle of a more expensive balsamic vinegar. It will last you a long time. Under no circumstances use maple flavoured syrup. Opt for the good stuff: 100% pure maple syrup. The port wine is optional. I don't usually use it. It adds a little more sugar.Make ahead: You can multiply this recipe (ex: 1/2 cup ollive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/8 cup port wine) and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Shake it up before you use it.
