Savory, Simple Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
A New Year is upon us once again…many of us are thinking about becoming healthy or shedding a few pounds. As a lover of food, I cringe when I hear the word “diet” because, to me, it is almost synonymous with “hungry”. I don’t like being hungry for hours on end. Diets are also temporary. That means the 5 pounds you successfully lost while being on a diet are going to come right back once you start eating like you usually do again. So instead of being on a diet for a few weeks and then ditching it, try being healthy year-round.
Healthy doesn’t mean you eat bland mulch and grass. Healthy can be flavorful, colorful, and very satisfying. Because to be happy and healthy, you need to be satisfied after a meal. If you aren’t satisfied with a meal, you will be searching for more food, and that leads you to eat more. Your energy levels will also decrease if you cut out lots of calories and protein from your daily food intake. Tired, and hungry, and your goal is to lose weight? That does not sound fun, and it will probably put you in some unhappy moods.
Having a small(ish), well-rounded meal, cutting out spontaneous snacking (which is usually a result of your body’s dissatisfaction with a prior meal), and exercising can do wonders for your body and mental health.
“I’ll just have a salad.”
Sounds great in theory. But a sparse salad with a few teaspoons of dressing at lunch is not gonna be fun, and if you work with other people nearby, such as in an office, (and I have) your salad will be overpowered by the smell of your co-worker’s supreme pizza warming up in the microwave.
Salads are a great way to go, and they can be exciting and a nice thing to look forward to at lunchtime, but you should personalize it to your liking and make it appealing. If you have a sweet tooth, add raspberries or blueberries. Make it yummy, and make it fit you.
For me, I love this savory honey mustard salad dressing. It’s delicious, and a great way to amp up your salads!
A Key to Actually Nutritious Salads
Nutrients: To be good for you, salads need to be nutrient-dense. That means don’t just eat just-plain-Romaine lettuce. (Although if you need to start out that way, that’s ok.) Add spinach, kale, or other dark, leafy greens. Personally, I love spring mix, because it’s pre-mixed and easy to put in a bowl, especially if it’s already pre-washed. Add no-fluff toppings, like chicken, boiled egg, veggies, or fruits. I tend to stay away from cheeses, because not all cheese is created equal, and it’s a little extra work to know if it’s actually nutritious cheese. I also tend to stay away from nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.) but they are good protein, though.
In-Season: Toppings for your salad, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, blueberries, strawberries, etc., will taste better if they’re in-season, and generally will be cheaper, too.
Use what you have: Healthy doesn’t need to be expensive. Buying the in-season vegetables or growing your own won’t drain your wallet.
Oil: Use extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil when you make salad dressing. It’s much better for you.
Organic: This is what will often drive people into growing their own vegetables, because it can get expensive. Why organic? There are a few things that organic farming does NOT include, and it is beneficial.
According to the Mayo Clinic, materials or methods not allowed in organic farming include:
- Artificial (synthetic) fertilizers to add nutrients to the soil
- Sewage sludge as fertilizer (yes, this happens!)
- Most synthetic pesticides for pest control
- Using radiation (irradiation) to preserve food or to get rid of disease or pests
- Using genetic technology to change the genetic makeup (genetic engineering) of crops, which can improve disease or pest resistance, or to improve crop harvests
- Antibiotics or growth hormones for farm animals
Equipment & Tools
Measuring Cup(s) and Spoon(s)
Storage Container: I like to use a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, such as a mason jar. However, you can also use a reusable salad dressing container, or anything that has a good seal on the lid and is big enough to mix up the dressing.
Funnel: A funnel is optional depending on the type of container you use. If you use a swing-top style bottle, a funnel will be needed.
Ingredients Needed
Olive Oil: Extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil is best to use.
Apple Cider Vinegar: You can also use white vinegar, but the taste will be milder.
Dijon Mustard: You can also use regular mustard if that is all you have on hand.
Honey or Maple Syrup: This helps to give a sweet note to the salad dressing. You can even use an herbal honey, like homemade dandelion honey!
Ground Dill: If you don’t have dill, you can substitute with ground marjoram or basil, but the flavor will be altered slightly.
Other Spices: Ground black pepper, salt, and garlic powder will all be used in this.
How to Make this Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
Add Ingredients: Add all of your ingredients to your jar or bottle. Seal the lid.
Shake: Vigorously shake the jar until all of the ingredients are combined!
Serve: Serve about 2 tablespoons of this salad dressing on a fresh salad with toppings of your choice! This dressing is delicious and satisfying!
Storage: Store in the fridge, but take it out a little while before serving to allow it to warm up since the olive oil solidifies when cold.
FAQ’s
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
*Note: Calories and cost is estimated, if provided.
Equipment & Tools
- Measuring Cup(s) and Spoon(s)
- Jar or Bottle, with tighly fitted lid
- Funnel (optional)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Olive oil
- ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Honey
- ½ tsp Dill, ground
- ¼ tsp Ground black pepper , freshly ground
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Fine sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- To a jar or bottle with a leak-proof lid, add ⅓ cup Olive oil, ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Honey, ½ tsp Dill, ground, ¼ tsp Ground black pepper, ½ tsp Garlic powder, ¼ tsp Fine sea salt (optional). Close the lid.
- Shake the jar vigorously until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Serve about 2 tablespoons of this dressing per salad, and enjoy!
Storage
- Store in the fridge, but take it out a little while before serving to allow it to warm up since the olive oil solidifies when cold.
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