“The perfect dressing is essential to the perfect salad, and I see no reason whatsoever for using a bottled dressing, which may have been sitting on the grocery shelf for weeks, even months -?

even years.” – Julia Child

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Spring is here! Soon fresh, local salad greens – many types of lettuce, spinach, arugula, frisee, mache – will be available. Light, healthy, luscious fresh spring salads are a delectable treat. And they’re chock full of important vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

To most folks, a salad is naked without dressing. Ubiquitous bottled salad dressings offer convenience to the cook and choice to the diners. 60 million gallons of bottled salad dressings are sold annually in the United States (according to the Association of Dressings and Sauces’ website). With a myriad of flavor choices from standards like ranch, Italian, French, Thousand Island, and blue cheese to exotic flavors that include raspberry walnut vinaigrette, Asian sesame ginger, creamy poppy seed or sun dried tomato, bottled dressings have become a huge industry.

But commercial dressings are full of sweeteners, thickeners, artificial ingredients and pasteurized vinegars. Fat free versions of these factory products don’t make you healthier; instead, they make your salad less nourishing, because you need that healthy oil to absorb the vitamins from your salad greens.

It’s true that a good dressing makes a salad sing – but fresh, delicious, wholesome salad dressings are best made at home. While bottled dressings may offer variety, they’re significantly more expensive and sacrifice flavor, freshness, and nutrition. While the salad beneath might be fresh, the dressing is definitely not.

Commercially bottled convenience foods are a 20th century development. In ancient times, Romans dressed their salad greens simply with salt. (The word salad comes from herba salta – salted herbs). It was the Babylonians who developed the first known vinaigrette, using oil and vinegar for dressing greens. Egyptians added Oriental spices to this oil-vinegar blend.

Homemade dressings are healthier because you control what goes in and how much. They make use of nutritious herbal, wine or cider vinegars or citrus juices loaded with vitamin C, as well as fresh herbs like garlic, basil or oregano and healthy oils.

The simplest dressing is the vinaigrette: a simple blend of oil, acid, salt and seasonings. Usually one part acid (vinegar, citrus juice) is used for two or three parts fat (olive oil, walnut oil), depending on tartness desired. For a thicker, creamier consistency, use more oil; for more tartness, add more acid. The French usually add mustard; Italians, garlic, basil, and sometimes cheese. Add pureed berries for fruity vinaigrette. While most home cooks make their vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil, bottled dressings usually use cheap, highly refined soybean oil which does not have the same health benefits.

To make it, whisk together the acid (vinegar or citrus) and spices or seasonings, including salt and pepper. Then, slowly stream in your oil while whisking vigorously to thicken and emulsify the dressing. You can also put the ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously, or use a blender.

Although shunned by dieters in favor of fat-free products, oil is important to a healthy diet. Medical studies have shown that it helps the body absorb important nutrients found in salad greens, like lycopene and beta carotene. Other nutrients found in oils include vitamin E and alpha linoleic acid, both of which are important for heart health. Studies have shown that vitamin E supplements don’t offer the same benefits as the natural form of this vitamin.

The acid in the vinaigrette comes from vinegar or citrus juice. There are several healthy choices for the acid component of your dressing.

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Apple cider vinegar

Raw, unfiltered, organic apple cider vinegar with the “mother” is a live substance. Strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria comprise the “mother” and make the product a cloudy rather than clear. Cider vinegar is known to increase the beneficial bacteria in the stomach and fight off harmful yeasts. It contains vitamin C, potassium. It’s rich in enzymes for digestion, helps increase hydrochloric acid in the stomach to aid in digestion, and it’s full of potassium, Vitamin C, electrolytes, and cleansing properties. It also has been proven to help slow down insulin in the blood stream to lower blood sugar levels. This can help prevent an insulin spike at meals with higher carbohydrates and help promote sugar cravings overall.

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Lemon or lime

Fresh lemon juice is an excellent source of vitamin C, an immune booster, protecting against infectious disease. Lemons are also good sources of potassium, calcium, fiber and beta-carotene. Liminoids, the bitter flavonoids found abundantly in lemons and other citrus fruits, are known to reduce the risk of several types of cancer.

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Fermented salad dressings

Fermented dressings add micro- and macronutrients and contain probiotics – live, active cultures. Depending on the fermented products used, they offer a variety of flavors and textures. Kombucha that has fermented a bit too long offers a nice vinegary bite. You can use a little liquid from sauerkraut or kimchi as both the acid and salt in your dressing. Or simply blend these fermented vegetables and add to the oil and spices. For a creamy Italian, add a couple tablespoons Greek yogurt to the blend of oil, garlic, herbs and vinegar, or use liquid from yogurt (whey) in place of the acid.

Vinaigrettes are simple to make, with lots of variations. It takes just a couple minutes to blend olive oil, vinegar, salt, and herbs (like basil, oregano, garlic, pepper or mustard). Buy the very best olive oil and quality vinegar you can afford. Or use fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice.

There are a couple different approaches. You can make the dressing fresh right before you need it, and mix the greens into it. That was the original meaning of ‘tossed salad’ – the greens were tossed into the dressing. This has become the practice at some four-star restaurants, where diners mix their own salad dressings right at the table.

Others prefer to make the dressing ahead and store it in a jar in the fridge. This sacrifices freshness for convenience. A middle road is to infuse oils with herbs, and add lemon or citrus juice at serving time.

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Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar

1 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

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Directions:

Combine vinegar, salt, maple syrup and mustard in bottom of salad bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings. Toss greens into the dressing.

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Italian Olio-Limone

Ingredients:

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 small garlic clove

1/2 lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)

1/2 teaspoon dried basil or oregano

2 Tablespoons oil

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Directions:

Crush garlic with salt; place in bottom of salad bowl. Squeeze in lemon juice and herbs. Whisk in the oil. Adjust seasonings before tossing greens into the dressing. Serve immediately.

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Citrus Dressing

Ingredients:

1/3 cup fresh squeezed citrus juice (from oranges, lemons, limes, or grapefruit)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-2 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup

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Directions:

Mix or shake ingredients together. It’s best to mix the juice & oil & add enough honey or sugar to suit your taste.

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Spiced Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon maple syrup or honey

2 Tablespoons olive oil

teaspoon black pepper

teaspoon salt

Pinch each cinnamon and curry powder

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Directions:

In bottom of salad bowl, whisk all ingredients together with a fork.

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Moroccan Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 small clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 tsp natural salt, or to taste

3/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 pinch cayenne

1/4 cup tightly packed minced fresh parsley

1/3 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Freshly ground pepper to taste

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Directions:

1. Place garlic in mortar and pestle with salt and mash well. Place in jar with paprika, cumin, cayenne, and parsley. Add olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar. Shake well.

2. Taste and adjust seasonings adding more lemon juice, vinegar and pepper if you like.

3. Store unused portion in refrigerator. Keeps a few days or up to a week, but you may need to add additional lemon juice, cumin and parsley after a few days in the refrigerator.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be reached at www.wordsaremyworld.com