This is a great, all-purpose slightly sweet salad dressing. It is wonderful on leaf and butterhead lettuce, spinach and massaged kale salads. Use on cabbage slaws in winter, or spooned over warm roasted root veggies. Add lean proteins, chickpeas, or nuts to the salad for a full meal!

It also makes a great base to experiment from: switch the vinegar or the type of mustard used, add in more, less, or no garlic to your liking, replace 1/4 of oil with 1/2 cup of yogurt, add some chopped fresh herbs in summer (chives, basil, and thyme all work exceptionally well). 

Yield: 2 cups dressing
Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup balsamic vinegar 

¼ cup maple syrup (can reduce to 2 tablespoons if you prefer a less sweet dressing)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper to taste 

PREPARATION:

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar or container with a lid.
2. Shake well or emulsify using an immersion blender. Blending is a good option if making it creamy with yogurt or adding garlic or herbs.
3. Store this dressing in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or 1 week (if using yogurt/herbs). If oil solidifies, remove from the fridge and reshake.