Most Basic Vinaigrette That Will Transform Your Salads

I'm a huge fan of big salads - had one for dinner last night and lunch today. Salads are a great way to practice FIFO and use up all your odds and ends of ingredients...a little chicken, a little cheese, part of a tomato, whatever! Don't let it go to waste. That's money.

Here's my most basic vinaigrette that is so delicious and easy and goes with most any salad.

This is enough for one big salad...

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar (but you can substitute balsamic or red wine vinegar or lemon juice)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
generous salt and pepper to taste

Make in a mason jar and shake with lid on, of course.

A little goes a very long way. In the picture above is a tripled recipe to use for several salads during the week.

My favorite thing to do is dice up the vegetables and let them sit and marinate in the dressing in the bottom of the bowl for a few minutes. They absorb so much flavor.

Then pile on the lettuce and "toss" the salad.

Top with meat (chicken, fish, shrimp), olives, avocado, cheese, boiled egg. The possibilities are endless.

I've made this dressing so much, I never measure the ingredients now. In fact, I usually make the dressing in the salad bowl and whisk with a fork. The ingredients do not have to be exact and you can totally play around with them and make the vinaigrette to your taste.

Salads are my life...

just kidding...

not. I love salads.

When serving as a family meal I often do deconstructed salads for the kids.