Healthy Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe

This vinaigrette recipe is quick, easy and simple.  And it's great for any kind of salad.  Toss it with grains, greens, or vegetables.

Mix up a double recipe and keep it on hand in a bottle.  It will keep you from using store-bought versions full of sugar, sodium, and chemical preservative. 

Just make sure to use the best olive oil you can get.

Studies show that "extra virgin olive oil" obtained from the first pressing of the olives is healthier than oil labeled "virgin olive oil" or just "olive oil."

Extra virgin olive oil contains higher levels of anti-inflammatory compounds which protect against unwanted inflammation.  Extra virgin olive oil contains higher levels of phytonutrients and polyphenols (antioxidants).

These compounds decrease your risk of heart disease and they also have been shown to lower blood pressure.  And olive oil has been shown to turn off the genes that can lead to inflammation and heart disease.

What Do Olive Oil Labels Mean?

The olive oil aisle can be overwhelming.  When shopping for olive oil make sure to read the labels.  Here's what they mean.

• Extra Virgin - This classification indicates the best, least processed and unrefined product.  The oil comes from the first pressing of the olives.  It has the highest levels of phenols and antioxidants.  It also has the richest, most delicious taste.  To bear this label the oil must also have a low acid content.
  
• Virgin - This usually means the oil comes from the second pressing.  But it could also come from the first pressing if that oil does not meet the acidity and quality levels of an extra virgin classification.  Virgin oil has fewer phenols and antioxidants.  And it has a less delicate taste.
  
• Pure - This oil undergoes some degree of processing, such as filtering and refining.  Although it says it's pure, it can actually be a combination of refined and virgin oils.
  
• Extra Light - Avoid this oil.  It undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very faint olive flavor.  Extra light is not a term regulated by law.  In some instances this oil is actually a mix of olive oil and other vegetable oils like corn oil or canola oils.
  

For this vinaigrette recipe be sure to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil.

Recipe: Dijon Vinaigrette

• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup organic red wine vinegar
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Whisk ingredients together to emulsify, or shake in a glass jar to combine. Toss with greens, cold grains, or vegetables.