Yes, that means Do-It-Yourself! Make your own salad dressing, just the way you like it.
All you need to know is the ratio between canola oil, acids, and emulsifiers. Next, get creative with seasoning!
The Ratio is 2:1:1 + Seasoning
That’s 2 parts canola oil, 1 part acid, 1 part emulsifier, plus seasonings of your choice.
For example:
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp acid (vinegar or citrus)
1 Tbsp emulsifier (honey or mustard or combo of both)
1 tsp – 1 Tbsp seasoning (combo of pepper, garlic, fresh or dried herbs)
Acids
Citrus: lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit are most popular.
Vinegar: balsamic, white wine, red wine, champagne, rice, and more!
Emulsifiers
These stabilize your dressing and keep the canola oil mixed with the acid. Our preferred choices are honey and/or mustard.
Be sure to experiment with the many different styles of mustard too! From grainy to Dijon to classic or gourmet.
Where Do I Store Salad Dressing and For How Long?
Always store homemade salad dressing and vinaigrettes in the fridge. They can be kept for 3-5 days. The Canola Eat Well team finds glass jars are ideal storage containers.
Why is it Important to Eat My Veggies with a Dressing?
Many of the vitamins we find in fruits and vegetables are fat soluble (A, D, E & K). This means our bodies absorb them best when they are consumed with a bit of fat. Enjoying fruits and veggies with homemade dip or dressing that contains canola oil, is a great way to optimize nutrition! Plus, how delicious is that?
Watch a DIY in Action:
Here are our favourite recipes to get you started:
Honey Mustard Dressing
Almost as basic as it can get. This is the dressing most loved by kids, easily made and an all around fan favourite. Get the recipe.
Wild Cranberry Vinaigrette
A smooth and refreshing cranberry vinaigrette is the perfect dressing for a summer salad! Get the recipe.
Barley Salad with Spinach and Strawberries
Sweet, tart strawberries make a delicious addition to a summer salad. If you’re taking this to a party, add nuts just before serving to keep them crunchy. Canola oil’s light texture and mild taste provide a neutral backdrop for the vinaigrette’s sweet-tart ingredients. Get the recipe.
Grilled Grapefruit and Chicken Salad
Fruity salads are nothing new, but this grilled grapefruit salad recipe is sure to give your taste buds a new citrus experience. Grilling the grapefruit gives it a smokey taste that complements the raspberry-flavoured white vinegar and sweet honey—the perfect combination of sweet, smokey, citrus, and tang. Get the recipe.
Greek Salad
This Greek Salad is packed with colourful and crunchy vegetables. Cucumbers, peppers, red onions and grape tomatoes are mixed with our homemade canola oil dressing and topped with feta cheese. Add a grilled chicken breast and you’ve got a complete meal or throw it into a wrap for lunch. Get the recipe.
