I’ve been on a meal planning kick for the last couple of weeks. When I’m looking for meals though, I need them to fall into a kind of “goldilocks” category – I need them to be healthy enough so that I feel good after eating them, but I also need them to have a lot of flavor, and there needs to be a good variety, so I don’t get bored and just have pizza instead. See, they need to be “just right.”

Salads are an easy go-to when trying to eat fairly healthy, but they can also get boring, and we all know that salad dressing, while sometimes the most delicious part of a salad, is also the most unhealthy part. So, for the past couple of months, I’ve been making my own homemade vinaigrette dressing. It’s delicious, a little goes a long way, and I know exactly what’s in it. Win, win, win. It’s light, but the vinegar has a strong flavor, and I really, truly prefer it to any bottled dressing I’ve ever had. It’s also pretty quick to make – it takes no more than 5 minutes from start to finish.

Printable Recipe
Makes 2 servings

ingredients:
1 small shallot, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar (I like a little extra vinegar, so I usually do about 1 1/4 tbsp)
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

instructions:
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Divide between two salads, or use half and refrigerate the rest for later. Enjoy!

Adapted from Blue Apron