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Whisk Briskly (How I Make Salad Dressing) (OT)
Every day I've been eating what I call a "survival salad." Basically because I'd rather not die too soon if I can avoid it. I have heart disease, and an ever-varied assortment of edible greens comes in hot at No. 1 on the grand list of the healthiest possible things to eat. Regardless of nutritional ideology—or idiot-ology—gotta get your greens. What follows is what my research led me to for dressing.
Oil is controversial in the WFPB (whole-food plant-based) world. Some doctor/scientists recommend zero oil—the estimable Dr. Greger famously called it "the table sugar of the fat kingdom." However, there's an epidemiologist who I listen to, Walter Willett [note: links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases], who thinks fats are important enough that he includes healthy oils in Harvard's amended version of the USDA "MyPlate," the "Healthy Eating Plate." He recommends focusing on unsaturated fats, from sources like olive oil, canola oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, and fatty fish such as salmon. In sensible, small amounts. Aside from the linked book, Dr. Willett is the author of the standard basic epidemiological text of the links between foods and diseases, Nutritional Epidemiology, and the researcher most responsible for identifying the dangers of trans fats.
Harvard tries to correct the political distortions
in the USDA "MyPlate" recommendations,
which were influenced by industry
Contrary to received wisdom, unpretentious canola oil is the healthiest oil. It has half the saturated fat of olive oil and more omega-6. Still, I use olive oil for salads, as it tastes better, and canola oil for cooking.
You can make the dressing right in the bowl you're going to mix the salad in. One tablespoon of your oil of choice, one tablespoon of a vinegar of choice; a small dollop—maybe the size of a garbanzo bean on the tip of a spoon—of both dijon mustard and garlic paste (you can finely mince real garlic if you have the time); a generous pinch each of ginger powder and salt; a couple of turns of black pepper from the grinder; and I add just a bit of water and lemon juice. If it strikes you as too acidic you can add a little honey or maple syrup. Whisk briskly (I love the term "whisk briskly"—say it out loud), then add your salad fixings and toss. Modify to suit.
Lazy, easy, tasty and neat, and you can say that out loud too.
Mike
(This is a test of adding Amazon book links and other links to Patreon. —Mike the Ed.)
Original contents copyright 2025 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below or on the title of this post.)
