It has taken awhile, but my family has finally converted to homemade salad dressing. The reason it took so long is (1) store bought salad dressings contain sugar and other ingredients that are hard to resist (and actually quite addictive), and (2) because I needed to find an easy-to-make recipe and get into the habit of making it.

You definitely want to stay away from conventional salad dressings that contain many preservatives, bad oils, and genetically modified (or GMO) ingredients. Even supposedly natural dressings typically contain GMO oils, such as canola oil and/or soy bean oil, which are best to avoid.

Instead, try this homemade one. Change the proportions to suit your taste! You can also experiment with other healthy oils such as walnut oil and hazelnut oil. (Click here to find out more about which oils and fats are good for you and which ones are not.)

Simple Balsamic Dressing

1/4 cup organic balsamic vinegar (try different brands for different flavors)
1/4 cup organic fermented apple cider vinegar (good for digestion)
1-1/4 cup organic olive oil
1/4 cup avocado oil
Himalayan or sea salt to taste (1/4 – 3/4 tsp)

Pour all ingredients into a jar and shake well. For a creamier version, blend in a blender on high for about a minute. Store in a glass jar, such as a mason jar or old salad dressing bottle. (Don’t use plastic, because the chemicals from the plastic will leach into the oil.)

We tend to use ours up quickly, so I leave the bottle on the kitchen counter. If you don’t use often, store in the refrigerator (to prevent the olive oil from going rancid) and take out about an hour before using as the olive oil will harden when refrigerated. Enjoy!

This article was written by Sharon Harmon, founder of Life Design for Health. She has a passion for helping people find their way back to optimum health. Please contact her if you would like to know more. There is a great deal of health-related information in her blog articles and on her website.