OK, yet another salad dressing recipe. I simply can’t help myself. I love salad, so I am always on the lookout for salad dressing recipes that are easy to prepare and just a bit different. So, when my dear friend Jim lent me his copy of The Complete Diabetic Cookbook, one of the first recipes I decided to try was this one. And boy am I glad I did. Absolutely delicious.

Now one thing I want to discuss with you is the use of fresh lemons over that stuff that comes in a bottle. You simply cannot get the same fabulous real lemon flavor from something that has been processed and then sits for God knows how long on a shelf in the grocery store and then once opened, in your refrigerator. I do realize, that using bottled lemon juice takes less effort than extracting the juice from the real thing. But not that much less effort. Not enough to justify using an inferior substitute. (In my humble opinion!) So, to help you continue using real lemons or for those of you I have successfully guilt tripped into starting to use real lemons, visit my recipe for Simple Italian Vinaigrette for my super easy way to get more juice from lemons. (At least this method works great for me.)

Now let’s talk about garlic. Again, use the real thing. Here’s why.

According to Alex Delany for bonappetite.com “Having a tub of pre-minced garlic in the fridge seems like a smart move. If you need a hit of garlic and don’t have any, it’s there. Pop the lid, scoop some out, and throw it in your braise. But if you open the doors of our fridges (or step into the walk-in of our Test Kitchen), you won’t find pre-minced garlic anywhere. That’s because we don’t think you should be using pre-minced garlic at all.

This might sound like we’re on a high horse, preaching some gospel of food snobbery. We’re not. We’re serious about this. Allow us to explain.

The minute you slice, crush, grate, or chop garlic, the flavor starts to change. Garlic develops strong, bitter, sharp flavors when the cell walls of the bulb are broken. This is a defense mechanism, like deflecting a valid critique of your character by turning it into a joke. When this sharp flavor develops and then sits, it becomes more unpleasant, which is exactly what’s happening in that jar of minced garlic. The more it hangs around, the less it tastes like the sweet, spicy, assertive garlic we know and love.

Also, pre-minced garlic is actually not just garlic. These containers of garlic have added ingredients, like citric acid and phosphoric acid, to help stabilize the garlic as it sits on grocery store shelves. And, as another stabilization technique, most brands will pasteurize the garlic, heating it to kill any unwanted microorganisms. This sounds like a good thing in terms of food safety, but when it comes to fresh ingredients, we like ours to be alive. There’s more vibrance and flavor in a freshly peeled clove than there is in a pasteurized garlic cube.

Real talk: This supposed product of convenience isn’t really saving you much time at all. If you needed 3 cups of garlic for the largest batch of pasta sauce you’ve ever made, sure, we get it.

But really, we don’t mince garlic all that much after all. Chopped garlic is a pain in the ass. We co-sign techniques like smashing cloves with the flat side of a knife or grating garlic with a microplane, both of which take very little time.

Grocery store minced garlic is a food product of convenience that is just not that convenient—and certainly not that tasty. At this very moment, pre-minced garlic is 0-2 in our book. Fresh garlic? That stuff remains undefeated.”

Now, I know. Why saddle you with all this information when you are just trying to get healthy, decent tasting meals on the table. I get it. I’ve been there. But using real lemons and garlic that you squeeze or mince/grate yourself, is going to make the dishes you prepare just that much better. And always remember, I really am on your side.

Well, that’s enough blather for today. Mr. C. has just left for an afternoon gig followed by a rehearsal this evening. With no time in between to have dinner at home. So, I have the afternoon and evening to myself. I plan to do some reading, then maybe take a nap, followed by some more diving into my book. I am currently reading the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. Delightful!

As always, peace and love to all.

3 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. tahini

1 T. water

1 garlic clove, finely minced

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Whisk all together. Serve over mild flavored greens.