Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Isa has moved to the "no-to-low-fat camp".  But, she's found that a mere 1/4 cup of cashews works as a perfect emulsifier for salad dressings.  No oil, no eggs, no sugar, no mayo needed! 

OK--I'm no cashew-advocate. I don't cook with or snack on cashews--but Isa is 100% right about how they improved the consistency & mouth-feel of salad dressings.  And without adding much fat at all!

You could easily use this recipe as a template for many dressings--just switching up the balsamic for a citrus juice or other vinegar--and adding different spices or flavorings.  The cashews and water sub for oil or mayo.

 

Balsamic Vinaigrette

8 servings--1 1/2 tablespoons each

Prep Time: 10 minutes

 

1/4 cup raw cashew pieces (To make blending a breeze--if you have time--soak the cashews for 1 hour or overnight--then drain the water & proceed with the recipe--I DID NOT bother with the soaking)

2 TBS chopped  shallots  (I bet 2 cloves of garlic would taste fine)

1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar (oops--left this out of the original post!!)

1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tsp. agave nectar (ya, I know, it now has a bad-reputation--but it's just 1 tsp.)

1/4 tsp of salt

A few shakes of freshly ground pepper

 

First place the cashews in the blender, or your Vita-Mix.  Then add everything else.   Isa says to blend for a least 5 minutes, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides often.   Note:  With a Vita-Mix I mixed this for less than 2 minutes--and never needed to scrape it down.

The key is to blend it until it's smooth--and not grainy.

Transfer the dressing into a covered container.  It may seem thin at first, but it really thickens as it chills.

I haven't tried it yet--but I think substituting garlic for shallots might work just fine.

 Nutrition info based on a 1 1/2 tablespoon serving.

Nutrition Facts Isa's Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories	42
Total Fat	2.2g
Saturated Fat	0.4g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	156mg
Carbohydrate	4.2g
Dietary Fiber	0.1g
Sugars	2.5g
Protein	0.9g
Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 0% Calcium    0% Iron 2%