Hidden Salad Dressing

Salad season is fast approaching, which is great. Salads are varied, good for you and easy to prepare.

If you are looking to keep your salad healthy, keep an eye on the dressings you use. Many commercially prepared salads contain high levels of salt, sugar and fat, not all of which is the ‘good’ sort, we are hoping for (eg olive oil).

As an alternative, you may like to try marinating some of your salad ingredients, and use the marinade as a dressing, instead of adding extras. It will be more cost effective too!

Here’s a good one to get started with:

Marinated mushroom and courgette salad

Serves 4

You will need:

2 cups thinly sliced button mushrooms

2 courgettes, ribboned with a vegetable peeler

1 bag mixed salad greens

100g feta cheese

For the dressing

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced

1 tbsp vodka (I use vanilla flavoured)

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Mix all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Tip it over the mushrooms and courgette and leave to marinate for 10 minutes. Arrange salad leaves in a bowl, tip over mushroom mixture and toss well. Crumble over feta.