How To Get Your Kids To Ask For Salad

Make a Dressing They Can’t Resist

Let’s face it, salad is boring. We all know we should eat it, but, unless it is a 2150 calorie gluttonous meal masquerading as a “salad” from the Cheesecake Factory or CPK, no one really likes a salad.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

I have a dressing recipe that has transformed my family’s opinion of your basic salad and once you try it, this will become a staple in your house. You may even hear the words, “Mom, can I have some more salad, please?”

In my home, I begin dinner with a first course of salad. This is my way of ensuring my family gets in some vegetables and also is a way to “fill up” before the meal, so we do not overindulge on the actual dinner. When my kids were little, getting them to eat their salad was a challenge. One day when discussing this problem, a friend gave me an easy salad dressing recipe. It looked simple enough but really not too interesting and so I put it aside and forgot about it. A few months later, I was going through my recipes and came across it and decided to give it a try. And, I am glad I did. In no time at all, and with just a few basic ingredients I already had on hand, I concocted the dressing that will forever be known in my house as “The Most Yummy Salad Dressing Ever.”

This recipe calls for a food processor, but to make it easier on myself, I just make it in my Ninja blender cup and clean up is a breeze. The dressing keeps in the refrigerator for over a week and it gets better and better the longer it sits.

From the day I made this dressing, my family no longer choked down their obligatory salad to get to their meal. They actually looked forward to their mundane bowl of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots. The dressing made it magically delicious. And, hey, if I threw a little shredded mozzarella on top, I was a HERO!

When company came over and I made a salad with this dressing, everyone left with the recipe. It was that good.

If my family can embrace salad, your family can too. For those of you still doubting, or think it is easier to just buy a bottle at the store, I urge you to try this just once. You control the ingredients and for the few minutes it takes you to make it, you can feel good knowing you are serving your loved ones a healthy dressing that contains real ingredients and no preservatives.

The Most Yummy Salad Dressing Ever!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 clove garlic

1 shallot — sliced in 1/2

Herbs*

Instructions:

Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until fully mixed. Pour over salad and enjoy. YUM!

*Herbs — Usually I use fresh chopped rosemary, basil and parsley — about a teaspoon of each and then throw in about a 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano. If I dont have fresh herbs on hand, I throw in a 1/2 teaspoon each of oregano, parsley and rosemary.

Bonus Idea: Use this dressing as a dip for veggies and you can pack your kids a healthy snack for lunch. Put cut up carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers in a baggy and send with a side of dressing in a small disposable dip cup.

And, if you want to find a simple dish to serve your salad with, check out my recipe for an easy midweek quiche at https://readmedium.com/quiche-is-not-just-for-brunch-7ee36bbc6145.