Orange Vinaigrette

Cheap Challenge, Part 2: Watch as our family of 6 eats on less than $10/day.

I like to believe that my body is fully in tune with the seasons and the cosmos and that is why I suddenly start craving greens in the spring and fall, but maybe I just have a folate deficiency.

Seriously, though, every spring and every fall I get a major hankering for salad--not the tomato cucumber salads of summer and not any other kind of funky or gourmet type salad--just a regular old bowl of any mix of greens, maybe with some other vegetables thrown on. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that this tends to be a season of excess and a little something light sounds really nice most nights.

One of the great things about getting that urge when oranges are on or coming on is that you can make this dressing. I've had it in my to-try list for over a year. Oh, the sweet citrus-y salads I've been missing in that time. As of yesterday, this has become my go to.

Orange Vinaigrette
Prep time: 3 minutes
Cost: $.95
sugar: .10, orange juice: .64 (the cost of an orange right now; that'll go down soon); vinegar: .02, oil: .16, dressing: .03

1/2 C sugar
1/3 C orange juice
1/2 C rice wine vinegar
1 C canola oil (olive would work too, but will add a distinct taste to your dressing; I liked the canola because it didn't get in the way of the orange)
2 Tbsp dry Italian dressing

Shake it up in a glass jar and let it stand for 30 minutes. (Bad things probably won't happen if you don't let it stand, but it lets the flavors get better acquainted.)

PRINTABLE RECIPE