Strawberry Balsamic Dressing 
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Frozen strawberries: they're not just for smoothies anymore! I eat a salad in a jar for lunch every day, at my desk at work, so I'm always looking for new and different salad dressings, preferably the low-calorie variety. In the wintertime, when fresh strawberries may not be readily available or reasonably priced, I've discovered a great way to get my strawberry fix with this homemade salad dressing.
Perhaps you've heard of something called a reduction where a liquid is boiled down to the consistency of a thick syrup. In my experience, frozen strawberries have a richer, fuller flavor if they are cooked in the same way. It's less fussy to do it in the microwave, and you don't have to worry about them burning, something I did several times while attempting to roast them in the oven.
Using the strawberry reduction means you won't need to drag out your blender or food processor to make this dressing since the chopped strawberries will shrink when cooked. Just whisk everything together. Of course, if you prefer a silky, smooth dressing, the blender is your friend.
As part of my ongoing effort to make healthy food easy and convenient, I try to keep shelf-stable salad ingredients in my desk at work. Although I have access to a refrigerator at my current job, many people do not; or if they do, it is inconvenient, insecure, or already full of co-workers' old, moldy food. Keeping salad fixin's at my desk is insurance for days I have no time to prepare fresh ingredients in the morning. If necessary, keep lettuce and dressing chilled with a frozen ice pack made for lunch bags.
My desk-top salad supplies: foil-packaged tuna, salmon, and chicken, Fiber One for crunch, dried cranberries, cherries or blueberries, toasted nuts and seed mixes plus lettuce and dressing brought from home every day.
Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
1-1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon frozen, chopped onions
1/4 cup nonfat, plain, Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (you can use regular balsamic, but the color of your dressing will be darker)
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water (you may need a little more or less depending on the thickness of the yogurt, and your personal preference)
Directions
Chop strawberries coarsely to keep them from exploding in the microwave. For the sake of convenience, I add frozen onions to the strawberries to cook at the same time since I don’t care for raw onions.
Place strawberries, along with the onions, in 1 or 2-quart Pyrex measuring bowl.
Microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes, UNCOVERED. No stirring required.
Chill cooked strawberries until room temperature.
Add remaining ingredients and whisk until well blended. If you prefer a smooth dressing, mix in a blender or food processor.
Options:
Add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Delicious!
Add 1 tablespoon honey if you prefer a little more sweetness.
Try it without the yogurt for a different taste.
Add 1 tablespoon of chopped, fresh basil for an exciting burst of flavor in your salad.
Total Preparation Time: 15 mins Makes makes 5 servings
Categories: Under 30 Minute Meals