Perhaps not breaking news but it should be. It would seem Rachel Ray is right on the mark chanting EVOO! as if it’s the second coming.

Julia says “I never use that, (elongated pause) vegetable oil do you?”  “Those bottled dressings I think are ... machine oil, don’t you think?” in Julia Child’s Kitchen Wisdom a DVD that highlights classic old school footage of the original Masterchef herself.

Choose a good olive oil and a bit of fleur de sel add simple local fresh ingredients and OMG, TTYL8r gotta go my ready in 10 salad is served. Some shaves of real parmesan to top it off and I find myself turning into a giggling school girl.  It doesn’t get much easier.

Preparing your own salad dressing is probably the most quick and easy cooking at it’s easiest.

There is just no comparison between bottled salad dressing, which Julia Child has appropriately described as “machine oil”, and a light and delicious dressing made with olive oil in your own kitchen 

Making your own salad dressing is one of the simplest ways to prepare a delicious and fast dinner. Just prepare your favorite dressing recipe, toss it with some delicious greens and fresh vegetables from a local farmers market, add in some shredded cheese or dried fruits and enjoy! If you are short on time, replace the greens from the farmers market with a bag of pre-washed baby spinach.

Olive oil is heart-healthy because it is an excellent source of omega 3, which lowers the bad cholesterol in your blood, while simultaneously raising the good cholesterol. 

Low fat store-bought dressing is full of water, modified starches, and a lot of sugar. It is not a healthy alternative to making your own quick and easy dressing. 

The kind of olive oil you chose will make a significant difference in the flavor of the dressing. According to TLC, olive oil is ranked based on its acidity. Higher quality olive oils have the least acidity and the most flavor and antioxidants. 

Extra-virgin olive oil is the highest grade of olive oil and the type of oil you will want to use in your dressing. It's worth it to splurge a bit and buy a higher quality olive oil for finishing and for preparing those delicious salad dressings.

Try preparing a tangy honey mustard salad dressing recipe or a refreshing cucumber herbed salad dressing recipe. Experiment with different flavors of dressing, knowing that by preparing your own dressing you are making the healthy and flavorful choice!