Creamy Lavender Vinaigrette

A friend of my wife’s recently gave me some culinary lavender and I had no idea what to do with it until I recently came across a recipe for creamy lavender vinaigrette. Of course I had to change the recipe which made it a little more Italian and a lot healthier. What I came up with was a light creamy dressing that had a hint of lavender, the sweetness of honey, the tang of white balsamic vinegar and the creaminess of Greek yogurt. This dressing has also gotten me to start eating salads again. Bottled dressing is either too strong or too thick for me. This dressing is both delicate on the tongue and healthy.

1/4 tsp Basil

1/4 tsp Dried Rosemary

1/4 tsp Dried Parsley

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1½ tsp Dried Culinary Lavender

¾ C Greek Yogurt

1/3 C White Balsamic Vinegar *

1/3 C Honey

1/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Lime or Lemon Juice

Combine the basil through lavender in a blender and blend until it forms a fine powder. Add the yogurt, vinegar and honey and blend until smooth. With the blender running, drizzle in the olive oil. Pour over your favorite salad or vegetables. Stores well in refrigerator for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed bottle.

* Pronto Substitute 

White Balsamic Vinegar – You can substitute rice wine vinegar or white vinegar for the white balsamic vinegar.

Culinary Lavender – comes from lavender flowers that have not been poisoned with pesticides or other preservatives. It’s important that you only use the flower buds that are labeled as culinary lavender in your cooking. Only the buds contain the essential oil of lavender which imparts the scent and flavor of lavender.

To print this recipe, go to Creamy Lavender Vinaigrette