Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

I don't like the way our weather has been acting lately. It's cool, around 70F today and in the low 50's at night. This is a preview of what we will be experiencing in September and I'm simply not ready for summer to be over yet! Of course, it's nice to be able to walk outside and tie up a few tomato plants without suffering heat-stroke.


Last weekend we went to a party and I took a Mexican-inspired pasta salad as my contribution to the buffet table. Of course, there was a good quantity of chopped (grilled) zucchini in it! Also grilled sweet onion, diced red bell peppers and tomatoes, pink beans, and queso fresco cheese. The dressing was a standby which I have been using for a few years, Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette. I added some powdered dried chipotle powder to give it zing.


It went very well with the pasta and vegetables.


I've also used this vinaigrette for a grilled chicken salad which is also Mexican-inspired, combining the chicken with black beans, red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado.


Vinaigrettes are basically oil and vinegar, but in order to tone down the sharpness of the vinegar and still make the dressing low in fat there has to be another liquid as a "carrier". I have also successfully used orange and grapefruit juice in other types of dressings.



* Exported from MasterCook *


Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette


Recipe By: Vicci
Servings: 20
Serving Size: 2 tablespoons


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder -- (for a bit more
punch, sub half the amount of dried
ground chipotle pepper)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 large garlic cloves -- crushed
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Place undrained tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer to a plastic or glass bottle and refrigerate for at least overnight to meld flavors.

Yield:
"2 1/2 cups"


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Per serving: 60 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (84% calories from fat); trace Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 150mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 17 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates